Minimum wage in the District of Columbia, 2000–2026
- Minimum wage in 2026
$18.40 an hour1
In force since Jul 1, 2026.
- On January 1, 2027
$18.40 an hour2
The rate in force since Jul 1, 2026; no later rate was announced by Oct 26, 2026.
- Tipped employees
$10.30 an hour in cash3
Employers may count up to $8.10 an hour of tips toward the minimum wage.
- Overtime
Premium pay after 40 hours a week4
The District of Columbia minimum wage rose from $6.15 in 2000 to $18.40 in 2026
Line chart of the District of Columbia minimum wage against the federal minimum: $6.15 in 2000, $8.25 in 2010, $15 in 2020, and $18.40 in 2026. The federal minimum was $5.15 in 2000 and $7.25 in 2026.
What a full-time minimum-wage employee costs in the District of Columbia
At $18.40 an hour for 40 hours a week, a new employer with 10 staff pays $38,272 in wages and $3,779 on top (9.9%) in payroll taxes and workers' comp.
- Wages (2,080 paid hours a year)
- $38,272
- Social Security (employer share)6.2%6 of $38,272
- $2,373
- Medicare (employer share)1.45%7 of $38,272
- $555
- Universal Paid Leave tax (employer-paid)0.75%10 (fully employer-funded, no employee deductions)11 of $38,272
- $287
- Workers' compensation (benchmark index rate)$0.73 per $100 of payroll12
- $279
- Total a year
- $42,051
If you also offer single health coverage, the average employer here pays about $7,899 more a year: a $9,762 average premium13 less $1,863 paid by the employee13.
Change the inputs in the District of Columbia employer cost calculator
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in the District of Columbia in 2026?
$18.40 an hour since Jul 1, 2026: $38,272 a year at full time.
What will the minimum wage be in the District of Columbia in 2027?
On January 1, 2027: $18.40 an hour, the rate in force since Jul 1, 2026; the rate from Jul 1, 2027 was not announced by Oct 26, 2026.
What is the minimum wage for tipped employees in the District of Columbia?
$10.30 an hour in cash, with up to $8.10 of tips counted toward the District of Columbia's $18.40.
How much does a minimum-wage employee cost an employer in the District of Columbia?
About $42,051 a year full time at $18.40: $38,272 of pay plus $3,779 on top, $3,500 in payroll taxes and $279 in workers' comp, before any health coverage.
How has the District of Columbia minimum wage changed since 2000?
The District of Columbia minimum wage rose from $6.15 in 2000 to $18.40 in 2026. On the way: $8.25 in 2010 and $15 in 2020, per the U.S. DOL.
More minimum wage and employer cost pages
Employer costs in the District of Columbia
States with a similar minimum wage
Data and rules for every state
Sources
The 13 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.
Quotes from the sources
- DC Department of Employment Services does.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/does/publication/attachments/2026%20Minimum%20Wage%20Increase%20Notice.pdf“Beginning July 1, 2026, the minimum wage in the District of Columbia will increase from $17.95 per hour to $18.40 per hour for all workers, regardless of size of employer.”
- DC Department of Employment Services does.dc.gov/service/office-wage-hour-compliance“Beginning July 1, 2026, the minimum wage in the District of Columbia will increase from $17.95 per hour to $18.40 per hour for all workers, regardless of the size of the employer.”
- 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 a minimum cash wage above the minimum cash wage required under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act ($2.13/hour) … District of Columbia3 $18.40 $8.10 $10.30 Not specified”
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state“District of Columbia … Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $18.40 … Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Weekly - 40 … The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified.”
- 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“District of Columbia 1.25 - 1.40 1.60 - 2.00 1.60 - 2.25 2.25 - 2.75 2.46 - 3.00 2.50 - 3.50 2.50 - 3.75 … District of Columbia 3.50 - 4.85 3.70 - 4.85 3.90 - 5.45 4.25 5.25 (h) 5.75 6.15 … District of Columbia 6.15 6.15 6.15 6.15 6.15 6.60 7.00 … District of Columbia 7.00 7.00 7.55 8.25 8.25 8.25 8.25 … District of Columbia 9.50 10.50 11.50 11.50 13.25 14.00 … District of Columbia 15.00 15.20 $16.10 17.00 $17.50” “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” “In the District of Columbia, wage orders were replaced by a statutory minimum wage on October 1, 1993. A $5.45 minimum rate remained in effect for the laundry and dry cleaning industry as the result of the grandfather clause.”
- 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).”
- 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.”
- 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.”
- U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/content/sigpros/2020-2029/January2026.pdf“New employer rate shown is the base rate. … DC … 2.70%” “DC … $9,000”
- DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Paid Family Leave dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov/employer-information“PFL Tax Rate Table (Calendar Year 2026) … Quarter 1 0.75%, 0.0075 1/1/2026-3/31/2026 4/30/2026 Quarter 2 0.75%, 0.0075 4/1/2026-6/30/2026 7/31/2026 Quarter 3 0.75%, 0.0075 7/1/2026-9/30/2026 10/31/2026 Quarter 4 0.75%, 0.0075 10/1/2026-12/31/2026 1/31/2027”
- DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Paid Family Leave dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov/program-updates“Employer obligations are not changing. PFL remains fully employer-funded, with no payroll deductions required from employees.”
- Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services oregon.gov/dcbs/reports/cost/Pages/premium-index-rates.aspx“Premium index rate: Less than $0.75 … State Index rate Percent of study median … 43 40 District of Columbia 0.73 67%”
- 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 … District of Columbia 9,762 8,797 10,271 9,398 10,502 9,485 9,252 9,895” “Table II.C.2 Average total employee contribution (in dollars) per enrolled employee for single coverage … Division and State Total … District of Columbia 1,863 -- 1,906 1,357 1,818 2,001 1,777 1,885”