HomeMinimum wage per hour by state
The 2024 federal minimum wage in the US is $7.25 per hour. It has been 15 years since the federal minimum wage has been increases. The $7.25 per hour minimum wage came into effect on July 24, 2009 when it was raised $0.70 from $6.55 per hour.
This is that rate that applies to covered nonexempt employees. For states with minimum wage laws where employees are subject to both state and federal minimum wage laws, the higher of the two minimum wages applies.
What is the lowest minimum wage in the US?
There are twenty states that have a hourly minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
The lowest minimum wage in the U.S. is in Georgia and Wyoming where the minimum wage is $5.15 per hour. Since these two states have minimum wages that are lower than the federal minimum wage the federal wage of $7.25 applies.
Additionally the following fives states: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennesse have not adopted a state minimum wage and have the $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage applied.
This map shows a breakdown of the minimum wage in the U.S. by state:
This table shows the hourly minimum wage by state in the U.S. as a side by side comparison.
| State | Minimum wage per hour |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $7.25 |
| Alaska | $11.73 |
| Arizona | $14.35 |
| Arkansas | $11.0 |
| California | $16.0 |
| Colorado | $14.42 |
| Connecticut | $15.69 |
| Delaware | $13.25 |
| Florida | $13.0 |
| Georgia | $7.25 |
| Hawaii | $14.0 |
| Idaho | $7.25 |
| Illinois | $14.0 |
| Indiana | $7.25 |
| Iowa | $7.25 |
| Kansas | $7.25 |
| Kentucky | $7.25 |
| Louisiana | $7.25 |
| Maine | $14.15 |
| Maryland | $15.0 |
| Massachusetts | $15.0 |
| Michigan | $10.33 |
| Minnesota | $10.85 |
| Mississippi | $7.25 |
| Missouri | $12.30 |
| Montana | $10.30 |
| Nebraska | $12.0 |
| Nevada | $12.0 |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 |
| New Jersey | $15.13 |
| New Mexico | $12.0 |
| New York | $15.0 |
| North Carolina | $7.25 |
| North Dakota | $7.25 |
| Ohio | $10.45 |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 |
| Oregon | $14.70 |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 |
| Rhode Island | $14.0 |
| South Carolina | $7.25 |
| South Dakota | $11.20 |
| Tennessee | $7.25 |
| Texas | $7.25 |
| Utah | $7.25 |
| Vermont | $13.67 |
| Virginia | $12.0 |
| Washington | $16.28 |
| West Virginia | $8.75 |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 |
| Wyoming | $7.25 |
Which state has the highest minimum wage?
Washington has the highest 2024 minimum wage of $16.28 per hour. This minimum wage is set to increase to $16.66 per hour in 2024.
Check out the 2024 median income: USA Median Personal Income
Check out the 2024 average income: USA Average Personal Income