PaycheckHoursUS hourly pay facts for 2026
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and has not changed since July 24, 2009. In 20 states the federal rate is still the floor. Only 4 states count overtime by the day. Every figure below links to its official source with the date we checked it.
Last checked: 2026-10-20
Key facts
- The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, unchanged since July 24, 2009. Source (Checked 2026-10-20)
- 20 states have no minimum wage law or a state rate of $7.25 or less, so the federal $7.25 is the floor for jobs covered by the FLSA. 30 states and the District of Columbia set a higher rate. Source (Checked 2026-10-20)
- Only 4 states count overtime by the day in their general rule: California, Alaska, Nevada, and Colorado. Everywhere else, federal overtime starts after 40 hours in a workweek, and weeks may not be averaged. Source (Checked 2026-10-18)
- The IRS raised the business mileage rate in the middle of the year: 72.5¢ a mile until June 30, 2026, then 76¢ from July 1, 2026. Source (Checked 2026-10-20)
- Social Security tax (6.2%) stops at $184,500 of 2026 wages. Medicare (1.45%) has no cap. Source (Checked 2026-10-20)
Minimum wage by state
Basic hourly rate as shown in the US Department of Labor state table, updated July 1, 2026. DOL state minimum wage table (Checked 2026-10-20)
| State | Basic minimum rate per hour | Compared with the federal $7.25 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No state minimum wage law | No state law: federal rate applies to FLSA-covered jobs |
| Alaska | $14.00 | Higher than federal |
| Arizona | $15.15 | Higher than federal |
| Arkansas | $11.00 | Higher than federal |
| California | $16.90 | Higher than federal |
| Colorado | $15.16 | Higher than federal |
| Connecticut | $16.94 | Higher than federal |
| Delaware | $15.00 | Higher than federal |
| District of Columbia | $18.40 | Higher than federal |
| Florida | $15.00 * | Higher than federal |
| Georgia | $5.15 | State rate is lower: federal rate applies to FLSA-covered jobs |
| Hawaii | $16.00 | Higher than federal |
| Idaho | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Illinois | $15.00 | Higher than federal |
| Indiana | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Iowa | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Kansas | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Kentucky | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Louisiana | No state minimum wage law | No state law: federal rate applies to FLSA-covered jobs |
| Maine | $15.10 | Higher than federal |
| Maryland | $15.00 | Higher than federal |
| Massachusetts | $15.00 | Higher than federal |
| Michigan | $13.73 | Higher than federal |
| Minnesota | $11.41 | Higher than federal |
| Mississippi | No state minimum wage law | No state law: federal rate applies to FLSA-covered jobs |
| Missouri | $15.00 | Higher than federal |
| Montana | $10.85 / $4.00 | Higher than federal |
| Nebraska | $15.00 | Higher than federal |
| Nevada | $12.00 | Higher than federal |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| New Jersey | $15.92 | Higher than federal |
| New Mexico | $12.00 | Higher than federal |
| New York | $17.00 / $16.00 | Higher than federal |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| North Dakota | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Ohio | $11.00 / $7.25 | Higher than federal |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 / $2.00 | Same as federal |
| Oregon | $16.80 / $15.55 / $14.55 | Higher than federal |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Rhode Island | $16.00 | Higher than federal |
| South Carolina | No state minimum wage law | No state law: federal rate applies to FLSA-covered jobs |
| South Dakota | $11.85 | Higher than federal |
| Tennessee | No state minimum wage law | No state law: federal rate applies to FLSA-covered jobs |
| Texas | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Utah | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Vermont | $14.42 | Higher than federal |
| Virginia | $12.77 | Higher than federal |
| Washington | $17.13 | Higher than federal |
| West Virginia | $8.75 | Higher than federal |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | Same as federal |
| Wyoming | $5.15 | State rate is lower: federal rate applies to FLSA-covered jobs |
* Florida: $15.00 from September 30, 2026 under Florida Constitution, Article X, Section 24(c). The DOL table still shows the earlier rate. Source (Checked 2026-10-20)
Where two or more rates are shown, they depend on employer size, sales or area (for example New York City and nearby counties, or the Portland metro area); the highest is used for the comparison. City and county minimum wages, and rates that changed after July 1, 2026, are not in the DOL table. Your state labor department has the official rate.
For scale: 2,080 hours a year (40 hours a week, 52 weeks) at the federal $7.25 is $15,080 before tax. At the highest rate in the table (District of Columbia, $18.40), it is $38,272.
Where a long day counts as overtime
California, Alaska, Nevada, and Colorado pay overtime for long days, not only long weeks. Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands also have a daily rule in the DOL table. In every other state, a 12-hour shift is paid at the regular rate unless the week goes over 40 hours.
Daily and weekly overtime rules for each of these states, with sources
Other 2026 pay figures
| Rule | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| IRS business mileage rate | 72.5¢ a mile, January 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026; 76¢ a mile from July 1, 2026 | Source (Checked 2026-10-20) |
| Social Security, employee share | 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 | Source (Checked 2026-10-20) |
| Medicare, employee share | 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000 in the year | Source (Checked 2026-10-20) |
| Full-time employee (ACA) | At least 30 hours a week on average, or 130 hours a month | Source (Checked 2026-10-19) |
| Federal holidays (OPM) | 11 observed in 2026 | Source (Checked 2026-10-19) |
Calculators that apply these rules
- Time Card Calculator
- Overtime Pay Calculator
- Paycheck Hours Checker
- Mileage Reimbursement Calculator
- Pay Period Calendar
Cite this calculator
PaycheckHours, “US hourly pay facts for 2026”, https://paycheckhours.com/pay-facts-2026/, accessed –.
This page summarises official sources for general information. It is not legal or tax advice.