Minimum wage by state U.S. 2023

The federally mandated minimum wage in the United States is 7.25 U.S. dollars per hour, although the minimum wage varies from state to state. As of January 1, 2023, the District of Columbia had the highest minimum wage in the U.S., at 16.50 U.S. dollars per hour. This was followed by Washington, which had 15.74 U.S. dollars per hour as the state minimum wage.

Minimum wage workers

Minimum wage jobs are traditionally seen as “starter jobs” in the U.S., or first jobs for teenagers and young adults, and the number of people working minimum wage jobs has decreased from almost four million in 1979 to about 247,000 in 2020. However, the number of workers earning less than minimum wage in 2020 was significantly higher, at about 865,000.

Minimum wage jobs

Minimum wage jobs are primarily found in food preparation and serving occupations, as well as sales jobs (primarily in retail). Because the minimum wage has not kept up with inflation, nor has it been increased since 2009, it is becoming harder and harder live off of a minimum wage wage job, and for those workers to afford essential things like rent.

State minimum wage rates in the United States as of January 1, 2023, by state (in U.S. dollars)

Characteristic	Minimum wage in U.S. dollars
District of Columbia	16.5
Washington	15.74
California	15.5
Massachusetts	15
New York*******	14.2
New Jersey******	14.13
Connecticut*	14
Arizona	13.85
Maine	13.8
Colorado	13.65
Oregon	13.5
Maryland	13.25
Vermont	13.18
Rhode Island	13
Illinois	13
Missouri	12
Virginia	12
New Mexico	12
Hawaii	12
Delaware	11.75
Florida*	11
Arkansas	11
Alaska	10.85
South Dakota	10.8
Minnesota***	10.59
Nevada*****	10.5
Nebraska	10.5
Ohio********	10.1
Michigan	10.1
Montana****	9.95
West Virginia	8.75
Oklahoma*********	7.25
Utah	7.25
New Hampshire	7.25
Kansas	7.25
Iowa	7.25
Pennsylvania	7.25
Indiana	7.25
Idaho	7.25
North Dakota	7.25
Wisconsin	7.25
Kentucky	7.25
Texas	7.25
North Carolina	7.25
Georgia**	5.15
Wyoming	5.15

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Release date

January 2023

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Region

United States

Survey time period

January 1, 2023

Supplementary notes

Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana do not have a state minimum wage law.
*Connecticut minimum wage increases to $15 per hour on June 1, 2023.
*Florida minimum wage increases to $12 on September 30, 2023.
**In Georgia, the minimum wage for employers of six or more employees is $5.15 per hour, although employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the federally mandated minimum of $7.25 per hour.
***In Minnesota there are two minimum wage rates. The rate for large employers (annual receipts of more than $500,000) is $10.59. For employers with enterprises smaller than this the rate is $8.63.
****In Montana, businesses with gross annual sales of less than $110,000 not subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act may pay a minimum wage of $4.00 per hour.
******In Nevada, the minimum wage for employees with qualifying health insurance not offered by employer is $10.50. Employees with qualifying health insurance offered by their employer have a minimum wage of $9.50 per hour. On July 1, 2023 the Nevada minimum wage increased to $11.25 for employees not offered qualifying health insurance, and to $10.25 for employees offered health insurance. Effective July 1, 2024, there will be a uniform minimum wage of $12 per hour for all employees.
******In New Jersey, there is a minimum wage of $11.90 for seasonal and small employers who employ fewer than six people.
*******In New York, the statewide minimum wage is $14.20 per hour. For Long Island and Westchester, and in New York City, the rate is $15.00 per hour.
********In Ohio, businesses with gross annual sales of less than $305,000 may pay a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
*********In Oklahoma, businesses with gross annual sales of less than $100,000 or businesses with less than 10 employees may pay a minimum wage of $2.00 per hour.

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