On July 24, 2008, the federal minimum wage was set at $6.55 per hour and on July 24, 2009, the ferderal minimum wage was increased to $7.25 per hour.
Effective January 1, 2008, the minimum wage in California is $8.00 per hour. There are some employees who are exempt from the minimum wage law, such as outside salespersons, individuals who are the parent, spouse, or child of the employer, and apprentices regularly indentured under the State Division of Apprenticeship Standards. Minimum Wage Order (MW-2007). There is also an exception for learners, regardless of age, who may be paid not less than 85% of the minimum wage rounded to the nearest nickel during their first 160 hours of employment in occupations in which they have no previous similar or related experience.
California employers must pay the state minimum wage since it is higher than the federal minimum wage. Some California employers, however, may be required to pay more than the state minimum wage if they operate in a city or county that has passed a "local living wage" (e.g. San Francisco at $9.92 or Santa Monica at $13.27 per hour).
Failure to pay the appropriate minimum wage may subject an employer to fines and/or imprisonment.
| State |
Minimum Wage |
Increases Already Signed Into Law |
| Federal |
$7.25 |
|
| Alabama |
$7.25 |
There is no state minimum wage. Alabama adopts the federal minimum wage. |
| Alaska |
$7.75 |
Minimum wage must exceed the federal minimum wage by $1, but legislature failed to raise it. |
| Arizona |
$7.35 |
Minimum wage annually adjusted based on the US Consumer Price Index (CPI). |
| Arkansas |
$6.25 |
|
| California |
$8.00 |
In the Bay Area, the minimum wage will be annually adjusted on January 1st of each year based on the CPI. Minimum Living Wage in Santa Monica for contractors providing services to the City is $13.27 and in San Francisco it is $9.92. |
| Colorado |
$7.76 |
Minimum wage will be adjusted annually based on the CPI, but tipped employees only earn $4.26. |
| Connecticut |
$8.25 |
Tipped employees earn only $5.41 |
| Delaware |
$7.25 |
Minimum wage Will increase to $7.25 on July 24, 2009. |
| District of Columbia |
$8.25 |
Minimum wage automatically set to exceed the federal minimum wage by $1. |
| Florida |
$7.25 |
Only $3.77 per hour for employees receiving tips. |
| Georgia |
$5.15 |
Applicable to employers with 6 or more employees. |
| Hawaii |
$7.25 |
|
| Idaho |
$7.25 |
|
| Illinois |
$8.25 |
Employers may pay anyone under the age of 18 $0.50 less than the state minimum wage. |
| Indiana |
$$7.25 |
Applicable to employers of 2 or more employees. |
| Iowa |
$7.25 |
Small retail and service businesses with a gross annual income less than $300,000 are not required to pay the minimum wage. |
| Kansas |
$7.25 |
Employees not covered by the Federal Fair Labor Standard Act are subject to the state's minimum wage laws. |
| Kentucky |
$7.25 |
|
| Louisiana |
$0 |
The federal minimum is $7.25. Louisiana has no state minimum wage law. |
| Maine |
$7.50 |
The state minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum wage rate. |
| Maryland |
$7.25 |
The state minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum wage rate. |
| Massachusetts |
$8.00 |
The state minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.63 and for agricultural employees it is $1.60. |
| Michigan |
$7.40 |
The state minimum wage law is applicable to employers of 2 or more employees. Under state law, tipped employees minimum wage is $2.65. Minors age 16 and 17 may be paid 85% of the state's minimum hourly wage. |
| Minnesota |
$6.15 |
The state minimum wage for small businesses with less than $625,000 in gross receipts is $5.25. |
| Mississippi |
$7.25 |
There is no state minimum wage law. |
| Missouri |
$7.25 |
The state minimum wage automatically adjusts annually based on the CPI. Premium pay required after 52 hours in seasonal amusement or recreation businesses. |
| Montana |
$7.35 |
The state minimum wage for small businesses will less than $110,000 in annual sales is $4.00 per hour. The state minimum wage automatically adjusts annually based on the CPI. |
| Nebraska |
$7.25 |
State minimum wage law is applicable to employers with 4 or more employees. |
| Nevada |
$8.25 |
The state minimum wage for employees who receive qualified health benefits is reduced to $7.25 per hour. |
| New Hampshire |
$7.25 |
The state minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if higher than the State minimum wage rate. |
| New Jersey |
$7.25 |
|
| New Mexico |
$7.50 |
The minimum wage is Santa Fe is $9.92. Tips earned may be applied toward the minimum wage. |
| New York |
$7.25 |
|
| North Carolina |
$7.25 |
|
| North Dakota |
$7.25 |
|
| Ohio |
$7.40 |
The state minimum wage automatically adjusts annually based on the CPI. |
| Oklahoma |
$7.25 |
State minimum wage law covers employers with 10 or more full time employees at any one location and employers with annual gross sales over $100,000 regardless of the number of full time employees. |
| Oregon |
$8.50 |
State minimum wage rises with inflation. |
| Pennsylvania |
$7.25 |
State minimum wage increases to $7.25 on July 24, 2009. |
| Rhode Island |
$7.40 |
State law requires time and one-half premium pay for work on Sundays and holidays in retail and certain other businesses. |
| South Carolina |
$7.25 |
There is no state minimum wage law. |
| South Dakota |
$6.55 |
|
| Tennessee |
$7.25 |
There is no state minimum wage law. |
| Texas |
$7.25 |
The Texas State minimum wage law does not contain current dollar minimums. Instead the State adopts the Federal minimum wage rate by reference. |
| Utah |
$7.25 |
The Utah state minimum wage law does not contain current dollar minimums. Instead the state law authorizes the adoption of the Federal minimum wage rate via administrative action. |
| Vermont |
$8.15 |
The state minimum wage rises with inflation and is applicable to employers with 2 or more employees |
| Virginia |
$7.25 |
The state minimum wage law is applicable to employers with 4 or more employees |
| Washington |
$8.67 |
The state minimum wage rises with inflation. |
| West Virginia |
$7.25 |
The state minimum wage law is applicable to employers with 6 or more employees at one location. |
| Wisconsin |
$7.25 |
|
| Wyoming |
$5.15 |
|
