Minimum Wage 2027 Checker
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Check 2027 minimum wage changes — 20+ US states raise every January 1 (most inflation-indexed), while the federal floor stays $7.25. Enter your state group and wage to see your January math.
Quick answer: The federal minimum stays $7.25; the action is state-level: indexed states (WA, CO, AZ, OH, MT...) raise each Jan 1 with CPI (announced each fall); scheduled states (CA $16.50+, NY, NJ, IL...) follow legislated steps. Exact 2027 figures finalize in late 2026 — this checker runs the raise math with your numbers.
How January 1 Increases Work
| Mechanism | States (examples) | How the number arrives |
|---|---|---|
| CPI-indexed | WA, CO, AZ, MT, OH, MN, VT, SD, NV... | Announced Sep-Oct from inflation data; applies Jan 1 |
| Legislated schedule | CA, NY (regional), NJ, IL, MD, DE, FL (Sep steps to $15+) | Fixed statutory steps until target, then often indexed |
| Frozen at federal | TX, GA, MS, AL, TN... | $7.25 since 2009 — city ordinances sometimes override where allowed |
| City overlays | Seattle, Denver, NYC fast-food, WeHo | $18-20+ local floors above the state line |
Worked Examples
Example 1 — the automatic raise. $16.50 in a state moving to $17.10: payroll must lift you Jan 1 — +$24/week, +$1,248/year at 40 hours, no negotiation involved.
Example 2 — the compression ripple. Earning $17.50 when the floor hits $17.10: no legal raise due, but the 40-cent gap over minimum (was $1.00) is the classic wage-compression case — January is the month to raise it with your manager.
Example 3 — tipped roles. Tip-credit states move cash-wage floors alongside — the tipped minimum math changes the same day.
Employer January Checklist
Every fall: collect state announcements (Sep-Oct for indexed states), update payroll floors effective Jan 1 (Florida moves Sep 30), fix OT bases on the new rates, re-check exempt-salary thresholds (several states index those too — a salaried exempt worker under the new threshold flips OT-eligible), and budget the compression band above the floor. Missing a Jan 1 update = automatic back pay from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the federal minimum wage change in 2027?
No movement scheduled — $7.25 since 2009; state and city floors are where the annual Jan 1 action happens.
Which states raise minimum wage January 1, 2027?
The indexed group (WA, CO, AZ, OH, MT, MN, and ~15 more) plus scheduled-step states (NY, NJ, IL...) — exact figures announce in fall 2026; CA and city floors update too.
What if my wage is below the new minimum?
Payroll must raise you to the floor on the effective date automatically — shortfalls accrue back pay from January 1.
I earn just above the new minimum — do I get anything?
Not legally — but compression (your premium over the floor shrinking) is the strongest routine raise argument; bring the percentage math in January.
Do exempt salary thresholds change too?
In several states yes — thresholds tied to the minimum wage (CA = 2× minimum, WA multipliers) move Jan 1, flipping borderline salaried staff into OT eligibility.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026