Overview
- Roughly 8.3 million workers are expected to see higher pay in 2026, with about $5 billion in additional earnings nationally.
- Notable new statewide floors include Washington at $17.13, California at $16.90, Hawaii at $16 after the year’s biggest jump, and New York at $16 statewide and $17 in New York City, Long Island and Westchester.
- Several cities now exceed state levels, led by Seattle where the minimum wage rose to $21.30 per hour.
- Tipped pay rules shifted in some places, with increases for tipped workers in Hawaii and Michigan, while Nebraska, Rhode Island and Virginia left tipped minimums unchanged.
- More increases are scheduled later in 2026, including Alaska and Oregon on July 1 and Florida on September 30, as the federal minimum remains $7.25 and the patchwork of wage floors persists.