On January 1, 2027, 19 states will require at least $15.00 an hour. Twenty states still let the federal $7.25 govern.
Fifteen states have announced a change. Two, New York and Missouri, hold flat for reasons worth understanding, and Vermont has not yet announced. Cities and counties move the same day, and in several states the exempt salary floor moves with the minimum wage, which is the change most often missed.
Every figure below is sourced to the agency that publishes it: a statute, a labor department release or a city's own page. Where a rate has not been announced, we say so rather than estimating.
State rates, January 1, 2027
New Jersey sub-rates for 2027: seasonal and small employers (fewer than 6 employees) $16.25; agricultural $15.00; long-term care direct care staff $19.48; tipped cash wage $6.61. NJDOL.Tipped: Ohio $5.70 (Ohio Dept. of Commerce); South Dakota $6.15 (SD DLR).
Vermont adjusts each January by the smaller of 5% or the change in CPI-U (21 V.S.A. § 384). The Department of Labor announced on October 6 in 2025 and October 10 in 2024. As of October 26, 2026 it has not announced 2027, and we do not print an estimate.
Nebraska's rate now rises by a fixed 1.75% each January under LB 258, enacted February 2026 (§ 48-1203); $15.26 is the figure the Nebraska Department of Labor publishes.
Local rates, January 1, 2027
City and county rates sit on top of the state rate, and many are tiered by employer size or limited to an industry. The "Applies to" column uses each city's own wording.
| Jurisdiction | 2026 | 2027 | Applies to | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tukwila, WA | — | $22.45 | Covered employers: 15 or more employees worldwide, OR over $2 million gross revenue in Tukwila, OR part of a franchise network of more than 500. One rate for all of them | Announced | City of Tukwila |
| Burien, WA | — | $22.49 / $20.49 | $22.49 for large (501 or more) and medium (16–500) employers; $20.49 for small (15 or fewer) | Announced | City of Burien |
| Renton, WA | $21.57 | $22.28 | Large (more than 500 worldwide) and mid-size (at least 15 but no more than 500, or over $2 million gross revenue in Renton). Others follow the state minimum | Announced | City of Renton |
| Seattle, WA | $21.30 | $22.14 | All employers, regardless of size | Announced | Seattle Office of Labor Standards |
| King County, WA (unincorporated) | — | $21.57 / $19.57 | $19.57 only for employers with 15 or fewer employees AND under $2 million annual gross revenue; $21.57 for everyone else | Announced | King County |
| Everett, WA | — | $21.52 / $20.52 | $21.52 for large employers all year. $20.52 for other covered employers (15 or more, or over $2 million revenue) from 1 Jan to 30 Jun 2027, then $21.52 | Announced | City of Everett |
| SeaTac, WA | — | $21.47 | Hospitality and transportation industry employers only | Announced | City of SeaTac 2027 notice, 8 Oct 2026 |
| Houston airports, TX | $20.00 | $21.00 | Air carrier and concession contracts at IAH, Hobby and Ellington, and their subcontractors. Tip credit allowed. Rises to $22.00 on 1 Oct 2027 | Announced | City of Houston Executive Order 1-64 |
| Denver, CO | $19.29 | $19.84 | All employers | Announced | Denver Labor |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $18.35 | $18.95 | All employers; no tip credit | Announced | City of Flagstaff News Flash, 11 Sep 2026: "Update - Flagstaff Minimum Wage $18.95 per Hour Starting Jan. 1, 2027" City of Flagstaff, Minimum Wage page |
| Petaluma, CA | $18.31 | $18.93 | Work within city limits | Announced | City of Petaluma |
| Boulder, CO (city) | $16.82 | $18.17 | City of Boulder; unincorporated Boulder County is separate | Announced | City of Boulder |
| Portland, ME | $16.75 | $17.75 | All employees, including service employees (2027 rate is in City Code ch. 33) | Announced | Portland, ME City Code ch. 33 |
| Santa Fe, NM (city) | $15.40 | $17.50 | Employers within city limits. The 2026 rate took effect 1 March 2026 | Announced | City of Santa Fe |
| Minneapolis, MN | $16.37 | $17.02 | All employers, regardless of size | Announced | City of Minneapolis |
| St. Paul, MN — 101+ employees | $16.37 | $17.02 | Large and macro businesses, from 1 Jan 2027 | Announced | City of Saint Paul, 1 Sep 2026 City of Saint Paul rate schedule |
| St. Paul, MN — 6 to 100 employees | $16.37 | $16.37 → $17.02 | Small businesses: no change on 1 Jan; $17.02 from 1 Jul 2027 | Announced | City of Saint Paul, 1 Sep 2026 |
| St. Paul, MN — 5 or fewer | $14.25 | $14.25 → $15.00 | Micro businesses: no change on 1 Jan; $15.00 from 1 Jul 2027 | Announced | City of Saint Paul, 1 Sep 2026 |
| Albuquerque, NM | — | $13.00 | $12.00 where the employer provides qualifying healthcare or childcare benefits; tipped $7.20 | Announced | City of Albuquerque |
| Bellingham, WA | $19.13 | Not yet announced | The ordinance sets the rate at the state minimum plus $2.00, within two weeks of the state publishing its rate. The city has not posted a 2027 figure | Not yet announced | City of Bellingham |
| Tucson, AZ | $15.45 | Not yet announced | Employees working at least 5 hours per pay cycle in the city | Not yet announced | City of Tucson |
— means the source we cite shows no comparable 2026 figure; we do not fill it from elsewhere.
California cities adjust on January 1 too, and most have not yet posted their 2027 rates. We verify each against the city's own notice before listing it, so this section grows through November and December.
Exempt salary thresholds
The change most often missed, because it is not on the minimum wage poster. Each figure is shown in the unit the agency publishes, weekly or annual, to the cent where the agency gives cents.
| State | 2026 | 2027 | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington (51 or more employees) | $80,168.40 a year | $92,196.00 a year ($1,773.00 a week) | Announced | WA L&I release 26-17, 30 Sep 2026 WA L&I release 25-27, 30 Sep 2025 |
| Washington (50 or fewer employees) | $80,168.40 a year | $82,976.40 a year ($1,595.70 a week) | Announced | WA L&I release 26-17, 30 Sep 2026 WA L&I release 25-27, 30 Sep 2025 |
| California | $70,304 a year | $72,384 a year | Announced | CA DIR release 2026-66, 13 Aug 2026 CA DIR release 2025-118 |
| New York (NYC, Long Island, Westchester) | $1,275.00 a week | No 2027 change announced | Not yet announced | NYSDOL minimum wage FAQ |
| New York (rest of state) | $1,199.10 a week | No 2027 change announced | Not yet announced | NYSDOL minimum wage FAQ |
| Alaska | $1,120.00 a week | $1,200.00 a week, from 1 Jul 2027 | Announced | Alaska DOLWD, General Industry |
| Colorado | $1,111.23 a week ($57,784 rounded annual equivalent) | Not yet announcedProposed 30 Sep 2026 in the PAY CALC Order; hearing 2 Nov 2026; not adopted | Not yet announced | CDLE rules, proposed and adopted CDLE 2026 PAY CALC Order, 7 CCR 1103-14 |
| Maine | $871.16 a week ($45,300.32 a year) | $905.79 a week ($47,101.08 a year) | Announced | Maine DOL release, 18 Sep 2026 Maine DOL release, 11 Sep 2025 |
Federal: $684 a week, in effect since January 1, 2020. The 2024 rule that would have raised it was vacated by federal courts, and the Department of Labor enforces the 2019 level (U.S. DOL).
Colorado sets its threshold in the PAY CALC Order (7 CCR 1103-14). The 2027 order was proposed on September 30, 2026, with a hearing on November 2, and has not been adopted. We will add the figure once it is.
Going the other way
New York: frozen at $17.00 and $16.00
The 2023 law that indexed New York's rate includes off-ramps, and for 2027 the Department of Labor says "the conditions for one of the off-ramps has been met" (NYSDOL). The Governor's memo is specific about which: "the number of private education, hospitality, and retail jobs has declined slightly, by a monthly 0.07% from January to July, triggering the off-ramp" (program bill memo). Not a fall in total employment.
Governor Hochul has proposed raising the rates to $17.60 and $16.55 from March 1, 2027. That is a proposal, and it needs the Legislature (Governor's page). Home care aide rates still rise on January 1, to $20.00 in New York City, Long Island and Westchester and $19.00 elsewhere.
Missouri: frozen at $15.00
HB 567 (2025) repealed the annual inflation adjustments that were due to begin on January 1, 2027 (Missouri DOLIR).
Federal contractors
Executive Order 14026 was revoked on March 14, 2025 (EO 14236). The older Executive Order 13658 rate still applies to Davis-Bacon and Service Contract Act contracts entered into between January 1, 2015 and January 29, 2022 that have not been renewed or extended since. It has been $13.65 since May 11, 2026 (Federal Register) and rises to$14.05, with a $9.85 tipped cash wage, onJanuary 6, 2027 (Federal Register, October 8, 2026).
Federal minimum
$7.25 an hour, unchanged since July 24, 2009 (U.S. DOL).
Not January 1
| Date | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2026 | Florida reached $15.00 | FloridaCommerce |
| January 6, 2027 | Federal contractor rate (EO 13658) to $14.05 | Federal Register |
| March 1, 2027 | New York's proposed increase, if the Legislature approves it | NY Governor |
| July 1, 2027 | Alaska to $15.00; exempt salary to $1,200.00 a week | Alaska DOLWD General Industry |
| July 1, 2027 | Everett covered employers to $21.52; St. Paul small to $17.02 and micro to $15.00 | Everett Saint Paul |
| July 1, 2027 | Oregon, Chicago, the City of Los Angeles and unincorporated Los Angeles County adjust. Cook County "may adjust" on July 1. DC adjusts "no later than July 1" | Oregon BOLI Chicago City of LA LA County Cook County D.C. Code § 32-1003 |
| October 1, 2027 | Houston airport contracts to $22.00 | EO 1-64 |
| January 1, 2028 | Virginia to $15.00; Hawaii to $18.00; Florida's first annual inflation adjustment; Alaska begins annual inflation adjustments | Va. Code Hawaii DLIR FloridaCommerce Alaska DOLWD |
The 19 states at $15.00 or more
In the state table above (12): Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington.
Already at or above $15.00, with no January 1 change listed by their agencies (7):
- Delaware: $15.00 since January 1, 2025 (Delaware Dept. of Labor)
- Florida: $15.00 since September 30, 2026, through December 31, 2027 (FloridaCommerce)
- Hawaii: $16.00 since January 1, 2026; $18.00 from January 1, 2028 (Hawaii DLIR)
- Illinois: $15.00 since January 1, 2025, the state's "seventh and final" scheduled increase (Illinois DOL)
- Maryland: $15.00 since January 1, 2024 (§ 3-413)
- Massachusetts: $15.00 (M.G.L. c. 151 § 1)
- Oregon: $15.55 standard, $16.80 Portland metro, $14.55 nonurban counties, through June 30, 2027 (Oregon BOLI)
Between $7.25 and $15.00, with no 2027 change listed by their agencies: Arkansas $11.00, employers of 4 or more (Arkansas DOL); Nevada $12.00 (Nevada Labor Commissioner); New Mexico $12.00 (NM DWS); West Virginia $8.75, 6 or more non-exempt employees at one location (WV DOL). Alaska is $14.00 until July 1, 2027.
Plus the District of Columbia: $18.40 since July 1, 2026 (DC DOES). Alaska makes twenty on July 1, 2027 (Alaska DOLWD).
The $7.25 states
Twenty states where the federal rate governs:
- No state minimum wage law: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee
- State rate below the federal: Georgia ($5.15, employers of 6 or more), Wyoming ($5.15)
- Matching $7.25: Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin
Oklahoma has two tiers: $7.25 for employers with ten or more full-time employees at one location or annual gross sales over $100,000, and $2.00 for all others. Where the federal law covers an employee, the federal $7.25 applies. Source: U.S. DOL state table.
Being on this list means the state sets no hourly floor above the federal one. It does not mean the state has no wage rules. Pay frequency, final pay and wage-payment rules are still set state by state, and a federal floor is not the same as no floor.
What we're still waiting on
As of October 26, 2026:
- Vermont: the 2027 rate. Announced on October 6 in 2025 and October 10 in 2024.
- Colorado exempt salary: proposed September 30, hearing November 2, not adopted.
- New York exempt salary: no 2027 change announced.
- Bellingham, WA: the city sets its rate at the state minimum plus $2.00 but has not posted a 2027 figure.
- Tucson, AZ: $15.45 in 2026; the city has not posted 2027.
- Edgewater, CO: the city's page and reports of a July council vote disagree on the 2027 rate. We will list it once the city confirms.
- Denver and Edgewater tipped rates for 2027.
- California cities: most have not posted 2027 rates.
We update this page as each figure is published rather than estimating.
Questions
How many states will pay at least $15.00 an hour in 2027?
Nineteen on January 1, 2027, plus the District of Columbia. Twelve are in the state table above, New York and Missouri included at their frozen rates. Seven more are already at or above $15.00, with no January 1 change listed by their agencies: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts and Oregon, where the standard rate is $15.55 but nonurban counties are $14.55. Alaska reaches $15.00 on July 1, 2027.
Which states are not raising their minimum wage in 2027?
New York and Missouri are frozen. In the twenty states where the federal $7.25 governs, that rate has not changed since July 2009. Neither the seven states already at $15.00 or more, nor Arkansas, Nevada, New Mexico or West Virginia, has a January 1, 2027 change listed by its agency; Oregon adjusts on July 1. Vermont has not yet announced its 2027 rate.
Why is New York's minimum wage frozen for 2027?
The 2023 law that indexed New York's minimum wage has off-ramps, and the state Department of Labor says that for 2027 "the conditions for one of the off-ramps has been met." The Governor's memo says the trigger was a slight decline in private education, hospitality and retail jobs, not a fall in total employment. Governor Hochul has proposed $17.60 and $16.55 from March 1, 2027, but that needs the Legislature.
Does the exempt salary threshold change when the minimum wage changes?
In several states, yes. New York's Department of Labor says the executive and administrative salary rises "proportionately" each time the minimum wage increases, and Washington and Maine set theirs from the state minimum wage. The federal threshold is separate: $684 a week, unchanged since January 2020.
Which minimum wage applies if a city rate is higher than the state rate?
The higher one. The U.S. Department of Labor puts the federal and state version plainly: the employee "is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages." A city rate works the same way on top of the state rate for employers the ordinance covers. Check coverage first. Several cities on this page apply their rate only to certain employer sizes or industries, and St. Paul and Everett change partway through the year.
Which minimum wage applies to a remote employee?
Generally the rate where the employee does the work, not where the company is based. City ordinances are written that way: Bellingham's applies to all hours worked within city limits, and Tucson's to employees who work at least five hours per pay cycle inside the city. A remote hire in a new city can bring a new rate with them.
What is the federal contractor minimum wage in 2027?
$14.05 an hour, with a $9.85 tipped cash wage, from January 6, 2027, under Executive Order 13658. It covers Davis-Bacon and Service Contract Act contracts entered into between January 1, 2015 and January 29, 2022 that have not been renewed or extended since. Executive Order 14026 and its rate were revoked in March 2025.
When do states announce next year's rate?
Mostly between August and October. For 2027, Connecticut announced on August 5, California and Colorado on August 13, Maine on September 18, New Jersey on September 29, Washington and Ohio on September 30, and Montana on October 7. Nebraska's statute requires its rate to be published by October 15. Vermont announced on October 6 in 2025 and October 10 in 2024, and has not announced for 2027.
What this means for payroll
For a company with people in more than one state, the January 2 payroll run is the first test of the 2027 budget. Every location, every rate, every pay period, and the exempt salaries, which do not appear on any poster.
Audit in December, not on January 3.
If your people work in more than one state, see multi-state HR compliance.