2027 Minimum Wage by State
Short answer: Washington's minimum wage rises to $17.73 on January 1, 2027, the highest of any state with a confirmed 2027 rate. Fourteen other states also raise their minimum on January 1, 2027 or in 2027, led by Connecticut ($17.48), California ($17.40) and Rhode Island ($17.00). The federal minimum stays at $7.25.
Minimum wage by state: 2026 rate and 2027 rate
The "current" column is the U.S. Department of Labor's table, updated November 5, 2026. The "January 1, 2027" column shows only rates we confirmed from a state agency, governor's office, or statute. Click a state with a 2027 rate for its page.
| State | Current (2026) | Jan. 1, 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No state law | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Alaska | $14.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Arizona | $15.15 | $15.65 | +$0.50 |
| Arkansas | $11.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| California | $16.90 | $17.40 | +$0.50 |
| Colorado | $15.16 | $15.71 | +$0.55 |
| Connecticut | $16.94 | $17.48 | +$0.54 |
| Delaware | $15.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| District of Columbia | $18.40 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Florida | $15.00 | $15.00 (no change; DOL says next update is Jan. 1, 2028) | — |
| Georgia | State $5.15 (federal $7.25 applies) | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Hawaii | $16.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Idaho | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Illinois | $15.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Indiana | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Iowa | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Kansas | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Kentucky | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Louisiana | No state law | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Maine | $15.10 | $15.70 | +$0.60 |
| Maryland | $15.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Massachusetts | $15.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Michigan | $13.73 | $15.00 | +$1.27 |
| Minnesota | $11.41 | $11.87 | +$0.46 |
| Mississippi | No state law | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Missouri | $15.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Montana | $10.85 | $11.20 | +$0.35 |
| Nebraska | $15.00 | $15.26 | +$0.26 |
| Nevada | $12.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| New Jersey | $15.92 | $16.48 | +$0.56 |
| New Mexico | $12.00 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| New York | $17.00 (NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester); $16.00 elsewhere | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| North Dakota | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Ohio | $11.00 | $11.40 | +$0.40 |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Oregon | $15.55 standard; $16.80 Portland metro; $14.55 non-urban counties | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Rhode Island | $16.00 | $17.00 | +$1.00 |
| South Carolina | No state law | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| South Dakota | $11.85 | $12.30 | +$0.45 |
| Tennessee | No state law | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Texas | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Utah | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Vermont | $14.42 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Virginia | $12.77 | $13.75 | +$0.98 |
| Washington | $17.13 | $17.73 | +$0.60 |
| West Virginia | $8.75 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Wyoming | State $5.15 (federal $7.25 applies) | Not confirmed on this site | — |
| Federal (FLSA) | $7.25 | $7.25 (unchanged) | — |
What drives the 2027 increases
State minimum wages change in three ways, and knowing which applies helps you predict future years:
- Automatic inflation indexing. Washington (CPI-W, announced Sept. 30), Colorado (CPI-U), Ohio (CPI-W), Connecticut (Employment Cost Index), California, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota and others adjust each year by formula.
- Phase-in schedules written into law. Rhode Island ($17.00) and Michigan ($15.00) have statutes that name the dollar amount for 2027.
- Mixed. Virginia's statute and formula produced $13.75 for 2027, and Nebraska, which reached $15.00 in 2026, moves to $15.26 on January 1, 2027.
Read the detailed list in States raising the minimum wage on January 1, 2027, or see the cash-wage rules for tipped workers on the tipped minimum wage page.
How to use these numbers
- Employees: compare your hourly rate to the rate for where you actually work. Local ordinances can be higher than the state rate. Use the pay calculator to see annual pay.
- Employers: payroll systems should be updated before the first January 2027 paycheck. Some states also raise the salary threshold for overtime-exempt employees (Washington to $92,196 a year for large employers; California to $72,384).
- Job seekers: a higher minimum wage can also lift pay for jobs slightly above it.
Arizona ($15.65) is only partly verified because the state page we could open confirms the 2027 poster but not the dollar amount. Nebraska's coverage rule is also partly verified. Both are flagged on their state pages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest state minimum wage in 2027?
Among the states with a confirmed January 1, 2027 rate, Washington is highest at $17.73 an hour, followed by Connecticut at $17.48, California at $17.40 and Rhode Island at $17.00. The District of Columbia, which adjusts on July 1, currently shows $18.40 on the U.S. Department of Labor's table.
Which states raise their minimum wage on January 1, 2027?
We confirmed increases on January 1, 2027 for Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia and Washington. Colorado's agency says its new $15.71 rate applies "in 2027" without giving a day, and its law ties changes to January 1.
What is the federal minimum wage in 2027?
The federal minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act is $7.25 an hour, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. If both federal and state law cover you, you get the higher rate.
Why does my state show a different number on other sites?
Some sites list the old 2026 rate, a tipped rate, or a small-employer rate. We list the main adult rate for most employers and note exceptions. When two sources disagree, trust the state labor agency page we link on each state's page.
Do cities have their own minimum wage?
Many do. Seattle ($22.14 in 2027), Denver ($19.84), Minneapolis, St. Paul and several Washington and California cities set higher local minimums. This page covers state rates; check your city or county for local rules.
What about states not confirmed here?
For states without a confirmed January 1, 2027 rate on this site, the table shows only the current rate from the U.S. Department of Labor. Some of those states adjust automatically on other dates or have not yet announced a 2027 rate. Check your state labor department.
Sources and citations (see each state page for its own agency source)
Every dollar figure on this page was checked against the official pages below on November 14, 2026. If an agency updates its guidance, the agency page controls.