Here Is the Minimum Wage in Every State

The minimum wage is a legally mandated minimum amount of money employers must pay. While most states have a minimum wage, states like Louisiana and Mississippi that haven’t must meet the $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage.

While $7.25 per hour barely seems like a living wage, it’s all employers are obligated to pay. This often puts workers in the position of having to work multiple jobs.

According to The Balance, if the minimum wage had kept up with the cost of living (most easily determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index), it should have reached $10.15 in 2019. And, factoring in things like productivity and inflation, it should have been $24 by 2020.

As it stands now, though, the highest overall state minimum wage in America is $15.50 in California (though in the Portland, Oregon, metro area it’s $15.45).

Many states have tried to rectify this imbalance by setting a higher minimum wage than the federal allowance. 

In 19 states and Washington D.C., the minimum wage is automatically adjusted yearly for inflation. These states include Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Washington, D.C.

Tipped Minimum Wage

In some states, you’ll notice that in addition to a minimum wage, there is a “tipped minimum wage.” This means that certain employees who earn regular tips — such as waitresses, food servers and bartenders — may be paid a minimum wage lower than the state or federal minimum, so long as the tips make up the difference.

Here, GOBankingRates reveals the minimum wage in every state.

Alabama has no state minimum wage. Alabama must pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. 

In Alaska, the minimum cash wage payment is $10.85 per hour. The state requires employers to pay tipped employees the full state minimum wage before tips.

In Arizona, the minimum cash wage payment is $13.85. The state requires employers to pay tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, a minimum cash wage above the federal minimum cash wage of $7.25 per hour.

In Arkansas, the minimum cash wage payment is $11. The state requires employers to pay tipped employees a minimum cash wage above the minimum cash wage.

In California, the minimum cash wage payment is $15.50. The state requires employers to pay tipped employees the full state minimum wage before tips.

In Colorado, the minimum cash wage payment is $13.65. The state requires employers to pay tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips a minimum cash wage above the minimum cash wage.

In Connecticut, the minimum cash wage payment is $14. For tipped employees such as bartenders and those who work in hotels and restaurants, the tip credit is $8.62 per hour and the minimum cash wage is $6.38 per hour.

In Delaware, the minimum cash wage payment is $11.75. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $9.52 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.23 per hour.

In Florida, the minimum cash wage payment is $11. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $3.02 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $8.98 per hour. The Florida minimum wage will automatically increase $1 every Sept. 30 until it caps out at $15 on Sept. 30, 2026.

In Georgia, the minimum cash wage is $7.25.  For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Hawaii, the minimum cash wage is $12. For tipped employees who earn more than $20 in tips, the tip credit is $1 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $11 per hour.

In Idaho, the minimum cash wage is $7.25. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $3.90 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $3.35 per hour.

In Illinois, the minimum cash wage is $13. For tipped employees, the tip credit is 40% of the applicable minimum wage of $5.20 per hour, and per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $7.80 per hour.

In Indiana, the minimum cash wage is $7.25. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Iowa, the minimum cash wage is $7.25. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is 40% of the applicable minimum wage of $2.90 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $5.12 per hour.

In Kansas, the minimum cash wage is $7.25 per hour. For tipped employees, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Kentucky, the minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Louisiana, the minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Maine, the minimum cash wage payment is $13.80 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $175 in tips, the tip credit is 50% of the applicable minimum wage (of $6.90), and the minimum cash wage is $6.90.

In Maryland, the minimum cash wage payment is $13.25 per hour. Businesses with 14 or fewer tipped employees (who earn more than $30 in tips,) must pay a tip credit of $9.17 per hour and a minimum cash wage of $3.63. Employers with 15 or more employees must pay a tip credit of $9.62 and a minimum cash wage of $3.63.

In Massachusetts, the minimum cash wage payment is $15 per hour. For tipped employees who make $20 or more in tips, employers must pay a tip credit of $8.25 per hour and a minimum cash wage of $6.75.

In Minnesota, the minimum cash wage payment is $10.59 per hour. For employees, the tip credit is $6.26 per hour and 38% of the applicable minimum cash wage of $3.84 per hour.

In Mississippi, the minimum cash wage payment is $10.10 per hour. For tipped employees who work for a large employer, the minimum cash wage is $10.59, and for those who work for a small employer, $8.63.

In Missouri, the minimum cash wage payment is $12 per hour. For tipped employees, the tip credit is 50% of the applicable minimum wage of $6 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $6 per hour.

In Montana, the minimum cash wage payment is $10.30 per hour for businesses not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act with gross annual sales of $110,000 or less. Businesses whose gross annual sales are $110,000 or less may pay $4 per hour.

In Nebraska, the minimum cash wage payment is $10.50 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $8.37 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Nevada, if qualifying health insurance is not offered by the employer, the minimum cash wage is $11.25 per hour. If qualifying health insurance is offered by the employer, the minimum cash wage is $10.25 per hour. As of July 1, 2024, there will be a uniform minimum wage of $12 per hour for all employees.

In New Hampshire, the minimum cash wage payment is $7.25  per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is 55% of the applicable minimum wage, or $3.99 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is 45% of the applicable minimum wage, or $3.26 per hour.

In New Jersey, the minimum cash wage payment is $14.13 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $8.87 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $5.26 per hour. For seasonal and small employers who employ fewer than six people, the minimum wage is $13.73 per hour.

New Mexico has a flat minimum wage of $12 per hour.

The minimum cash wage payment in New York is $14.20 hourly unless you work in New York City, Nassau County, Suffolk County or Westchester County, where it’s $16 per hour.

For food service workers, the tip credit is $4.75 per hour and the minimum cash wage is $9.45 per hour.

For tipped employees, the tip credit is $2.35 per hour and the minimum cash wage is $11.85 per hour.

North Carolina’s minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 hourly. For tipped employees, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

North Dakota’s minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 hourly. For tipped employees earning more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is 33% of the applicable minimum wage, $2.39 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $4.86 per hour.

In Ohio, the minimum cash wage payment is $10.10 per hour. For tipped employees, the tip credit is $5.05 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $5.05 per hour.

In Oklahoma, the minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 per hour. For tipped employees, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Oregon, the minimum wage varies by region. The standard minimum wage is $14.20, $15.45 in the Portland metro area and $13.20 in non-urban counties.

In Pennsylvania, the minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $135 per month in tips, the tip credit is $4.42 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.83 per hour.

Rhode Island’s minimum cash wage payment is $13 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $9.11 per hour and the minimum cash wage is $3.89 per hour.

South Carolina’s minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 hourly. For tipped employees, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

South Dakota’s minimum cash wage payment is $10.80 hourly. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is 50% of the applicable minimum wage or $5.40 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $5.40 per hour.

Tennessee’s minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 hourly. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Texas, the minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $20 in tips, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Utah, the minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

In Vermont, the minimum cash wage payment is $13.18 per hour. For tipped employees, such as those who work for a hotel, motel, tourist place or restaurant who customarily and regularly receive more than $120 per month in tips for direct and personal customer service, the tip credit is $6.59 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $6.59 per hour.

Should the federal minimum wage ever rise higher than the state minimum, Vermont’s minimum wage will be automatically replaced with the federal minimum wage.

In Virginia, the minimum cash wage payment is $10.50 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $9.87 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13.

In Washington, the minimum cash wage payment is $15.74.

West Virginia’s minimum cash wage payment is $8.75 hourly. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is 60% of the applicable minimum wage — $6.13 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.62 per hour.

In Wisconsin, the minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 per hour. For tipped employees, the tip credit is $4.92 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.33 per hour.

In Wyoming, the minimum cash wage payment is $7.25 per hour. For tipped employees who earn more than $30 in tips, the tip credit is $5.12 per hour, and the minimum cash wage is $2.13 per hour.

Methodology: In order to find the minimum wage in every state, GOBankingRates analyzed each U.S. state for a variety of factors including; state minimum wage, minimum cash wage when tipped, minimum combined cash and tip wage, tipping position requirements, minor age, minor work certifications all sourced from the US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division – Division of Fair Labor Standards and the US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division – Child Labor. All data was collected and is up to date as of April 26, 2024.