Nearly 4.5 million U.S. workers got a salary bump on Jan. 1, 2018, when new minimum wage laws went into effect in 18 states and 19 cities. Many Americans hailed the higher wages as a step in the right direction; after all, the United States has the听lowest relative minimum wage of any advanced democracy, according to the听. Yet the minimum wage debate is far from over, and since the beginning of the new year, experts have been arguing especially fervently on both sides of the issue.
Currently, the federal minimum wage is $7.25, a number that's been at a standstill since it was set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in 2009. Some exceptions apply to that rule: workers must be paid 1.5 times the standard wage if they work more than 40 hours a week, tipped employees can be paid just $2.13听per hour听so long as they make at least the federal minimum wage after tips and a few groups 鈥� high school students in vocational school, full time students, workers younger than 20 and disabled people 鈥� can be paid less than the minimum wage under specific conditions.
Twenty-nine听states and Washington,听D.C.,听have chosen to set their own, higher rates. Cities too can set their own minimum wages, and some companies, among the biggest of which are Walmart and Target, have decided to pay听higher-than-required听minimum wages.
Studies on the subject of minimum wage have reported conflicting results, as shown by听听roundup听of studies regarding city- and state-level minimum wage hikes.听听reported that even if minimum wage workers made $11 an hour, many families would still find it difficult to make ends meet.听But others argue that raising the minimum wage means听, as employers decide may decide they simply can't afford to give workers the same number of hours while simultaneously paying them more.听We looked at laws in all 50 states and听Washington, D.C.,听to compare the paychecks for minimum wage workers across America.
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State minimum wage: none
As one of six听states with no state minimum wage law on the books, Tennessee pays its minimum wage workers the $7.25 an hour federal rate. Tennessee also boasts the听听of minimum wage workers in the country: about 7.4 percent of Tennessee鈥檚 hourly workers make $7.25 an hour听or less, compared to 4.3 percent of the national workforce.
State minimum wage: none
Mississippi also has no state minimum wage law, so workers are subject to the $7.25 an hour federal standard. At that pay rate, full-time workers can expect to take home $15,080 a year.
State minimum wage: none
With no state minimum wage, Alabama is subject to the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25听an hour. In addition, cities and towns in Alabama听听to set their own higher minimum wages, thanks to a 2016 state bill created to bar Birmingham from raising its minimum wage to $10.10.
State minimum wage: none
A bill to raise the South Carolina minimum wage to $15 an hour by听2020听听in a state Senate subcommittee in 2016. As a result, the minimum wage in the state sits at $7.25.
State minimum wage: none
Louisiana has also stuck with the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25 an hour. A state Senate bill to raise the wage to $8 an hour in 2018 and $8.50 an hour in 2019听听last year.
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State minimum wage: none
New Hampshire has the distinction of being the only New England state with a minimum wage rate of less than $10 an hour (defaulting to the Federal $7.25/hour, but officially "none"). State lawmakers have made multiple attempts to raise the minimum wage rate in the last few years; the听听in March 2017.
State minimum wage: $5.15
Wyoming shares with Georgia the dubious distinction of having the lowest state minimum wage at $5.15 an hour, although by law, minimum wage workers in Wyoming听usually听take home the comparatively higher federal rate of $7.25 an hour. State representatives tried last January to raise the state rate to meet the federal rate, but ultimately听.
State minimum wage: $5.15
Along with Wyoming, Georgia has the lowest state minimum wage at $5.15 an hour, which means that the higher federal rate of $7.25 applies to most minimum wage workers in the state. Last year,听听that the minimum wage for workers in his city would go up to $13 an hour in July 2018, then $15 an hour a year later.
State minimum wage: $7.25
North Carolina has stuck with the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25 an hour for the last 9 years.听听in North Carolina make the federal minimum wage, not including tipped workers.
State minimum wage: $7.25
Kansas' state minimum wage is now set by the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25, but that wasn't the case in years past. Until 2010,听, the lowest in the nation at the time.
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State minimum wage: $7.25
Idaho pays its minimum wage workers the federal rate of $7.25 an hour.听听to raise the state minimum wage rate in recent years have not proven successful.
State minimum wage: $7.25
Kentucky鈥檚 minimum wage has stood at the federal rate of $7.25 since 2009. The city of Louisville raised its own minimum wage to $8.25 in July 2016 and planned to raise it to $9 by July 2017, but its higher rates were听听by the Kentucky Supreme Court early last year.
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State minimum wage: $7.25
North Dakota adheres to the $7.25 an hour federal minimum wage rate. A legislative effort to raise the rate to $9.25 last year听听in a state House committee.
State minimum wage: $7.25
A handful of Iowa counties either听听or passed legislation to raise them in recent years, with new hourly rates ranging from $8.20 to $10.10 an hour. However, those new rates were brought back in line with the $7.25 federal rate when Iowa鈥檚 governor last year signed a law听听from raising the minimum wage.
State minimum wage: $7.25
Wisconsin's state minimum wage currently matches the federal rate, though that may change in 2018. Late last year, two state legislators听听to raise the state minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next five years.
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State minimum wage: $7.25
Indiana鈥檚 state minimum wage is set at the federal rate of $7.25. Some state lawmakers听听to $15 an hour, though they said their efforts are a long shot.
State minimum wage: $7.25
Some Virginia lawmakers are听听the state鈥檚 minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022. At the moment, Virginia鈥檚 state minimum wage rate is set at the federal rate.
State minimum wage: $7.25
Texas also sets its state minimum wage by the federal rate. While there are no concrete plans to raise that rate, Texas鈥� largest private employer, Walmart,听听to raise its starting hourly pay rate to $11 an hour beginning in February 2018.
State minimum wage: $7.25
At $7.25 an hour, Utah鈥檚 minimum wage is the same as the federal rate. A听听introduced in the state鈥檚听House this month听seeks to raise the state minimum wage to $12 by 2022. Similar bills, however, have failed as recently as last year.
State minimum wage: $7.25
Oklahoma's minimum wage is also tied to the federal rate of $7.25鈥攆or now. One Oklahoma state representative has filed legislation for the 2018 session to听听to $11 an hour.
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State minimum wage: $7.25
Pennsylvania鈥檚 current state minimum wage matches the federal rate of $7.25. However,听听by raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024 is expected to be considered by state lawmakers this year.
State minimum wage: $7.50
New Mexico鈥檚 minimum wage workers make $7.50 an hour 鈥� a quarter higher than the federal rate. Last year, the state鈥檚 governor听听to raise the state minimum wage to $9 an hour or more. However, a handful of urban areas in New Mexico (Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Albuquerque)听already听.
State minimum wage: $7.85
Missouri鈥檚 minimum wage surpassed the federal rate in 2008, when the state raised the hourly pay from $6.65 to $7.85.听Last August, Kansas City voters听听to $10 an hour, but were derailed by a state law that overrides city laws.
State minimum wage: $8.25
Illinois pays its minimum wage workers $8.25 an hour, a full dollar above the federal rate. Those who work in Chicago听. The minimum wage in the Windy City is currently $11 per hour; in 2019, that rate will rise to $13 per hour.
State minimum wage: $8.25/$7.25
Minimum wage workers in Nevada make $8.25 an hour, although employers who offer their workers health plans can opt to pay workers the federal rate of $7.25. Nevada's minimum wage rate is tied to the cost of living, and is thus听听on an annual basis.
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State minimum wage: $8.25
Delaware鈥檚 minimum wage听听of $8.25 per hour in 2015. Efforts to further increase the rate have听听so far.
State minimum wage: $8.25
Florida鈥檚 minimum wage听听with the new year to reach $8.25 an hour. However, Democratic gubernatorial candidates have championed听.
State minimum wage: $8.30/$4.00
Despite听听of the state鈥檚 workers earning minimum wage, Montana was one of the 18 states that celebrated new, higher minimum wage rates on Jan. 1. At $8.30 an hour, the new minimum wage is a 15-cent increase over previous years.
State minimum wage: $8.30
About 146,000 Ohio听minimum wage workers saw their hourly wages听听and hit $8.30 on January 1. Tipped employees also got a pay boost, with their hourly rates听听from听$4.08 to $4.15.
State minimum wage: $8.50
Arkansas听听by a dollar in January 2017 to its current rate of $8.50. Soon after, some lawmakers tried to pass a bill to prevent cities and counties from setting their own higher minimum wage rates, but the听.
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State minimum wage: $8.60
New Jersey ties its state minimum wage to the consumer price index, adjusting the rate annually to account for inflation. The state minimum wage, which affects about 300,000 workers,听听16 cents on Jan. 1, reaching $8.60 an hour.
State minimum wage: $8.75
West Virginia听听by 75 cents to $8.75 an hour back in January 2016, boosting the annual pay of a full-time minimum wage worker to听$18,200. The increase was part of a two-year plan, starting with听听from $7.25 to $8 per hour in January 2015.
State minimum wage: $8.85
South Dakota鈥檚 minimum wage, adjusted annually to reflect changes in the cost of living,听听by 20 cents at the beginning of this year to hit $8.85 an hour. But because unemployment rates in the state are low, most employers are expected to pay above that rate.
State minimum wage: $9.00
Since January 2016, Nebraska鈥檚 minimum wage has been $9 an hour. That鈥檚 thanks to a successful 2014 ballot initiative that first听听from $7.25 to $8 in 2015, then increased it by another dollar the following year.
State minimum wage: $9.25
Maryland's听听has been $9.25 an hour since July 2017, but come July 2018, that rate will go up 听to $10.10 an hour. Workers in Prince George's County make an听听of $11.50.
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State minimum wage: $9.25
Michigan minimum wage workers saw their wages reach听听with the start of 2018. That鈥檚 up 35 cents from the previous rate of $8.90 per hour. Efforts to raise the state minimum wage听听are听underway, however, with one group calling for $12 an hour by 2022.
State minimum wage: $9.65/$7.87
Minnesota is another state that adjusts its minimum wage rates annually for inflation. At the beginning of 2018, the state鈥檚 rate听听15 cents from $9.50 to $9.65 an hour. However, businesses with an annual gross revenue of less than $500,000 saw their minimum wage rates go up a more modest amount, from $7.75 to $7.87.
State minimum wage: $9.84
2018 brought a听听to the paychecks of minimum wage workers in Alaska, whose hourly rates were boosted by 4 cents on Jan. 1. The small raise 鈥� which brings the rate to $9.84 an hour 鈥� was the state鈥檚 annual adjustment to the wage rate听to account for inflation.
State minimum wage: $10.00
Maine鈥檚 minimum wage听听to $10 an hour on Jan. 1, giving a raise to about听59,000 Mainers. The higher rate is part of a minimum wage law enacted in 2016 that will听听a dollar per year until it hits $12 in 2020. 听
State minimum wage: $10.10
Hawaii is yet another state that听听on New Year's Day. Minimum wage workers there saw their hourly wages go up by 85 cents to hit $10.10. The jump is the final boost from a 2014 law that set annual minimum wage rate increases. New bills to continue hiking up the rate have already been introduced in the state legislature.
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State minimum wage: $10.10
Rhode Island听听its minimum wage rate by 50 cents on Jan. 1, raising it from $9.60 to $10.10. The raise is part of a two-year plan that will end in January 2019, when the rate will be听听to reach听$10.50.
State minimum wage: $10.10
Connecticut raised its minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in Jan. 2017 as the final step in its three-year plan to increase its minimum wage. The state was听听to pass a $10.10 minimum wage law; some workers in Connecticut have been calling for a听.
State minimum wage: $10.20
Colorado鈥檚 minimum wage was听听to $10.20 an hour on Jan. 1, up from $9.30. The raise came as part听of Colorado鈥檚 plan to increase the minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020. That plan isn鈥檛 without controversy;听听鈥� especially restaurateurs 鈥� argue that the wage hike is causing layoffs.
State minimum wage: $10.25
Oregon actually has听. $10.25 an hour is considered the standard rate, but the rate goes up to $11.25 an hour in the Portland metro area and down to $10 an hour in nonurban counties. The state鈥檚 standard minimum wage rate will go up to $13.50 by July 2022, thanks to a 2016 bill that established a series of annual increases.
State minimum wage: $10.40
Unlike many states that raised their minimum wage rates with the new year, the state of New York decided to听听on Dec. 31, bringing the figure up to $10.40 an hour. The rates are higher in some key areas: Long Island and Westchester boast a $11 an hour rate, while New York City guarantees a $12 an hour rate for jobs with businesses with 10 or fewer employees and $13 an hour for workers bigger businesses. Rates are scheduled to go up annually until all areas reach a $15 an hour rate.
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State minimum wage: $10.50
Vermont鈥檚 minimum wage听听50 cents with the new year to reach $10.50 an hour. Starting in 2019, the state鈥檚 minimum wage is set to increase by either 5 percent or听the percentage increase of the consumer price index.
State minimum wage: $10.50
Just like Vermont, Arizona听听from $10 to $10.50 on Jan. 1. The state won鈥檛 stop there, though; the state minimum wage is set to hit $12 by 2020.
State minimum wage: $11.00
On Jan. 1, California raised its minimum wage by fifty cents to $11 an hour for businesses with 26 or more employees and $10.50 an hour for smaller businesses. That increase is part of California鈥檚 plan to raise its minimum wage to听$15 per hour by 2023. At least听听already have minimum wage rates higher than $11 an hour, with Emeryville boasting the highest rate of $15.20 an hour.
State minimum wage: $11.00
Since 2017, Massachusetts鈥� minimum wage听听$11 an hour. An effort to bump that rate up to $15 an hour has support in the state legislature but is听.
State minimum wage: $11.50
Washington workers saw their minimum wage rates听听by fifty cents to reach $11.50 on Jan. 1. On the same day, Seattle's minimum wage went up to $15 per hour for employers that offer medical benefits; those that don't now pay $15.45. The rate is lower for smaller Seattle companies: $11.50 an hour with medical benefits, or $14 an hour without.
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District minimum wage: $12.50
In July 2017,听Washington, D.C.,听听by two dollars, from $10.50 to $12.50, making it higher than that of any state. That increase was the first in a听听that will raise the district鈥檚 minimum wage to $15 by 2020, after which the rate will be tied to inflation.
