West Virginia Minimum Wage in 2026: $8.75 an hour

Sources

The 11 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.

1. West Virginia Division of Labor labor.wv.gov/media/48/download?inline=“As of January 1, 2016, every employer shall pay to each of his or her covered employees a minimum hourly wage of not less than $8.75 per hour.”
2. West Virginia Division of Labor labor.wv.gov/wage-hour/jobs-act/minimum-wage“the state minimum wage of $8.75 will apply whenever there are six (6) or more non-exempt employees working at any one separate, distinct and permanent work location”
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 a minimum cash wage above the minimum cash wage required under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act ($2.13/hour) … West Virginia 10 $8.75 70% of the applicable minimum wage ($6.13) $2.62 Not specified”
4. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state“West Virginia … Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $8.75 … Applicable to employers of 6 or more employees at one location … 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.”
5. 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“West Virginia 1.00 1.00 1.20 2.00 2.20 2.20 2.75 … West Virginia 3.35 3.35 3.80 4.25 4.25 (d) 4.25 (d) 4.75 (d) … West Virginia 5.15(d) 5.15(d) 5.15(d) 5.15(d) 5.15(d) 5.15(d) 5.15(d) … West Virginia 5.85 6.55 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 … West Virginia 7.25 8.00 8.75 8.75 8.75 8.75 … West Virginia 8.75 8.75 8.75 8.75 8.75” “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” “Rates applicable to employers of six or more. In West Virginia, applicable to employers of six or more in one location.”
6. 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).”
7. 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.”
8. 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.”
9. 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. … WV … 2.70%” “WV … $9,500”
10. 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 … 49 50 West Virginia 0.54 49%”
11. 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 … West Virginia 8,878 -- 8,997 8,427 10,163 8,592 8,763 8,897” “Table II.C.2 Average total employee contribution (in dollars) per enrolled employee for single coverage … Division and State Total … West Virginia 2,012 -- -- 2,316 2,818 1,818 1,388 * 2,118”