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2024 State and Federal Minimum Wages

While the U.S. has set a federal minimum wage, state variations and exemptions can make complying with minimum wage laws a crucial but challenging aspect of managing a business. 

Getting it right prevents you from facing legal challenges. But more importantly, it protects employees from unreasonably low salaries that cannot support their cost of living. We’ve collected some data on states and the federal minimum wage to make that a little easier. 

That said, you should always review your state’s requirements and website before setting a final wage.

What is the minimum wage?

The minimum wage is the hourly rate that every non-exempt employee is subject to, establishing a baseline pay for people in the United States. There is a federal minimum wage, and many states also set their own minimum wage.

A team member living in a state with minimum wage laws is entitled to the higher minimum wage rate.

It’s important to note that there are different exceptions to federal and state minimums. In some situations, the employer must adhere to other requirements. States have their own lists and rules, and the Department of Labor has guidance for federal requirements on:

Let’s look at the federal minimum wage and some of those caveats next.

2024 Federal minimum wage

Federal laws set the current federal minimum wage in the United States at $7.25 per hour. The federal government set the minimum wage in 1938 under the Fair Labor Standards Act or FLSA.

The last minimum wage increase was in July 2009, when it increased from $6.55 to its current value.

For jobs like waitstaff, employers may pay tipped workers no less than $2.13 per hour in direct wages. This is only the case if the amount paid plus what they receive in tips totals the federal minimum wage. Also, the employee must be allowed to retain all tips, and they regularly receive more than $30 in tips each month.

People under the age of 20 can be paid a reduced minimum wage of $4.25 during the first 90 consecutive days of employment. After those 90 days, or when a person reaches the age of 20, they must be paid the standard federal minimum wage. Importantly, you cannot pay the reduced wage if you use a young worker to replace any other employee.

2024 Minimum wage rates by state

Here’s a list of the minimum wage laws for each state. The federal government also collects this data in a single wage table to help you plan your payment. Below are the standard minimums for wage earners and tipped employees, though its important to note that many farm and seasonal employees may be subject to a subminimum wage.
Alabama

Alabama does not have state minimum wage laws. It follows the federal rate of $7.25 per hour.

Alaska

Alaska’s state minimum wage is $11.73 per hour.

Arizona

Arizona’s state minimum wage is $14.35 per hour.

Arkansas

Arkansas’s minimum wage is $11.00 per hour.

California

California’s state minimum wage law was updated for 2024 to remove employee-count restrictions. Regardless of size, businesses must pay a state minimum wage of $16 per hour.

Colorado

Colorado’s state minimum wage is $14.42 per hour. For tipped employees, employers must pay at least $11.44 per hour if employee tips are enough to meet or exceed the amount they would otherwise have earned with the minimum for regular team members.

Connecticut

Connecticut has a state minimum wage of $15.69 per hour, including special guidelines for tipped workers:

  • Hotel and restaurant staff: $6.38 per hour

  • Bartenders: $8.23 per hour

Delaware

Delaware’s state minimum wage is $13.25 per hour.

District of Columbia

The minimum wage is $17.00 per hour.

Florida

Florida’s state minimum wage is $12.00 per hour.

Georgia

Georgia businesses must follow the federal rate of $7.25 if they are subject to the FLSA. If not, the minimum rate is $5.15 per hour.

Hawaii

Hawaii has a state minimum wage of $14 per hour. Per the Department of Labor, employees earning a guaranteed $2000 monthly are exempt from the minimum wage and overtime law.

Idaho

Idaho’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Illinois

Illinois’s state minimum wage is $14.00 per hour.

Indiana

Indiana’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Iowa

Iowa’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Kansas

Kansas’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Kentucky

Kentucky’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Louisiana

Louisiana does not have state minimum wage laws. It follows the federal rate of $7.25.

Maine

Maine’s state minimum wage is $14.15 per hour.

Maryland

Maryland has a state minimum wage of $15 per hour.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts’s state minimum wage is $15.00. State law requires the minimum wage always be at least $0.50 greater than the federal minimum.

Michigan

Michigan’s state minimum wage is $10.33 per hour. Employees aged 16 to 17 must be paid at least 85% of the minimum wage.

Minnesota

Minnesota's state minimum wage depends on the employer’s annual revenue and the employee’s age.

  • Annual revenue of $500,000 or higher (“large employers”): $10.85 per hour

  • Annual revenue of under $500,000 (“small employers”): $8.85 per hour

  • The wage training wage for those under age 20 and the youth wage for those under 18 years old is $8.85 per hour.

Mississippi

Mississippi does not have state minimum wage laws. It follows the federal rate of $7.25.

Missouri

Missouri’s state minimum wage is $12.30.

Montana

Montana’s state minimum wage depends on the business’s gross annual sales:

  • Gross annual sales over $110,000 pay $10.30 per hour.

  • Gross annual sales under $110,000 pay $4.00 per hour, but only if the FSLA does not apply.

Nebraska

Nebraska’s state minimum wage is $12.00 per hour.

Nevada

Nevada’s state minimum wage is $11.25 per hour for employers who do not provide health benefits for their workers. The minimum is $10.25 if the employer does offer that employee a qualifying health insurance plan.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire has a state minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and will automatically follow the federal minimum if it falls below that amount.

New Jersey

New Jersey’s state minimum wage depends on the number of employees a business has.

  • Businesses with six or more employees: $15.13 per hour

  • Businesses with fewer than six employees: $13.73 per hour

New Mexico

New Mexico’s state minimum wage is $12.00.

New York

New York’s state minimum wage depends on your location.

  • Long Island, Westchester, and NYC: $16.00 per hour

  • Anywhere else: $15 per hour

North Carolina

North Carolina’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

North Dakota

North Carolina’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Ohio

Ohio’s state minimum wage depends on the employer’s annual gross receipts.

  • $385,000 and over: $10.45 per hour

  • Under $385,000: $7.25 per hour

Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s state minimum wage depends on how many employees you have and/or your annual gross sales.

  • Businesses with ten or more employees: $7.25 per hour

  • Businesses with annual gross sales over $100,000: $7.25 per hour

  • Other businesses: $2.00 per hour

Similar to other states with minimum wages under $7.25, employees are entitled to the federal minimum because of FLSA guidelines unless otherwise specified as exempt.

Oregon

Oregon’s minimum wage varies by location: 

  • Portland metro area: $15.45 per hour

  • Standard rate: $14.20 per hour

  • Non-urban counties: $13.20 per hour

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s state minimum wage is $14.00 per hour.

South Carolina

South Carolina does not have state minimum wage laws. It follows the federal rate of $7.25.

South Dakota

South Dakota’s state minimum wage is $11.20 per hour.

Tennessee

Tennessee does not have state minimum wage laws. It follows the federal rate of $7.25.

Texas

Texas’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Utah

Utah’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Vermont

Vermont’s state minimum wage is $13.67 per hour for employers with two or more employees. The federal rate applies otherwise.

Virginia

Virginia’s state minimum wage is $12.00 per hour.

Washington

Washington state’s minimum wage is $16.28 per hour.

West Virginia

West Virginia’s state minimum wage depends on the number of employees a business has:

  • Six or more employees: $8.75 per hour

  • Fewer than six employees: $7.25 per hour

Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Wyoming

Wyoming’s state minimum wage is $5.15. Non-exempt businesses should follow the federal rate of $7.25.

What happens if federal and state minimums are different?

Most states have their own minimum wage guidelines. Businesses in these states are subject to both federal and state labor laws. According to the Department of Labor, employees are entitled to the higher minimum wage rate.

If you’re based in Illinois, where the minimum wage is $14.00 per hour, then that’s the amount you’re required to pay your employees. On the other hand, if you’re from Wyoming, where the minimum wage is $5.15 per hour, you should follow the federal minimum wage rate unless your business or your employees are exempt from the FLSA.

Which states raised the minimum wage in 2024?

Do you have a new minimum wage? You might not under federal law.

But in a move that should delight many employees, roughly 25 locations in the United States are increasing their minimum wage as of January 1, 2024. This set includes 24 states and the District of Columbia.

Locations with an increased minimum wage in 2024 are:

  • Alaska

  • Arizona

  • California

  • Colorado

  • Connecticut

  • Delaware

  • Florida

  • Hawaii

  • Illinois

  • Maine

  • Maryland

  • Michigan

  • Minnesota

  • Missouri

  • Montana

  • Nebraska

  • Nevada

  • New Jersey

  • Ohio

  • Oregon

  • Rhode Island

  • South Dakota

  • Vermont

  • Washington

  • Washington, D.C.

It’s important to review your own minimum wages regularly because state laws change wages throughout the year. Other than January 1, many laws will use July, 1 as the start date for minimum wage increases.

Which states have the lowest minimum wage?

Not every state sets a minimum wage. In those cases, they rely on what is set by the federal government. For states with their own minimum wage, Georgia and Wyoming have the lowest hourly amount at $5.15. However, employers must pay the federal rate of $7.25 if they’re covered by the FLSA.

Which state has the highest minimum wage?

When it comes to the highest minimum wages in the U.S., it’s a battle of the Washingtons.

Washington state is the state with the highest minimum wage, coming in at $16.28 per hour. However, Washington, D.C. has the country’s highest minimum wage at $17 per hour.

California comes in at a close third place with a $16 minimum wage. Other states with a minimum wage of $15 or more include Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

Which states have no minimum wage?

As of the start of 2024, five states have not adopted a state minimum wage. These states are Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

FAQs about minimum wage requirements

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