Minimum Wage by State: All 50 States + DC Ranked

Minimum wages vary widely across the United States, from the federal floor of $7.25/hr to $17.50/hr in District of Columbia. Currently, 31 states and DC have set minimum wages above the federal rate, while 20 states follow or defer to the federal minimum. This ranking shows every state's minimum wage, tipped wage, and full-time annual earnings. Click any state for city-level data, scheduled increases, and local rates.

Highest State Rate District of Columbia $17.50/hr
National Average $11.18/hr $23,254/year
Federal Minimum $7.25/hr 20 states at this rate

All States Ranked by Minimum Wage

The table below ranks every US state and the District of Columbia by minimum wage rate from highest to lowest. Rates are color-coded: green for high-wage states, yellow for moderate, and red for states at the federal minimum. The "Annual" column shows full-time earnings (40 hrs/week, 52 weeks/year) before taxes.

# State Min Wage Tipped Wage Annual (Full-Time) vs. Federal Tier
1 District of Columbia (DC) $17.50 $10.00 $36,400 +$10.25 High
2 Washington (WA) $16.66 $16.66 $34,653 +$9.41 High
3 California (CA) $16.50 $16.50 $34,320 +$9.25 High
4 Connecticut (CT) $16.35 $6.38 $34,008 +$9.10 High
5 New York (NY) $15.50 $10.65 $32,240 +$8.25 Above Average
6 New Jersey (NJ) $15.49 $5.62 $32,219 +$8.24 Above Average
7 Delaware (DE) $15.00 $2.23 $31,200 +$7.75 Above Average
8 Illinois (IL) $15.00 $9.00 $31,200 +$7.75 Above Average
9 Maryland (MD) $15.00 $3.63 $31,200 +$7.75 Above Average
10 Massachusetts (MA) $15.00 $6.75 $31,200 +$7.75 Above Average
11 Rhode Island (RI) $15.00 $3.89 $31,200 +$7.75 Above Average
12 Colorado (CO) $14.81 $11.79 $30,805 +$7.56 Above Average
13 Arizona (AZ) $14.70 $11.70 $30,576 +$7.45 Above Average
14 Oregon (OR) $14.70 $14.70 $30,576 +$7.45 Above Average
15 Maine (ME) $14.65 $7.33 $30,472 +$7.40 Above Average
16 Vermont (VT) $14.01 $7.01 $29,141 +$6.76 Above Average
17 Florida (FL) $14.00 $10.98 $29,120 +$6.75 Above Average
18 Hawaii (HI) $14.00 $12.75 $29,120 +$6.75 Above Average
19 Missouri (MO) $13.75 $6.88 $28,600 +$6.50 Above Average
20 Nebraska (NE) $13.50 $2.13 $28,080 +$6.25 Above Average
21 Michigan (MI) $12.48 $10.36 $25,958 +$5.23 Moderate
22 Virginia (VA) $12.41 $2.13 $25,813 +$5.16 Moderate
23 Nevada (NV) $12.00 $12.00 $24,960 +$4.75 Moderate
24 New Mexico (NM) $12.00 $3.00 $24,960 +$4.75 Moderate
25 Alaska (AK) $11.91 $11.91 $24,773 +$4.66 Moderate
26 South Dakota (SD) $11.20 $5.60 $23,296 +$3.95 Moderate
27 Minnesota (MN) $11.13 $11.13 $23,150 +$3.88 Moderate
28 Arkansas (AR) $11.00 $2.63 $22,880 +$3.75 Moderate
29 Ohio (OH) $10.70 $5.35 $22,256 +$3.45 Moderate
30 Montana (MT) $10.55 $10.55 $21,944 +$3.30 Moderate
31 West Virginia (WV) $8.75 $2.62 $18,200 +$1.50 Below Average
32 Alabama (AL) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
33 Georgia (GA) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
34 Idaho (ID) $7.25 $3.35 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
35 Indiana (IN) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
36 Iowa (IA) $7.25 $4.35 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
37 Kansas (KS) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
38 Kentucky (KY) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
39 Louisiana (LA) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
40 Mississippi (MS) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
41 New Hampshire (NH) $7.25 $3.27 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
42 North Carolina (NC) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
43 North Dakota (ND) $7.25 $4.86 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
44 Oklahoma (OK) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
45 Pennsylvania (PA) $7.25 $2.83 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
46 South Carolina (SC) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
47 Tennessee (TN) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
48 Texas (TX) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
49 Utah (UT) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
50 Wisconsin (WI) $7.25 $2.33 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
51 Wyoming (WY) $7.25 $2.13 $15,080 -- Federal Minimum
Ad Space

Regional Minimum Wage Patterns

West Coast and Northeast: Leading the Way

The highest state minimum wages are concentrated on the West Coast (Washington, California, Oregon) and in the Northeast (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York). These states have enacted aggressive minimum wage legislation, often with annual CPI-based adjustments that automatically increase rates each year. California and Washington both exceed $16/hr statewide, and cities like Seattle, San Francisco, and West Hollywood push local rates above $19-20/hr.

The South and Central States: Federal Minimum

Most Southern states (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee) have no state minimum wage law at all, deferring entirely to the federal rate of $7.25/hr. Many of these states also have preemption laws that prevent cities from setting higher local rates. Central states like Texas, Kansas, Iowa, and Wyoming similarly follow the federal minimum. Workers in these states earn less than half what minimum wage workers earn in states like Washington or California.

The Midwest: Mixed Picture

Midwestern states show the widest range. Illinois and Minnesota have enacted significant increases (Illinois to $15/hr in 2025, with Chicago at $16.20/hr), while neighboring Indiana and Wisconsin remain at the federal $7.25/hr. Michigan, Missouri, and Nebraska are all in the process of phased increases toward $15/hr through voter-approved ballot measures. Ohio has a CPI-adjusted rate above $10/hr.

About This Data

Minimum wage rates in our database are sourced from state labor department publications, the US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, and municipal ordinances. Rates are updated as new legislation takes effect. The "tipped wage" column shows the minimum cash wage employers must pay tipped employees before tips. In states where no tip credit is allowed, the tipped wage equals the full minimum wage.

Annual earnings are calculated assuming full-time employment at 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year (2,080 hours), before taxes and deductions. Actual earnings may vary based on hours worked, overtime, and employer policies. For the most current rates, check your state's department of labor website. Use our lookup tool to find the specific rate for your city.