California Minimum Wage in 2026: $16.90 an hour, $17.40 in 2027

Sources

The 17 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.

1. California Department of Industrial Relations dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_minimumwage.htm“Effective January 1, 2026, the minimum wage is $16.90 per hour for all employers, not otherwise covered by a higher minimum wage specific to an industry or a locality.”
2. California Department of Industrial Relations dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2026/2026-66.html“Beginning January 1, 2027, California’s statewide minimum wage will increase to $17.40 per hour”
3. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped“Definition of Tipped Employee by Minimum Tips received (monthly unless otherwise specified) … State requires employers to pay tipped employees full state minimum wage before tips … California $16.90”
4. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state“California … Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $16.90 … Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Daily - 8 (time and half), and 12 (double time), Weekly - 40; on 7th day: First 8 hours (time and half) Over 8 hours on 7th day (double time) … The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified.”
5. City of Los Angeles Office of Wage Standards wagesla.lacity.gov/sites/g/files/wph1941/files/2026-04/MWO-Notice-2026%208x11%20-%20English%20ADA260304.pdf“7/1/2026 $18.42”
6. City of San Diego, Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement sandiego.gov/labor-and-wage/minimum-wage/earned-sick-leave“January 1, 2026 $17.75 January 1, 2027 $18.35”
7. San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement sf.gov/information--minimum-wage-ordinance“Employees performing work in San Francisco, including part-time and temporary employees, must be paid no less than the San Francisco minimum wage, currently $19.61 as of July 1, 2026.”
8. City of San José, Office of Equality Assurance sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/public-works/labor-compliance/minimum-wage-ordinance“Starting January 1, 2027, the City of Santa Jose’s minimum wage will increase from $18.45 (2026 minimum wage rate) to $19.00 per hour.”
9. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division Changes in Basic Minimum Wages in Non-Farm Employment Under State Law: Selected Years 1968 to 2024“California 1.65(b) 1.65(b) 1.65(b) 2.00 2.90 2.90 3.35 … California 3.35 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.75 5.15 … California 5.75 6.25 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.75 … California 7.50 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 … California 9.00 9.00 10.00 10.00 11.00 12.00 … California 12.00 13.00 14.00 15.50 16.00” “Federal (FLSA) $1.15 & $1.60 $1.30 & $1.60 $1.60 $2.20 & $2.30 $2.90 $3.10 $3.35 … Federal (FLSA) $3.35 $3.80 $4.25 $4.25 $4.25 $4.75 $5.15 … Federal (FLSA) $5.15 $5.15 $5.15 $5.15 $5.15 $5.15 5.15 … Federal (FLSA) 5.15 5.85 6.55 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 … Federal (FLSA) 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 … Federal (FLSA) 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25” “For the years indicated, the laws in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, Utah, and Wisconsin applied only to women and minors.”
10. Internal Revenue Service IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide“For 2026, the social security tax rate is 6.2% (amount withheld) each for the employer and employee (12.4% total).”
11. Social Security Administration ssa.gov/oact/cola/cbb.html“Tax rates under the HI program are 1.45 percent for employees and employers, each, and 2.90 percent for self-employed persons.”
12. Internal Revenue Service Topic no. 759, Form 940 – FUTA tax (IRS)“If you're entitled to the maximum 5.4% credit, the FUTA tax rate after credit is 0.6%.” “FUTA tax rate: The FUTA tax rate is 6.0%. The tax applies to the first $7,000 you paid to each employee as wages during the year.”
13. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/potential_credit_states_2026.xlsx“Potential 2026 Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) Credit Reductions … California … Credit Reduction Due to … Outstanding Advance … California … 1.5%”
14. California Employment Development Department edd.ca.gov/en/payroll_taxes/rates_and_withholding“New employers are assigned a 3.4 percent UI rate for two to three years.” “The ETT rate for 2026 is 0.1 percent. The ETT taxable wage limit is $7,000 per employee, per calendar year.”
15. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/content/sigpros/2020-2029/January2026.pdf“CA … $7,000”
16. Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services oregon.gov/dcbs/reports/cost/Pages/premium-index-rates.aspx“Premium index rate: Over $1.50 … State Index rate Percent of study median … 4 3 California 1.86 170%”
17. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (MEPS-IC) meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/summ_tables/insr/state/series_2/2025/ic25_iia_f.pdf“Table II.C.1 Average total single premium (in dollars) per enrolled employee … Division and State Total … California 9,162 7,843 9,730 9,066 8,879 9,330 9,149 9,164” “Table II.C.2 Average total employee contribution (in dollars) per enrolled employee for single coverage … Division and State Total … California 1,515 1,290 * 2,325 1,262 1,734 1,397 1,602 1,499”