Minimum Wage Increases Set for Early 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, minimum wage workers in 19 states will see their hourly pay rise, and more states are expected to follow later in the year.
While several states will implement wage increases on New Year’s Day, many others have chosen to retain the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. A few are planning increases in the next few months.
Here’s a list of states that have raised their minimum wage as of New Year’s Day:
- Arizona: $15.15 per hour (up from $14.70)
- California: $16.90 per hour (up from $16.50)
- Colorado: $15.16 per hour (up from $14.81)
- Connecticut: $16.94 per hour (up from $16.35)
- Hawaii: $16 per hour (up from $14)
- Maine: $15.10 per hour (up from $14.65)
- Michigan: $13.73 per hour (up from $12.48)
- Minnesota: $11.41 per hour (up from $11.13)
- Missouri: $15 per hour (also starting at $13.75)
- Montana: $10.85 per hour (up from $10.55)
- Nebraska: $15 per hour (starting at $13.50)
- New Jersey: $15.92 per hour (up from $15.49)
- New York: $16 per hour (starting at $15.50), $17 per hour in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester (starting at $16.50)
- Ohio: $11 per hour (starting at $10.70)
- Rhode Island: $16 per hour (up from $15)
- South Dakota: $11.85 per hour (starting at $11.50)
- Vermont: $14.42 per hour (up from $14.01)
- Virginia: $12.77 per hour (up from $12.41)
- Washington: $17.13 per hour (up from $16.66)
Additionally, some states will implement wage hikes later this year:
- Alaska: $14 per hour effective July 1st (up from $14)
- Florida: $15 per hour effective September 30th (up from $)
- Oregon: Standard rate of $15.05 per hour, adjusted based on July 1 Consumer Price Index inflation data.
States like Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming either have below-federal or no set minimum wage. For instance, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee default to the federal wage, while Georgia and Wyoming have lower state wages that have held steady since 2009.
