Minimum Wage by State Rankings
State minimum wages range from the federal floor of $7.25/hour to $17.13/hour in Washington. Below are all 50 states ranked by minimum wage from highest to lowest, with tipped wage and cost-of-living context.
- Washington ranks #1 with the highest min wage at $17.13.
- Wyoming ranks last at $7.25 — the lowest among all states.
- The leading 5 states are Washington, New York, Connecticut, California, Hawaii.
- The ranking basis, source limitations, and calculation method are documented in the Methodology section below.
Top 3 States
All 50 States Ranked
Highest to lowest by min wage
| # | State | Min Wage | Tipped Wage | COL Index | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $17.13 | $17.13 | 114.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 2 | New York | $17 | $11.35 | 124.7 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 3 | Connecticut | $16.94 | $6.38 | 114.2 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 4 | California | $16.9 | $16.9 | 140.5 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 5 | Hawaii | $16 | $14.75 | 184.8 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $16 | $3.89 | 111.2 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 7 | New Jersey | $15.92 | $6.05 | 118.8 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 8 | Oregon | $15.55 | $15.55 | 109.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 9 | Colorado | $15.16 | $12.14 | 101.8 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 10 | Arizona | $15.15 | $12.15 | 107.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 11 | Maine | $15.1 | $7.55 | 114.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 12 | Delaware | $15 | $2.23 | 101.7 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 13 | Illinois | $15 | $9 | 95.1 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 14 | Maryland | $15 | $3.63 | 121.1 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $15 | $6.75 | 147.8 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 16 | Missouri | $15 | $7.5 | 88.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 17 | Nebraska | $15 | $2.13 | 91.3 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 18 | Vermont | $14.42 | $7.21 | 113 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 19 | Alaska | $14 | $14 | 129 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 20 | Florida | $14 | $10.98 | 100.7 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 21 | Michigan | $13.73 | $5.49 | 93.9 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 22 | Virginia | $12.77 | $2.13 | 99.1 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 23 | Nevada | $12 | $12 | 100.7 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 24 | New Mexico | $12 | $3 | 89.9 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 25 | South Dakota | $11.85 | $5.93 | 94.1 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 26 | Minnesota | $11.41 | $11.41 | 93.4 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 27 | Arkansas | $11 | $2.63 | 89.1 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 28 | Ohio | $11 | $5.5 | 93.7 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 29 | Montana | $10.85 | $10.85 | 105.9 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 30 | West Virginia | $8.75 | $2.62 | 87.9 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 31 | Alabama | $7.25 | $2.13 | 85 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 32 | Georgia | $7.25 | $2.13 | 90.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 33 | Idaho | $7.25 | $3.35 | 101.7 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 34 | Indiana | $7.25 | $2.13 | 88.3 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 35 | Iowa | $7.25 | $4.35 | 88.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 36 | Kansas | $7.25 | $2.13 | 87.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 37 | Kentucky | $7.25 | $2.13 | 92.5 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 38 | Louisiana | $7.25 | $2.13 | 91.1 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 39 | Mississippi | $7.25 | $2.13 | 86.2 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $7.25 | $3.27 | 110.1 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 41 | North Carolina | $7.25 | $2.13 | 96.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 42 | North Dakota | $7.25 | $4.86 | 90.7 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $7.25 | $2.13 | 83.5 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | $7.25 | $2.83 | 96.2 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 45 | South Carolina | $7.25 | $2.13 | 91.9 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 46 | Tennessee | $7.25 | $2.13 | 88.9 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 47 | Texas | $7.25 | $2.13 | 90.7 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 48 | Utah | $7.25 | $2.13 | 100.6 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $7.25 | $2.33 | 97.4 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
| 50 | Wyoming | $7.25 | $2.13 | 93.7 | Minimum Wage Calculator |
Methodology
How we collected and ranked the data
Minimum wage rates are taken from the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division's "State Minimum Wage Laws" table (dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state), last verified August 25, 2026. States without their own minimum wage follow the federal rate of $7.25/hour. Where a state sets regional rates, the table shows the standard statewide rate. Tipped minimum wage varies significantly and some cities set higher local minimums than their state.
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View all 107 state comparisonsFrequently Asked Questions
Which state has the highest minimum wage?
Washington has the highest statewide minimum wage at $17.13/hour. The three highest are Washington ($17.13), New York ($17.00), and Connecticut ($16.94). Washington D.C. is higher still at $18.40/hour but is not a state, and several cities set local minimums above their state's rate.
What is the federal minimum wage?
The federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour and has not changed since July 24, 2009. States and cities can set higher minimums, and where they do, the higher rate applies.