Overview
- About 8.3 million workers will see higher pay in 2026, with an estimated $5 billion in additional earnings, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
- Washington state leads among states at $17.13 per hour, while Denver’s inflation adjustment lifts its local minimum to $19.29 and Tukwila, Washington reaches $21.65.
- Michigan’s minimum wage rises to $13.73 under the Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act, which also revises the tipped-wage schedule and ties future increases to inflation.
- Nebraska and Missouri move to $15 per hour on Jan. 1, joining a growing group of states with $15-plus floors.
- New York sets $17 per hour in New York City, Long Island and Westchester, with $16 elsewhere in the state, and Florida, Alaska and Oregon have additional increases scheduled later in 2026.