Federal minimum wage versus state, 2026
Under FLSA section 18(a), the higher of the federal or state minimum wage applies. Of the 51 jurisdictions tracked here, 31 pay above the federal $7.25 floor, 15 match it by statute, and 5 have no state minimum-wage law at all, leaving FLSA to control directly.[DOL WHD][FLSA]
| Rank | State | State rate | vs federal | Statute status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DC District of Columbia | $18.40 | +$11.15 | Indexed annually |
| 2 | WA Washington | $17.13 | +$9.88 | Indexed annually |
| 3 | NY New York | $17.00 | +$9.75 | Indexed annually |
| 4 | CT Connecticut | $16.94 | +$9.69 | Indexed annually |
| 5 | CA California | $16.90 | +$9.65 | Indexed annually |
| 6 | HI Hawaii | $16.00 | +$8.75 | Statutory rate |
| 7 | RI Rhode Island | $16.00 | +$8.75 | Statutory rate |
| 8 | NJ New Jersey | $15.92 | +$8.67 | Indexed annually |
| 9 | OR Oregon | $15.55 | +$8.30 | Indexed annually |
| 10 | CO Colorado | $15.16 | +$7.91 | Indexed annually |
| 11 | AZ Arizona | $15.15 | +$7.90 | Indexed annually |
| 12 | ME Maine | $15.10 | +$7.85 | Indexed annually |
| 13 | DE Delaware | $15.00 | +$7.75 | Statutory rate |
| 14 | IL Illinois | $15.00 | +$7.75 | Statutory rate |
| 15 | MD Maryland | $15.00 | +$7.75 | Statutory rate |
| 16 | MA Massachusetts | $15.00 | +$7.75 | Statutory rate |
| 17 | MO Missouri | $15.00 | +$7.75 | Statutory rate |
| 18 | NE Nebraska | $15.00 | +$7.75 | Indexed annually |
| 19 | VT Vermont | $14.42 | +$7.17 | Indexed annually |
| 20 | AK Alaska | $14.00 | +$6.75 | Indexed annually |
| 21 | FL Florida | $14.00 | +$6.75 | Indexed annually |
| 22 | MI Michigan | $13.73 | +$6.48 | Indexed annually |
| 23 | VA Virginia | $12.77 | +$5.52 | Indexed annually |
| 24 | NV Nevada | $12.00 | +$4.75 | Statutory rate |
| 25 | NM New Mexico | $12.00 | +$4.75 | Statutory rate |
| 26 | SD South Dakota | $11.85 | +$4.60 | Indexed annually |
| 27 | MN Minnesota | $11.41 | +$4.16 | Indexed annually |
| 28 | AR Arkansas | $11.00 | +$3.75 | Statutory rate |
| 29 | OH Ohio | $11.00 | +$3.75 | Indexed annually |
| 30 | MT Montana | $10.85 | +$3.60 | Statutory rate |
| 31 | WV West Virginia | $8.75 | +$1.50 | Statutory rate |
| 32 | AL Alabama | $7.25 | matches | No state statute, FLSA controls |
| 33 | GA Georgia | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 34 | ID Idaho | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 35 | IN Indiana | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 36 | IA Iowa | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 37 | KS Kansas | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 38 | KY Kentucky | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 39 | LA Louisiana | $7.25 | matches | No state statute, FLSA controls |
| 40 | MS Mississippi | $7.25 | matches | No state statute, FLSA controls |
| 41 | NH New Hampshire | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 42 | NC North Carolina | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 43 | ND North Dakota | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 44 | OK Oklahoma | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 45 | PA Pennsylvania | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 46 | SC South Carolina | $7.25 | matches | No state statute, FLSA controls |
| 47 | TN Tennessee | $7.25 | matches | No state statute, FLSA controls |
| 48 | TX Texas | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 49 | UT Utah | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 50 | WI Wisconsin | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
| 51 | WY Wyoming | $7.25 | matches | Mirrors $7.25 by reference |
States with no minimum-wage statute
Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee have no state minimum-wage law. In those jurisdictions, FLSA section 6(a)(1) applies directly to covered employers, leaving the rate at $7.25 per hour. Workers not covered by FLSA (very small enterprises, certain agricultural and domestic workers) have no statutory floor at all.