Pay
Minimum wage in 2026: what your state and city owe you
The federal minimum hasn’t moved from $7.25. Where you work decides whether you’re owed a lot more.
The rule: the highest rate wins
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. States and cities can set higher minimums, and where more than one applies, you’re owed the highest. Several of the rates below changed on July 1, 2026, and some rise again in January, so check before you rely on a number.
| State | Per hour | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $17.13 | Adjusted every year |
| California | $16.90 | Adjusted every year; some industries have their own rates |
| New York | $17.00 / $16.00 | $17.00 in NYC, Long Island and Westchester; $16.00 elsewhere |
| Colorado | $15.16 | |
| Arizona | $15.15 | |
| Florida | $14.00 | |
| Michigan | $13.73 | Rises to $15.00 on January 1, 2027 |
| Virginia | $12.77 | |
| Ohio | $11.00 | Businesses with gross receipts of $405,000 or more |
| Texas | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | Same as federal |
Source: US DOL Wage and Hour Division, State Minimum Wage Laws (updated July 1, 2026). For states not listed, see the DOL table.
| City | Per hour | From |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $21.30 | Jan 1, 2026 (all employer sizes) |
| San Francisco, CA | $19.61 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| Denver, CO | $19.29 | Jan 1, 2026 (tipped food and beverage workers $16.27) |
| Los Angeles (city), CA | $18.42 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| Chicago, IL | $17.05 | Jul 1, 2026 (employers with 4 or more workers) |
San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago figures are from each city’s published notices; check the city’s own page for the latest.
Overtime
Under the FLSA, hours over 40 in a workweek are paid at 1.5 times your regular rate. Federal law has no daily overtime, though some states, such as California, have their own daily rules. Salaried staff can be exempt from overtime only if they meet a duties test and earn at least $684 a week ($35,568 a year), the threshold the DOL currently applies.
Sick leave and vacation
Federal law doesn’t require private employers to give paid vacation or paid sick leave (federal contractors aside). The Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave. Paid sick leave comes from state and city laws, for example:
- California: at least 40 hours or 5 days a year, usable from your 90th day of work.
- New York: up to 56 hours paid a year at employers with 100 or more workers; up to 40 hours paid at employers with 5–99.
Employee or contractor?
If you’re offered work as an independent contractor (paid on a 1099), your status still depends on the reality of the work. The DOL proposed a new classification rule in February 2026; as of September 25, 2026 we could not confirm a final rule. California uses the stricter “ABC test” under state law.
Sources
- State Minimum Wage LawsUS DOL Wage and Hour Division, updated 2026
- Minimum Wage OrdinanceSeattle Office of Labor Standards, 2026
- Denver Citywide Minimum WageCity and County of Denver, 2026
- Minimum Wage OrdinanceSan Francisco OLSE, 2026
- 2026 Minimum Wage Rate Increase MemoCity of Los Angeles Office of Wage Standards, 2026
- Minimum Wage InformationCity of Chicago BACP, 2026
- Earnings thresholds for the EAP exemptionUS DOL Wage and Hour Division, accessed 2026
- Paid Sick Leave in CaliforniaCalifornia Department of Industrial Relations, accessed 2026
- New York Paid Sick LeaveNew York State, accessed 2026
- Employee or Independent Contractor Status: Notice of Proposed RuleUS DOL Wage and Hour Division, 2026
This guide is general information, not legal advice. We checked the figures against these sources on September 25, 2026. Rules and rates change, so check the official source for your situation.