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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November 22, 2024

CA Rejects Statewide Wage Hike For the First Time in State Ballot Measure History

After weeks of vote counting across the Golden State, the Associated Press finally called the race for Proposition 32 – which would raise the state’s minimum wage from $16 to…
November 15, 2024

Since Chicago’s July Wage Hikes, Hospitality Jobs Plummet

After the city council passed an ordinance to eliminate Chicago’s tip credit last year, the city experienced a one-two punch of wage hikes this summer. As a result, the…
November 8, 2024

A Closer Study Proves CA’s $20 Minimum Wage is Costing Jobs, Raising Prices in Fast Food

One surprising takeaway from this election is California’s statewide $18 minimum wage ballot measure currently trailing by roughly 4 percentage points. While the measure qualified for the ballot several…
November 1, 2024

One Fair Wage Ends Up Uniting MA Against Tip Credit Elimination

One Fair Wage set out across the country this year to try to eliminate state and local tip credits in Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Rhode…