What is the minimum wage?

The minimum wage is the starting hourly wage an employer can pay an employee for work. Currently, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (part of the Fair Labor Standards Act). Some states and cities have raised their minimum wage higher than that. In most instances, the higher of the prevailing minimum wage requirements is binding for employers.

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Minimum Wage in the U.S.

Select your state to learn more about the standard minimum wage and the tipped wage in your state.

Fed. Min. Wage Fed. Tipped Wage
$7.25 $2.13

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May 25, 2023

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New Survey Shows Devastating Impacts of D.C.’s Tip Credit Elimination

This week, Washington, D.C. implemented its first of several tipped minimum wage hikes that will eliminate the city’s tip credit entirely by 2027. The May 1 increase raised the tipped…