Washington Minimum Wage 2027: $17.73 an Hour
Short answer: Washington's minimum wage rises 3.5%, from $17.13 to $17.73 an hour, on January 1, 2027. That is a full-time annual wage of $36,878.40 before taxes. Workers aged 14 and 15 may be paid $15.07, and Seattle's city minimum is $22.14.
What Washington's 2027 minimum wage pays
| Schedule | At $17.13 (2026) | At $17.73 (2027) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per hour | $17.13 | $17.73 | +$0.60 |
| Per 40-hour week | $685.20 | $709.20 | +$24.00 |
| Per two-week paycheck | $1,370.40 | $1,418.40 | +$48.00 |
| Per month (÷12) | $2,969.20 | $3,073.20 | +$104.00 |
| Per year (2,080 hours) | $35,630.40 | $36,878.40 | +$1,248.00 |
| Overtime hour (1.5×) | $25.70 | $26.60 | +$0.90 |
Want your own hours? Use the 2027 minimum wage pay calculator, or see take-home pay after payroll premiums in the Washington take-home pay calculator.
How the $17.73 figure was set
Washington is one of the states that adjusts its minimum wage automatically. Each year L&I looks at the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), compares August of the previous year to August of the current year, and applies that percentage change. The department announces the result on September 30 and it takes effect January 1. For 2027 the change was 3.5%, which turned $17.13 into $17.73. L&I announced it on September 30, 2026 in news release 26-17.
Rules that change with the minimum wage
- Youth minimum. 14- and 15-year-olds may be paid 85% of the minimum wage: $15.07 in 2027, up from $14.56.
- Overtime-exempt salary. For employers with 51 or more employees, the exempt salary multiplier rises from 2.25 to 2.5 times the minimum wage on January 1, 2027, so exempt employees must earn at least $1,773.00 a week ($92,196.00 a year).
- Tips. Employers must pay all tips and service charges to employees and may not use them toward the minimum wage. For the federal tax side, see the no-tax-on-tips calculator.
- Hours worked. L&I says hours worked includes opening and closing a business, required trainings and meetings, and employers must pay at least the minimum wage for all of those hours.
Local minimum wages in Washington for 2027
Washington cities and one county set higher minimums than the state. L&I's announcement names Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Bellingham, Everett, Burien and unincorporated King County. Seattle's rate is confirmed on the city's own announcement; the other amounts below are from a law-firm summary of the 2027 rates, so verify them with the jurisdiction before relying on them for payroll.
| Jurisdiction | 2027 rate | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Burien | $22.49* | Employers with more than 15 employees ($20.49 for employers with 15 or fewer) |
| Tukwila | $22.45* | All covered employers |
| Renton | $22.28* | Employers with at least 15 employees worldwide or over $2 million gross revenue in Renton; smaller employers pay the state rate |
| Seattle | $22.14 | Primary source: Seattle Office of Labor Standards |
| Unincorporated King County | $21.57* | Employers over 15 employees or $2 million revenue ($19.57 for the smallest employers) |
| Everett (large employers) | $21.52* | Employers with 500+ employees worldwide from Jul. 1, 2027 ($20.52 Jan. 1–Jun. 30, 2027 for mid-size employers) |
| SeaTac (hospitality & transportation) | $21.47* | Applies to nonexempt employees in the hospitality and transportation industries only |
| Bellingham | $19.73* | All covered employers |
| Rest of Washington | $17.73 | State minimum |
* Secondary source. Employers determine which tier applies from headcount and revenue rules that vary by jurisdiction.
If you work in different jurisdictions during a day or week, the rate that applies can differ by hour worked. Ask your employer which rate applies to each location, and contact L&I if you are unsure.
Washington versus other 2027 minimum wages
Washington's $17.73 is the highest statewide minimum among the states we confirmed for 2027, ahead of Connecticut ($17.48), California ($17.40) and Rhode Island ($17.00). The federal minimum remains $7.25. See the full ranking.
Frequently asked questions
What is Washington's minimum wage in 2027?
Washington's minimum wage will be $17.73 an hour for most workers starting January 1, 2027, up from $17.13 in 2026, according to the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), which announced it on September 30, 2026.
How is Washington's minimum wage set each year?
State law requires L&I to adjust it each year for inflation. L&I compares the federal CPI-W from August of the previous year to August of the current year and applies the percentage change. For 2027 that change was 3.5%.
What is the minimum wage for 14- and 15-year-olds in Washington in 2027?
Employers may pay 14- and 15-year-old workers 85 percent of the minimum wage, which is $15.07 an hour in 2027, up from $14.56.
What is the overtime-exempt salary threshold in Washington in 2027?
For employers with 51 or more employees, the multiplier rises from 2.25 to 2.5 times the minimum wage on January 1, 2027. That means an employee must earn at least $1,773.00 a week ($92,196.00 a year) to be exempt from overtime, per L&I. Smaller employers have lower multipliers; see L&I for those amounts.
Can tips count toward the minimum wage in Washington?
No. L&I says businesses may not use tips and service charges paid to an employee as part of the employee's hourly minimum wage; employers must pay all tips and service charges to employees.
Which Washington cities have a higher minimum wage?
L&I names Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Bellingham, Everett, Burien and unincorporated King County as local governments with higher minimums than the state. Seattle's 2027 rate is $22.14 (confirmed by the city). The other local dollar amounts on this page come from a law-firm summary and should be confirmed with each jurisdiction.
What can I do if my employer pays less than the minimum wage?
You can file a workplace rights complaint with L&I if you are owed wages, including minimum wage and overtime, tips and service charges, or paid sick leave. Retaliation complaints must be filed within 180 days of the alleged retaliatory action.
Does Washington have a state income tax on paychecks?
No, but paychecks have federal tax, FICA, and the WA Cares Fund and Paid Family & Medical Leave premiums. Use our Washington take-home pay calculator for an estimate.
Sources and citations
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.
- WA L&I: Minimum Wage
- WA L&I news release 26-17 (Sept. 30, 2026)
- WA L&I 2027 announcement poster FY27-075
- Seattle Office of Labor Standards: Seattle's 2027 minimum wage announcement (Sept. 28, 2026)
- Miller Nash LLP: Washington State minimum wage updates for 2027, including local governments (secondary source)
- U.S. Department of Labor: State Minimum Wage Laws (updated Nov. 5, 2026)