Minimum Wage Standards
Is the state minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage?1
| January 2011 (federal: $7.25) |
January 2010 (federal: $7.25) |
January 2009 (federal: $6.55) |
January 2008 (federal: $5.85) |
January 2007 (federal: $5.15) |
|
| Alabama | No | No | No | No | No |
| Alaska | Yes ($7.75) | Yes ($7.75) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) |
| Arizona* | Yes ($7.35) | No | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($6.90) | Yes ($6.75) |
| Arkansas | No | No | No | Yes ($6.25) | Yes ($6.25) |
| California | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($7.50) |
| Colorado* | Yes ($7.36) | No | Yes ($7.28) | Yes ($7.02) | Yes ($6.85) |
| Connecticut | Yes ($8.25) | Yes ($8.25) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($7.65) | Yes ($7.65) |
| Delaware | No | No | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($6.65) |
| District of Columbia | Yes ($8.25) | Yes ($8.25) | Yes ($7.55) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($7.00) |
| Florida | No | No | Yes ($7.21) | Yes ($6.79) | Yes ($6.67) |
| Georgia | No | No | No | No | No |
| Hawaii | No | No | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) |
| Idaho | No | No | No | No | No |
| Illinois | Yes ($8.25) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($7.75) | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($6.50) |
| Indiana | No | No | No | No | No |
| Iowa | No | No | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.25) | No |
| Kansas | No | No | No | No | No |
| Kentucky | No | No | No | No | No |
| Louisiana | No | No | No | No | No |
| Maine | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($6.75) |
| Maryland | No | No | No | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) |
| Massachusetts | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($8.00) | Yes ($7.50) |
| Michigan | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($6.95) |
| Minnesota | No | No | No | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) |
| Mississippi | No | No | No | No | No |
| Missouri | No | No | Yes ($7.05) | Yes ($6.65) | Yes ($6.50) |
| Montana* | Yes ($7.35) | No | Yes ($6.90) | Yes ($6.25) | Yes ($6.15) |
| Nebraska | No | No | No | No | No |
| Nevada* | Yes ($8.25) | Yes ($7.55)2 | Yes ($6.85) | Yes ($6.33) | Yes ($6.15) |
| New Hampshire | No | No | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($6.50) | No |
| New Jersey | No | No | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) |
| New Mexico | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($7.50) | Yes ($6.50) | No |
| New York | No | No | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) |
| North Carolina | No | No | No | Yes ($6.15) | Yes ($6.15) |
| North Dakota | No | No | No | No | No |
| Ohio | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.30) | Yes ($7.30) | Yes ($7.00) | Yes ($6.85) |
| Oklahoma | No | No | No | No | No |
| Oregon* | Yes ($8.50) | Yes ($8.40) | Yes ($8.40) | Yes ($7.95) | Yes ($7.80) |
| Pennsylvania | No | No | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($7.15) | Yes ($6.25) |
| Rhode Island | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) | Yes ($7.40) |
| South Carolina | No | No | No | No | No |
| South Dakota | No | No | No | No | No |
| Tennessee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Texas | No | No | No | No | No |
| Utah | No | No | No | No | No |
| Vermont* | Yes ($8.15) | Yes ($8.06) | Yes ($8.06) | Yes ($7.68) | Yes ($7.53) |
| Virginia | No | No | No | No | No |
| Washington* | Yes ($8.67) | Yes ($8.55) | Yes ($8.55) | Yes ($8.07) | Yes ($7.93) |
| West Virginia | No | No | Yes ($7.25) | Yes ($6.55) | Yes ($5.85) |
| Wisconsin | No | No | No | Yes ($6.50) | Yes ($6.50) |
| Wyoming | No | No | No | No | No |
| Total Yeses | 18 | 15 | 28 | 33 | 30 |
Data Notes and Sources
Last Updated: July 24, 2009
- This is the Minimum Wage rate that applies to non-supervisory, non-farm Private sector employment.
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Standards Administration. 2011. Minimum Wage Laws in the States, January 2011. (accessed March 19, 2011) - Nevada's basic minimum rate of $7.55 applies to employers that do not offer employees a qualified health plan.