State labor departments and state laws · U.S. Department of Labor state table (updated July 1, 2026) · Last updated October 1, 2026
17 states raise their minimum wage on January 1, 2027. Thirteen of them have a rate set, from Ohio’s $11.40 to Washington’s $17.73. Michigan has the biggest raise, $1.27 an hour, which takes it to $15.00. Four states (Montana, South Dakota, Vermont and New York) haven’t announced their 2027 rate yet, and one more (Arizona) isn’t final. Twenty states stay at the federal $7.25.
Key findings
- 17 states change their minimum wage on January 1, 2027. Washington, Connecticut, California, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Virginia, Minnesota, Ohio and Nebraska ($15.26) have set rates. Arizona ($15.65) is expected. Montana, South Dakota, Vermont and New York are still pending.
- Washington’s $17.73 is the highest state rate. Only Washington, D.C., at $18.40, is higher. Connecticut ($17.48) and California ($17.40) come next.
- Michigan has the biggest raise: $13.73 to $15.00, up $1.27 or 9.2%. Rhode Island goes up $1.00, to $17.00, and Virginia goes up $0.98, to $13.75. Virginia reaches $15.00 on January 1, 2028.
- Nebraska’s raise slows down. A 2026 law (LB 258) set yearly raises at 1.75%. The state labor department has set the January 1, 2027 rate at $15.26, a raise of 26 cents.
- 19 states and D.C. will be at $15 or more on January 1, 2027.
- Florida just went to $15.00 on September 30, 2026. It stays there through December 31, 2027.
- Alaska goes to $15.00 on July 1, 2027. Hawaii goes from $16.00 to $18.00 on January 1, 2028.
- 20 states are still at the federal $7.25, which hasn’t changed since 2009. After inflation, $7.25 today buys what $4.66 bought then.
The January 1, 2027 raises
For a full-time worker (2,080 hours a year) paid the minimum, the raise adds about $2,642 a year in Michigan, $2,080 in Rhode Island, $2,038 in Virginia, $1,248 in Washington and Maine, and $1,040 in California and Arizona. That’s before payroll taxes. See the table for every state.
Map: minimum wage by state on January 1, 2027
All 50 states and D.C.
Click a column heading to sort. “Extra pay” is the raise times 2,080 hours, for one full-time worker at the minimum.
| State | Today (Oct. 2026) | Jan. 1, 2027 | Change | Extra pay per full-time worker, per year | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | No change since July 24, 2009 | Applies wherever the state rate is lower or there is no state law |
| District of Columbia | $18.40 | $18.40 | no change | $0 | Changes later | Inflation update July 1, 2027 (amount not set yet) |
| Washington | $17.13 | $17.73 | +$0.60 +3.5% |
$1,248 | Announced by the state | Salaried overtime-exempt minimum is a multiple of the minimum wage: 2.25x (50 or fewer employees) or 2.5x (51 or more) |
| Connecticut | $16.94 | $17.48 | +$0.54 +3.2% |
$1,123 | Announced by the state | |
| California | $16.90 | $17.40 | +$0.50 +3.0% |
$1,040 | Announced by the state | Many cities set higher local rates |
| New York | $17.00 | Pending not announced |
— | — | Pending (not announced yet) | Today $17.00 in New York City, Long Island and Westchester; $16.00 in the rest of the state. Yearly inflation updates start in 2027. |
| Rhode Island | $16.00 | $17.00 | +$1.00 +6.2% |
$2,080 | Set in state law | |
| New Jersey | $15.92 | $16.48 | +$0.56 +3.5% |
$1,165 | Announced by the state | Check NJDOL for the separate rate for some small and seasonal employers |
| Hawaii | $16.00 | $16.00 | no change | $0 | Changes later | $18.00 on Jan. 1, 2028 |
| Colorado | $15.16 | $15.71 | +$0.55 +3.6% |
$1,144 | Announced by the state | Tipped cash wage $12.69 in 2027. Denver: $19.84. |
| Maine | $15.10 | $15.70 | +$0.60 +4.0% |
$1,248 | Announced by the state | Salaried overtime-exempt minimum: $905.79 a week ($47,101.08 a year) |
| Arizona | $15.15 | $15.65 expected | +$0.50 +3.3% |
$1,040 | Expected (press reports) | Reported by Arizona news outlets in September 2026. The state agency notice was not available to us yet. |
| Oregon | $15.55 | $15.55 | no change | $0 | Changes later | Inflation update July 1, 2027 (amount not set yet). Today Portland area $16.80, standard $15.55, non-urban $14.55. |
| Nebraska | $15.00 | $15.26 | +$0.26 +1.7% |
$541 | Announced by the state | State law sets the raise at 1.75% a year. The labor department’s schedule (updated July 31, 2026) sets the January 1, 2027 rate at $15.26. |
| Delaware | $15.00 | $15.00 | no change | $0 | No change scheduled | |
| Florida | $15.00 | $15.00 | no change | $0 | Changes later | Stays $15.00 through Dec. 31, 2027. Next change is an inflation update on Jan. 1, 2028. |
| Illinois | $15.00 | $15.00 | no change | $0 | No change scheduled | No change scheduled. Chicago and Cook County set higher local rates. |
| Maryland | $15.00 | $15.00 | no change | $0 | No change scheduled | |
| Massachusetts | $15.00 | $15.00 | no change | $0 | No change scheduled | |
| Michigan | $13.73 | $15.00 | +$1.27 +9.2% |
$2,642 | Set in state law | Yearly inflation updates start after this step |
| Missouri | $15.00 | $15.00 | no change | $0 | No change scheduled | Yearly inflation raises were repealed in 2025 (HB 567) |
| Vermont | $14.42 | Pending about $14.91 projected |
— | — | Pending (not announced yet) | Inflation-based; the 2027 rate had not been posted when we checked |
| Alaska | $14.00 | $14.00 | no change | $0 | Changes later | $15.00 on July 1, 2027 |
| Virginia | $12.77 | $13.75 | +$0.98 +7.7% |
$2,038 | Set in state law | $15.00 on Jan. 1, 2028 |
| Nevada | $12.00 | $12.00 | no change | $0 | No change scheduled | |
| New Mexico | $12.00 | $12.00 | no change | $0 | No change scheduled | |
| Minnesota | $11.41 | $11.87 | +$0.46 +4.0% |
$957 | Announced by the state | Large and small employers now share one rate |
| South Dakota | $11.85 | Pending about $12.25 by our estimate |
— | — | Pending (not announced yet) | The state publishes the 2027 rate by Oct. 15 |
| Ohio | $11.00 | $11.40 | +$0.40 +3.6% |
$832 | Announced by the state | Tipped cash wage $5.70 in 2027 |
| Arkansas | $11.00 | $11.00 | no change | $0 | No change scheduled | |
| Montana | $10.85 | Pending about $11.20 projected |
— | — | Pending (not announced yet) | Inflation-based; the 2027 rate had not been posted when we checked |
| West Virginia | $8.75 | $8.75 | no change | $0 | No change scheduled | |
| Alabama | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | No state minimum wage law, so the federal $7.25 applies |
| Georgia | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | State law says $5.15, but the federal $7.25 covers most jobs |
| Idaho | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| Indiana | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| Iowa | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| Kansas | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| Kentucky | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| Louisiana | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | No state minimum wage law, so the federal $7.25 applies |
| Mississippi | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | No state minimum wage law, so the federal $7.25 applies |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | A 2026 bill to set a state minimum (HB 1484) died in August |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| North Dakota | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | Voters rejected a $15 plan (State Question 832) on June 16, 2026, 55% to 45% |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | A bill to raise it (HB 2189) passed the state House 104 to 95 in March 2026 and is in the Senate |
| South Carolina | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | No state minimum wage law, so the federal $7.25 applies |
| Tennessee | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | No state minimum wage law, so the federal $7.25 applies |
| Texas | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| Utah | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | |
| Wyoming | $7.25 | $7.25 | no change | $0 | Federal $7.25 | State law says $5.15, but the federal $7.25 covers most jobs |
The pending and expected rates
Five of the January 1 rates aren’t final yet. We’ll update this page when each state posts its number.
- South Dakota: pending. It’s $11.85 today and goes up with inflation. The state publishes the new rate by October 15. Our rough estimate from the price index is about $12.25.
- Montana: pending. It’s $10.85 today. The 2027 rate had not been posted when we checked. A payroll publisher projects about $11.20; we haven’t confirmed it.
- Vermont: pending. It’s $14.42 today. A payroll publisher projects $14.91; we haven’t confirmed it.
- New York: pending. It’s $17.00 in New York City, Long Island and Westchester and $16.00 in the rest of the state. Starting in 2027 it goes up with inflation, and the state hadn’t posted the 2027 amounts when we checked.
- Arizona: expected, $15.65. Arizona news outlets reported this rate in September 2026. We couldn’t get the state agency’s notice yet.
The federal $7.25
The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009. Prices have gone up about 56% since then. $7.25 in July 2009 is worth $11.28 in today’s dollars, so a $7.25 paycheck buys about 36% less than it did.
Twenty states still use $7.25: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Lawmakers filed raise bills in several of them in 2025 and 2026, and none passed. Oklahoma voters turned down a $15 plan in June 2026, 55% to 45%. No statewide minimum wage question is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
Across all states, we counted 313 bills with “minimum wage” in the title in 2025 and 2026. Only two states, Rhode Island and Virginia, passed new raises. In the same two years, four states (Arkansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Wisconsin) passed laws exempting minor league baseball players.
What to do now if you have employees
- Update payroll before your first pay period of 2027. The new rate applies to hours worked on or after January 1, even if payday falls later.
- Check your city and county. If a local rate is higher, you pay the local rate. Denver, for example, will be $19.84.
- Check tipped and salaried staff. In many states the tipped cash wage moves with the minimum. See tip credits by state. Some states also set the overtime-exempt salary as a multiple of the minimum wage, like Washington and Maine.
- Put up the new poster. States put out a new minimum wage notice when the rate changes. Get it from your state labor department.
- Look at the rest of your payroll costs. See typical wages by state, new-employer unemployment tax rates and paid sick leave rules by employer size. In Florida, our Florida $15 minimum wage cost calculator works out the cost for your staff.
More from our 2027 minimum wage research
- 2027 minimum wage by state (this page)
- Minimum wage vs. rent by state: hours of work it takes to rent a one-bedroom
- 2027 minimum wage vs. what workers earn: which jobs the new rates reach
- What the 2027 raises cost a small business: extra payroll for a 10-person team
- Minimum wage gaps between neighboring states: border pairs like Washington and Idaho
- Real minimum wage by state: what the minimum buys after local prices
Cite or share this data
Reporters, researchers and business groups are welcome to use the table and charts. Please credit and link to this page.
Source: StartBusinessByState.com, 2027 minimum wage by state (updated October 1, 2026). https://startbusinessbystate.com/minimum-wage-by-state-2027/
Methods and caveats
- Starting point. Today’s rates come from the U.S. Department of Labor’s state minimum wage table, updated July 1, 2026, plus Florida’s step to $15.00 on September 30, 2026.
- 2027 rates. We checked each state’s labor department announcement or the state law that sets the rate, between September 30 and October 1, 2026. “Announced by the state” means we read the state’s notice. “Set in state law” means the rate is written into the law. Arizona’s rate is from news reports. Nebraska’s is from the state labor department’s official schedule.
- State rates only. We show the main statewide rate. Some states have other rates for small employers, young workers, training periods or certain regions (Oregon and New York, for example). Many cities and counties set higher rates.
- Extra pay is the hourly raise times 2,080 hours. It leaves out payroll taxes and raises for workers already above the minimum.
- Bill counts come from LegiScan, using bills with “minimum wage” in the title in 2025 and 2026 sessions. It’s a rough count.
- Inflation. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index (CPI-U), July 2009 (215.351) to August 2026 (334.980).
FAQ
When do the 2027 minimum wage increases start?
Most start on January 1, 2027. Seventeen states change on that date. Alaska goes to $15.00 on July 1, 2027, and Oregon and Washington, D.C., adjust for inflation on July 1, 2027.
Which state has the highest minimum wage in 2027?
Washington, at $17.73 an hour starting January 1, 2027. Washington, D.C., is higher at $18.40, and some cities are higher still. Denver will be $19.84.
Why are some 2027 rates marked pending?
Some states tie their minimum wage to inflation and announce the new rate in the fall. South Dakota publishes its rate by October 15. Montana, Vermont and New York had not posted a 2027 rate when we checked on October 1, 2026. Nebraska’s labor department has since set its rate at $15.26. Arizona’s $15.65 was reported in the news, but we could not get the state notice yet, so we call it expected.
Is the federal minimum wage going up in 2027?
No. The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009, and no change is scheduled. Twenty states still use $7.25.
If my city has a higher minimum wage, which one do I pay?
You pay the highest rate that applies to you: federal, state or local. This table shows state rates only. Many cities and counties, mostly in California, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland and New Mexico, set their own higher rates.
Does the minimum wage change for tipped workers?
In many states it does, because the tipped cash wage is tied to the regular minimum. Colorado’s tipped wage goes to $12.69 and Ohio’s to $5.70 in 2027. See our tip credit guide by state.
Can I use this table?
Yes. Please credit StartBusinessByState.com and link to this page. The full table is free to download as a CSV.