Minimum Wage Standards
Is the state minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage?1
| January 2009 (federal: $6.55) |
July 2008 (federal: $6.55) |
January 2008 (federal: $5.85) |
July 2007 (federal: $5.85) |
January 2007 (federal: $5.15) |
January 2006 (federal: $5.15) |
|
| Alabama | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Alaska | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) |
| Arizona* | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($6.90) | Yes ($6.90) | Yes ($6.75) | Yes ($6.75) | No |
| Arkansas | No | No | Yes ($6.25) | Yes ($6.25) | Yes ($6.25) | No |
| California | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($6.75) | Yes ($6.75) |
| Colorado* | Yes ($7.28) | Yes ($7.02) | Yes ($7.02) | Yes ($6.85) | Yes ($6.85) | No |
| Connecticut | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($7.65) | Yes ($7.65) | Yes ($7.65) | Yes ($7.65) | Yes ($7.40) |
| Delaware | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($6.65) | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) |
| District of Columbia | Yes ($7.55) | Yes ($7.55) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($7.00) |
| Florida* | Yes ($7.21) | Yes ($6.79) | Yes ($6.79) | Yes ($6.67) | Yes ($6.67) | Yes ($6.40) |
| Georgia | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Hawaii | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($6.75) |
| Idaho | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Illinois | Yes ($7.75) | Yes ($7.75) | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($6.50) | Yes ($6.50) |
| Indiana | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Iowa | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($6.20) | No | No |
| Kansas | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Kentucky | No | No | No | Yes ($5.85) | No | No |
| Louisiana | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Maine | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($6.75) | Yes ($6.75) | Yes ($6.50) |
| Maryland | No | No | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) | No |
| Massachusetts | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($6.75) | Yes ($6.75) |
| Michigan | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($6.95) | No |
| Minnesota | No | No | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) |
| Mississippi | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Missouri* | Yes ($7.05) | Yes ($6.65) | Yes ($6.65) | Yes ($6.50) | Yes ($6.50) | No |
| Montana* | Yes ($6.90)2 | No | Yes ($6.25) | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) | No |
| Nebraska | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Nevada | Yes ($6.85)3 | Yes ($6.85) | Yes ($6.33) | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) | No |
| New Hampshire | Yes ($7.25) | No | Yes ($6.50) | No | No | No |
| New Jersey | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($6.15) |
| New Mexico | Yes ($7.50) | No | Yes ($6.50) | No | No | No |
| New York | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($6.75) |
| North Carolina | No | No | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) | No |
| North Dakota | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Ohio | Yes ($7.30) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($6.85) | Yes ($6.85) | No |
| Oklahoma | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Oregon* | Yes ($8.40) | Yes ($7.95) | Yes ($7.95) | Yes ($7.80) | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($7.50) |
| Pennsylvania | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($6.25) | No |
| Rhode Island | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.10) | Yes ($6.75) |
| South Carolina | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| South Dakota | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Tennessee | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Texas | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Utah | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Vermont* | Yes ($8.06) | Yes ($7.68) | Yes ($7.68) | Yes ($7.53) | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) |
| Virginia | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Washington* | Yes ($8.55) | Yes ($8.07) | Yes ($8.07) | Yes ($7.93) | Yes ($7.93) | Yes ($7.63) |
| West Virginia | Yes ($7.25)4 | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($6.55) | No | No | No |
| Wisconsin | No | No | Yes ($6.50) | Yes ($6.50) | Yes ($6.50) | Yes ($5.70) |
| Wyoming | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Total Yeses | 28 | 25 | 33 | 31 | 29 | 18 |
Data Notes and Sources
Last Updated: January 7, 2009
* These states’ minimum wage rates are annually adjusted for inflation.
- This is the Minimum Wage rate that applies to non-supervisory, non-farm Private sector employment.
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Standards Administration Wage and Hour Division, Minimum Wage Laws in the States, 2008 (accessed January 5, 2008). - Montana's state minimum wage law applies only to businesses with gross annual sales over $110,000.
- The basic hourly rate in Nevada may remain at $5.30 when the employer offers the employee a qualified health plan.
- Applicable to employers of 6 or more employees at one location.