Managing employees in multiple states makes it tricky to keep track of the latest labor laws. Accidentally paying employees in Arizona like an employee in Arkansas risks racking up both legal and non-compliance fees far exceeding the $2.85 difference in the state's minimum wage.
For over 50 years, Lift has helped businesses across the country empower their employees through human capital management (the “HCM” in Lift HCM).
Our quick reference guide makes it easy to find the minimum wage in each state and check your work when processing your payroll.
New: Interactive Handy Reference Guide to the Fair Labor Standards Act (PDF)
Alabama
Alabama has no state minimum wage.
This means employers must default to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 set forth in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA).
Alaska
Alaska’s minimum wage is $11.73.
Under a voluntary flexible work-hour plan approved by the Alaska Department of Labor, a 10-hour day, 40-hour workweek may be instituted with premium pay after 10 hours a day.
The premium overtime pay requirement on either a daily or weekly basis is not applicable to employers of fewer than 4 employees. The minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula.
Arizona
Arizona's minimum wage is $14.35 per hour, based on the Consumer Price Index.
Arkansas
January 1st marked the start of Arkansas's $11.00 per hour minimum wage, which caps off increases stemming from the passage of the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act in 2018.
The hourly wage applies to businesses operating with at least four employees. Companies that don’t meet these criteria are still required to abide by the minimum wage standards listed in the FLSA.
California
California has installed a mandatory minimum wage of $16.00 per hour and joins six other states in prohibiting businesses from paying below the minimum wage rate for tipped employees.
Colorado
Colorado has raised its minimum wage to $14.42 on the first of the year, bringing the hourly wage for tipped employees to $11.40.
Connecticut
Connecticut's minimum wage is $15.69
The state is also requiring that any hours logged on an employee’s seventh consecutive day of work be counted as overtime, carving out a special consideration for hospitality industry employees.
Delaware
The minimum wage in Deleware increased to $13.25 per hour in January.
District of Columbia (D.C.)
$17.00 per hour is the minimum wage in Washington D.C.
Florida
Florida's minimum wage is $12.00 per hour. $13.00 per hour (effective Sept. 30, 2024)
Georgia
The minimum wage in Georgia sits at $5.15 per hour. Employers for whom the FSLA applies must pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
Hawaii
Hawaii’s minimum wage is $14.00 per hour.
The state has also relaxed regulatory requirements on wages and overtime for employees guaranteed to earn at least $2,000 per month.
Idaho
Wages in Idaho match the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour. Employees below the age of 20 are allowed to earn a training wage of $4.25 per hour within their first 90 calendar days.
Illinois
A minimum wage of $14.00 per hour went into effect for Illinois workers at the start of the year. The minimum is set to increase to $15.00 per hour at the start of next year.
Indiana
Minimum wage in Indiana meets FLSA requirements at $7.25 per hour.
Iowa
Iowa's federal standard minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
Kansas
Kansas followed suit at $7.25 per hour.
Kentucky
Kentucky joins the party at an FLSA-compliant $7.25 per hour.
Louisiana
With no minimum wage, employers in Louisiana defer to the $7.25 federal minimum provided in the FLSA.
Maine
Maine’s minimum hourly wage rose to $14.15 at the start of the year.
Maryland
Minimum wage is $15.00.
Massachusetts
Minimum wage in Massachusetts was raised to $15.00 per hour at the start of 2023.
Michigan
Michigan’s minimum wage comes in at $10.33 per hour as of January 1st.
Minnesota
Minnesota minimum wage is $8.85 per hour for companies earning gross revenue less than 500k and $10.85 for companies earning gross revenue of more than 500k.
Mississippi
Mississippi matches the federal minimum wage at $7.25 per hour.
Missouri
Missouri’s minimum wage rose to $12.30 per hour this year, though the state follows FLSA standards for workers in the retail or service industry with less than half a million dollars in gross annual sales.
Montana
Montana's minimum wage was set at $10.30 per hour on January 1, 2024. Businesses that aren’t covered by the FLSA and have gross annual sales under $110,000 are required to provide a minimum wage of $4.00 per hour.
Nebraska
Nebraska’s minimum wage reached $12.00 per hour, effective January 2024.
Nevada
In Nevada, the minimum wage varies based on whether employers offer health benefits. $11.25 for those who don’t provide benefits and $10.25 for those who do. Effective July 1, 2024 it will be $12.00 for both.
On July 1st, 2024, Nevada’s minimum wage will increase again to $12.00 per hour for all employers, regardless of whether they provide qualifying health benefits or not.
New Hampshire
The state of New Hampshire doesn’t have a minimum wage, so employers defer to the $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage established in the FLSA.
New Jersey
The minimum wage in New Jersey rose to $15.13 per hour at the start of 2024.
New Mexico
New Mexico's minimum wage is currently $12.00 per hour.
New York
In New York State, the minimum wage varies depending on the locality. For example, New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County have a minimum wage of $16.00 per hour. For the rest of the state, the minimum wage is set at $15.00 per hour.
North Carolina
North Carolina's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the same as FLSA standards.
North Dakota
North Dakota minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the same as FLSA standards.
Ohio
Ohio's minimum wage is currently $10.45 per hour. Employers with gross revenue or receipts of $372,000 or less are permitted to pay employees the federal minimum wage.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour for employers with ten or more full-time employees in one location or employers with gross annual sales of over $100,000.
Oregon
Oregon's minimum wage is $14.20 per hour standard (effective July 1, 2024 $14.70). In non-urban counties $13.20 (effective July 1, 2024 $13.70) and in the Portland Metro $15.45 per hour (effective July 1, 2024 $15.95).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the same as FLSA standards.
Puerto Rico
The minimum wage in Puerto Rico is $9.50. It will increase to $10.50 per hour on July 1, 2024, unless the Commonwealth issues a decree changing the amount.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island's minimum wage is $14.00.
South Carolina
The state of South Carolina has no minimum wage, so employers must abide by the minimum wage set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which is currently $7.25.
South Dakota
South Dakota's minimum wage is $11.20.
Tennessee
Tennessee defers to the FLSA-standard minimum wage of $7.25.
Texas
Texas maintains a minimum wage mirroring FLSA standards ($7.25) and applies solely to employees excluded from its umbrella.
Utah
Like Texas, Utah applies a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour to employees who aren’t covered by FLSA standards.
Vermont
Vermont minimum wage $13.67. Employers with 2 or more employees qualify for overtime, except for some industry-specific exemptions.
Virginia
Virginia minimum wage $12.00 per hour.
Washington
The minimum wage in Washington is $16.28 per hour. $19.97 for Seattle and $19.71 for SeaTac.
West Virginia
West Virginia assigned businesses with less than six non-exempt employees a minimum hourly wage of $7.25 while requiring $8.75 for those with more than six employees.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin minimum wage lines up with FLSA standards at $7.25 per hour.
Wyoming
Wyoming employees covered by the standards set forth in the FLSA earn a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. The hourly minimum for everyone else is $5.15.
Put Administrative Chores On the Chopping Block
Balancing your bookkeeping and keeping up with compliance while meeting the demands of a growing business is daunting, but you’re not without hope. If you’re ready to find more time for work you’re passionate about doing, you could use a Lift.
Lift HCM is an independent provider of human capital management solutions. We’ll help you file taxes, process payroll, and keep compliant. HCMs create a cushion when facing the wrath of agencies and regulators during audits or inspections by acting as a go-between.
Finding Your Perfect Payroll Partner
If you’re ready to relieve the many headaches of human resources and get back to growing your business, you need a provider who’s proud to be a part of your journey.
But a journey of a thousand miles starts by putting on your pants (most don’t make it this far). Candidates cover a sliding scale of sizes from industry titans like ADP to self-service platforms like Gusto or Justworks. It’s time to find the right fit for the next leg of your journey.
Dana Vincent is a seasoned Business Development Manager, who supports business owners in finding the right solutions for their payroll and HCM needs. Dana comes from a background in restaurant management, and has used that experience to understand the needs of small business owners. From small companies to large, Dana can help them with tools that can streamline their processes, enhance their compliance, and aid in their talent management. Outside of work, Dana is kept busy with her family, training her young dog to stop jumping on people, and renovating her 100 year old home.
