With the start of the New Year, the minimum wage rate will be increasing in nearly half the states. Our chart shows you at-a-glance which states saw increases (in red) and what the minimum wage rate is for each state in 2015. The 2015 minimum wage by state guide below does not reflect specific monetary values for minimum wages for local jurisdictions (city, county, districts), tipped wages, state-required Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), child labor laws, all training wages, minimum revenue exceptions, etc. GTM recommends employers prepare for upcoming changes to the minimum wage in their state. Where a 2015 increase is listed without a date, the effective date is 1/1/15.
State |
2014 |
2015 |
General Notes |
Alabama (AL) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
No state set minimum wage. Federal minimum applies. |
Alaska (AK) |
$7.75 |
$8.75 |
Alaska’s minimum wage increases to $8.75 on 2/24/15. |
Arizona (AZ) |
$7.90 |
$8.05 |
Rate increases tied to consumer price index. |
Arkansas (AR) |
$7.25 |
$7.50 |
Arkansas’ minimum wage increases to $8.00 on 1/1/16 and to $8.50 on 1/1/17. |
California (CA) |
$9.00 |
$9.00 |
California minimum wage increases to $10.00 on 1/1/16. Many city rates differ from state minimum wage. The Minimum Wage Ordinance states that most exempt employees must make at least twice the state minimum wage. |
Colorado (CO) |
$8.00 |
$8.23 |
Rate increases tied to consumer price index and is adjusted annually. |
Connecticut (CT) |
$8.70 |
$9.15 |
Connecticut’s minimum wage increases to $9.60 on 1/1/16 and to $10.10 on 1/1/17. |
Delaware (DE) |
$7.75 |
$7.75 ($8.25 on 6/1/15) |
Delaware’s minimum wage increases to $8.25 on 6/1/15. |
District of Columbia |
$9.50 |
$9.50 ($10.50 on 7/1/15) |
D.C.’s minimum wage increases to $10.50 on 7/1/15 and to $11.50 on 7/1/16. Rate increases tied to consumer price index after 2016. |
Florida (FL) |
$7.93 |
$8.05 |
Rate increases tied to consumer price index. |
Georgia (GA) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
Georgia’s state minimum wage rate is $5.15. As the state’s minimum wage is lower than federal minimum wage, the federal rate applies. |
Hawaii (HI) |
$7.25 |
$7.75 |
Hawaii’s minimum wage increases to $8.50 on 1/1/16, to $9.25 on 1/1/17, and to $10.10 on 1/1/18. |
Idaho (ID) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
State minimum wage will automatically follow federal minimum wage. |
Illinois (IL) |
$8.25 |
$8.25 |
Employees under the age of 18 may be paid up to $0.50 less for the minimum wage rate. Non-tipped employees may be paid $7.75 for the first 90 days with the employer. |
Indiana (IN) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
Iowa (IA) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
Kansas (KS) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
Kentucky (KY) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
Louisiana (LA) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
No state set minimum wage. Federal minimum applies. |
Maine (ME) |
$7.50 |
$7.50 |
|
Maryland (MD) |
$7.25 |
$8.00 ($8.25 on 7/1/15) |
Maryland’s minimum wage increases to $8.25 on 7/1/15, to $8.75 on 7/1/16, to $9.25 on 7/1/2017 and to $10.10 on 7/1/2018. |
Massachusetts (MA) |
$8.00 |
$9.00 |
Massachusetts’ minimum wage increases to $10.00 on 1/1/16, and to $11.00 on 1/1/17. Massachusetts Blue Laws require some employers to pay premium pay for Sundays and certain holidays. |
Michigan (MI) |
$8.15 |
$8.15 |
Michigan’s minimum wage increases to $8.50 on 1/1/16, to $8.90 on 1/1/17, and to $9.25 on 1/1/18. Minors 16–17 years of age may be paid 85% of the minimum hourly wage rate (so long as it is not less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25). |
Minnesota (MN) |
$8.00 for large businesses/$6.50 for small businesses (fed rate higher) |
$8.00 for large/$6.50 for small ($9.00/ |
Minnesota has two separate minimum wages based on employer size. Future increases for large businesses ($500,000+ in gross annual sales): $9.00 on 8/1/15 and $9.50 on 8/1/16. Future increases for small businesses (under $500,000 in gross annual sales): $7.25 on 8/1/15 and $7.75 on 8/1/16. There are different rates for those under 18 years of age. |
Mississippi (MS) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
No state set minimum wage. Federal minimum applies. |
Missouri (MO) |
$7.50 |
$7.65 |
Rate increases tied to consumer price index. |
Montana (MT) |
$7.90 |
$8.05 |
Rate increases tied to consumer price index. |
Nebraska (NE) |
$7.25 |
$8.00 |
Nebraska’s minimum wage increases to $9.00 on 1/1/16. |
Nevada (NV) |
$7.25 or $8.25 |
$7.25 or $8.25 |
Minimum wage in Nevada is $7.25 per hour for employees whose employer provides qualifying health benefits and $8.25 for employees whose employer does not provide qualifying health benefits. Rate tied to consumer price index. |
New Hampshire (NH) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
New Jersey (NJ) |
$8.25 |
$8.38 |
Rate increases tied to consumer price index. |
New Mexico (NM) |
$7.50 |
$7.50 |
Many city rates differ from state minimum wage. |
New York (NY) |
$8.00 ($8.75 on 12/31/14) |
$8.75 ($9.00 on 12/31/15) |
New York’s minimum wage increases to $9.00 on 12/31/15. New York has a minimum for exempt employees’ earnings of $656.25 per week as of 12/31/14 for the Executive and Administrative exemptions ($675 on 12/31/15). For most of the other exemptions, the federal minimum of $455 applies. |
North Carolina (NC) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
North Dakota (ND) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
Ohio (OH) |
$7.95 |
$8.10 |
Rate increases tied to consumer price index. Employers who gross under $288,000.00 shall pay their employees no less than the current federal minimum wage rate. |
Oklahoma (OK) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
State minimum wage will automatically follow federal minimum wage. |
Oregon (OR) |
$9.10 |
$9.25 |
Rate increases tied to consumer price index. |
Pennsylvania (PA) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
Rhode Island (RI) |
$8.00 |
$9.00 |
|
South Carolina (SC) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
No state set minimum wage. Federal minimum applies. |
South Dakota (SD) |
$7.25 |
$8.50 |
Future rate increases tied to consumer price index. |
Tennessee (TN) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
No state set minimum wage. Federal minimum applies. |
Texas (TX) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
State minimum wage will automatically follow federal minimum wage. |
Utah (UT) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
Vermont (VT) |
$8.73 |
$9.15 |
Vermont’s minimum wage increases to $9.60 on 1/1/16, to $10.00 on 1/1/17, and to $10.50 on 1/1/18. Rate increases tied to consumer price index beginning in 2019. |
Virginia (VA) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
State minimum wage will automatically follow federal minimum wage. |
Washington (WA) |
$9.32 |
$9.47 |
Rate increases tied to consumer price index. Many city rates differ from state minimum wage. |
West Virginia (WV) |
$7.25 |
$8.00 |
West Virginia’s minimum wage increases to $8.75 on 1/1/16. |
Wisconsin (WI) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
|
Wyoming (WY) |
$7.25 |
$7.25 |
The state minimum wage rate is $5.15. As the state’s minimum wage is lower than the federal minimum wage, the federal rate applies. |
For more information, please contact GTM at (518) 373-4111.