List of U.S.A. minimum wages

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See also: Minimum wage in the United States
Minimum Wage by U.S. state and U.S. territory (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands), as of January 1, 2008.      States with minimum wage rates higher than the Federal rate.      States with minimum wage rates the same as the Federal rate.      American Samoa has special minimum wage rates. [3]      States with no minimum wage law.      States with minimum wage rates lower than the Federal rate.
Minimum Wage by U.S. state and U.S. territory (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands), as of January 1, 2008.[1]      States with minimum wage rates higher than the Federal rate.      States with minimum wage rates the same as the Federal rate.      American Samoa has special minimum wage rates. [3]      States with no minimum wage law.      States with minimum wage rates lower than the Federal rate.

This is a list of the minimum wages (per hour) in each state and territory of the United States, for jobs covered by federal minimum wage laws. Other jobs, often ones which earn tips or in small companies, are often subject to lower minimums.

In addition, some counties and/or cities within states may observe a higher minimum wage than the rest of the state in which they are located; sometimes this higher wage will apply only to businesses that are under contract to the local government itself, while in other cases the higher minimum will be enforced across the board.

As of February 2008, Washington has the highest minimum wage of all 50 states, with California, Massachusetts and Oregon close behind. Kansas has the lowest minimum wage, but 5 states have no minimum wage enacted under state law. In these states, the current federal minimum wage applies for most jobs. Out of the entire country, states or cities, Santa Fe has the highest minimum wage.[2][3]

Contents

[edit] Minimum Wage levels

[edit] Federal

Federal Level Notes
Federal $5.85 The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the federal minimum wage at $5.85 per hour. The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, signed into law on May 25, 2007,[4] will increase the minimum wage over two years:

[edit] State

State Level Notes
Alabama None[6] Federal minimum applies.
Alaska $7.15 Will increase to be at least $1 above federal minimum.[7]
Arizona $6.90 Pursuant to Arizona Proposition 202. This rate will be automatically adjusted annually based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index. This rate increase did not affect student workers in places such as libraries and cafeterias because those positions are given by universities, which are State entities.[citation needed][8]
Arkansas $6.25
California $8.00[9] San Francisco $9.36[10]
Colorado $7.02[11] This rate will be automatically adjusted annually based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index. Tipped employees earn $4.00.
Connecticut $7.65 $8 on 1/1/9[4]
Delaware $7.15 Increasing to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.[12]
District of Columbia $7.00 This rate is automatically set at $1 above the Federal minimum wage rate if the District of Columbia rate is lower.
Florida $6.79 Rises with inflation. $3.77 per hour for tipped employees.
Georgia $5.85[13] Not linked to the federal rate, however the State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act when the Federal rate is greater than the State rate.[12] Applicable to employers of 6 or more employees.
Hawaii $7.25
Idaho $5.85
Illinois $7.75 The minimum wage will increase by $.25 every year until 2010. $7.75 on July 1, 2008; $8.00 on July 1, 2009; and $8.25 on July 1, 2010. Employers may pay anyone under the age of 18 $.50 less. Tipped employees earn $4.50 (employers may claim credit for tips, up to 40% of wage[14]).
Indiana $5.85 Increasing to $6.55 on July 24, 2008, then to $7.25 on July 25, 2009.[12]
Iowa $7.25[15] Most small retail and service establishments grossing less than 300,000 annually are not required to pay the minimum wage.
Kansas $2.65 Employees not covered by the Federal Fair Labor Standard Act are subject to Kansas minimum wage laws.[16]
Kentucky $5.85 Increasing to $6.55 on July 1, 2008, then to $7.25 on July 1, 2009.
Louisiana None Federal minimum applies.
Maine $7.00 Increasing to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.[12]
Maryland $6.15 The minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum wage rate.[12] Increasing to $6.55 on July 24, 2008, then to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.
Massachusetts $8.00[17] $2.63 for service (tipped) employees, $1.60 for agricultural employees.
Michigan $7.15 ($2.65 for service (tipped) employees, Increasing to $7.40 on July 1, 2008, Minors 16-17 years of age may be paid 85% of the minimum hourly wage rate(currently $6.08 per hour). Training wage for new employees ages 16 to 19 of $4.25 per hour for first 90 days of employment.
Minnesota $6.15 Increasing to $6.90 on July 24, 2008, then to $7.90 on July 24, 2009. Beginning in 2010, increases will be linked to inflation.[18]
Mississippi None Federal minimum applies.
Missouri $6.65 This rate is automatically adjusted annually based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
Montana $6.25 This rate is automatically adjusted annually based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index. Tip income may not be applied as an offset to an employee's pay rate. The minimum pay is $4/hour for business with less than $110,000 in annual sales.
Nebraska $5.85 Increasing to $6.55 on July 24, 2008, then to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.[19]
Nevada $6.33 Rises with inflation.[20] The minimum wage for employees who receive qualified health benefits from their employers will be at $5.30 per hour and the minimum wage for employees who do not receive health benefits will be at $6.33 per hour.[21]
New Hampshire $6.50 Increasing to $7.25 on September 1, 2008. The minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum wage rate.[12]
New Jersey $7.15 Increasing to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.[12]
New Mexico $6.50 Increasing to $7.50 on January 1, 2009. Not linked to the federal rate.[12]

$9.50 in Santa Fe (now covering all employees, since expansion to employers with less than 25 employees, as of January 1, 2008).[2][3]
New York $7.15 New York also has a minimum for exempt employees $536.10 /week as of January 1, 2007 and increasing to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.[12]
North Carolina $6.15 Increasing to $6.55 on July 24, 2008, then to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.[12]
North Dakota $5.85 Increasing to $6.55 on July 24, 2008, then to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.[12]
Ohio $7.00 This rate will be automatically adjusted annually on every January 1 based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
Oklahoma $5.85 Federal minimum wage used as reference; no actual amounts written in law.[12] $2.00 for work not covered by federal minimum wage OK Statutes 40-197.5
Oregon $7.95 Rises with inflation.
Pennsylvania $7.15 Increasing to $7.25 on July 24, 2009. See http://www.dli.state.pa.us/landi/lib/landi/laborlaw/pdf/llc-1.pdf
Rhode Island $7.40
South Carolina None Federal minimum applies.
South Dakota $5.85 Increasing to $6.55 on July 24, 2008, then to $7.25 on July 24, 2009.[12]
Tennessee None Federal minimum applies.
Texas $5.85 Federal minimum wage used as reference; no actual amounts written in law.[12][22]
Utah $5.85 Federal minimum wage used as reference after legislative action; no actual amounts written in law. Current rate took effect on September 8, 2007.[12]
Vermont $7.68 Rises with inflation.
Virginia $5.85 Federal minimum wage used as reference; no actual amounts written in law.[12]
Washington $8.07 Future increases linked to inflation and changes January 1 of every year as per the Revised Code of Washington Sec. 49.46.020. Employees aged 14 or 15 may be paid 85% of the minimum wage, which for 2008 is $6.86 per hour.
West Virginia $5.85 Applicable to employers of 6 or more employees at one location not involved in interstate commerce, $6.55. Increasing to $7.25 effective 7/1/08.[12]
Wisconsin $6.50
Wyoming $5.15 Not linked to the federal rate.[12]

[edit] Territory

Territory Level Notes
American Samoa $2.68-$4.09 Varies by industry.[23] Planned increases to $7.25 by 2014.[24]
Guam $5.85
Northern Mariana Islands $3.55 As of July 23, 2007. Planned increases to $7.25 by 2015.[25]
Puerto Rico $3.61-$5.85 Varies by industry
U.S. Virgin Islands $6.15 Except businesses with gross annual receipts of less than $150,000, then $4.30. (In practice, the Virgin Islands adopts the Federal per hour rate)

[edit] See also

v • d • e
United States state lists

[edit] References

  1. ^ Minimum Wage Laws in the States. From the United States Department of Labor. Employment Standards Administration. Wage and Hour Division. The source page has a clickable US map with current and projected state-by-state minimum wage rates for each state.
  2. ^ a b "City's minimum pay requirement expands to small businesses; state minimum kicks in". By Julie Ann Grimm. December 31, 2007. The Santa Fe New Mexican.
  3. ^ a b Santa Fe Living Wage Network.
  4. ^ "US minimum wage to get $2 boost". May 25, 2007. BBC News.
  5. ^ New Federal Minimum Wage Increase for 2007, 2008, 2009. Labor Law Center.
  6. ^ FAQs
  7. ^ News Release 02-73
  8. ^ http://www.ica.state.az.us/minimumWage/index.html Arizona Department of Labor
  9. ^ Minimum wage
  10. ^ Office of Labor Standards Enforcement: Minimum Wage Ordinance (MWO)
  11. ^ Colorado Minimum Wage Order Poster
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r DOL WHD: Minimum Wage Laws in the States
  13. ^ Georgia Department of Labor
  14. ^ Illinois Department of Labor - Minimum Wage Law
  15. ^ Iowa Workforce Development - Iowa's Employment Security Agency
  16. ^ Kansas Wage Payment Act
  17. ^ [1] Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD)
  18. ^ [2] Minimum Wage Hike Approved, Pawlenty Has Objections
  19. ^ Nebraska Workforce Development. Safety/Labor Standards. 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions. Nebraska government website.
  20. ^ Nevada's Minimum Wage
  21. ^ Governor Jim Gibbons - Press Release
  22. ^ Texas Minimum Wage Law Summary
  23. ^ DOL WHD: Wage Rate in American Samoa
  24. ^ DOI Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) -Statement of Nikolao I. Pula - February 28, 2008
  25. ^ DOI Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) -Statement of Nikolao I. Pula - February 28, 2008

[edit] External links