What is the federal minimum wage?

The federal minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25 per hour, a rate set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and unchanged since 2009, though many states and cities have higher local minimums, requiring employers to pay the higher rate. There are exceptions, such as lower rates for tipped workers and youth, but generally, workers must earn at least $7.25 unless a higher state or local wage applies.

What state has a minimum wage of $15?

As of early 2026, at least 18 states and Washington, D.C. have minimum wages at or above $15/hour, including California, New York, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington, with more states like Florida reaching this threshold later in the year. These rates are often higher in major cities, and many states are seeing annual increases to keep pace with inflation, moving beyond the federal $7.25 minimum wage. 

What is the federal minimum wage in all 50 states?

Currently, 34 states, territories and districts have minimum wages above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Five states have not adopted a state minimum wage: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. Three states, Georgia, Oklahoma and Wyoming, have a minimum wage below $7.25 per hour.

Is the federal minimum wage still $7.25 an hour?

The federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 an hour, where it has stood since 2009. Minimum wage levels vary widely depending on where workers live, with state and local laws often setting significantly higher standards.

Is $20 the new minimum wage?

On April 1, 2024, California implemented a $20 hourly wage floor for workers in large chains in fast-food restaurants and snack and non-alcoholic beverage bars. The new standard, which corresponds to 69 percent of the state's median full-time wage, surpasses all prior benchmarks in minimum wage policies and research.

What Is The US Federal Minimum Wage? - Learn About Economics

Which state is the lowest paid?

The "lowest paying state" depends on the metric, but Mississippi often appears as the lowest for overall wages/income, while Georgia, Wyoming, and Oklahoma have the lowest listed minimum wages (though the $7.25 federal minimum usually applies), and Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee have no state minimum wage above federal, meaning they rely on the $7.25 federal rate.
 

Where in the US is the minimum wage $20?

Certain areas of California and Washington offer a minimum wage of over $20 an hour. Minimum wages increased on July 1, 2025 across several U.S. states and cities. These increases vary by location and industry, with higher wages often limited to specific sectors like hospitality or healthcare.

Which US state pays the highest minimum wage?

As of early 2026, Washington State has the highest statewide minimum wage at $17.13 per hour, though Washington, D.C. (not a state) leads overall at $17.95. Other high-wage states include New York (with $17.00 in NYC/suburbs) and Connecticut ($16.94), with many states adjusting wages on January 1, 2026, often due to inflation. 

Are they raising the minimum wage in 2026?

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, minimum wage workers in 19 states will see a pay increase. The raises affect more than 8.3 million workers, including those directly earning minimum wage and others who see a ripple effect increase further up the pay scale, according to Axios.

Who gets the 3.75 wage increase?

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has announced a 3.75 per cent increase to both the minimum and award wages, effective from July 1. This decision will raise the national minimum wage to $24.10 per hour, or $915.91 per week, based on a full-time, 38-hour working week.

What is a livable wage in 2025?

Here's how much you need to earn per hour to earn a living wage in California in 2025, according to the MIT living wage calculator: Single adult with no children: $28.72. Single adult with one child: $50.83. Single adult with two children: $64.17.

What states have the highest hourly wage?

Out of all 50 states, here are the places with the highest average hourly pay:

• Washington: $42.26.
• Massachusetts: $42.00.
• California: $41.22.
• Colorado: $39.19.
• Minnesota: $39.17.
• New York: $39.14.
• Connecticut: $38.98.
• New Jersey: $37.87.

Is minimum wage enough to live on?

No, the federal minimum wage ($7.25/hour) is not enough to live on in the U.S. in 2025, as it falls below the poverty line and workers often need to work over 80 hours weekly just to afford housing, with even higher state minimums often insufficient in high-cost areas like California due to expensive living costs, making a true living wage closer to $20-$26+ depending on location and family needs. 

What is the Texas minimum wage?

Texas follows the federal minimum wage, so its minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the same rate it's been since 2009, as the state hasn't passed its own higher minimum wage law. This means that for most covered employees, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 is the effective rate in Texas.
 

Does Chick-fil-A pay $20 an hour?

Yes, many Chick-fil-A locations, especially in high-cost areas like California, pay around $20 an hour or more for team members, often starting at that rate due to local minimum wage laws and company standards, with some roles even exceeding that. While national averages vary, local data shows front-of-house and kitchen roles frequently hitting or surpassing the $20 mark, with shift leaders earning even more, though actual pay depends on location, experience, and specific store. 

What's the minimum wage at McDonald's?

Comparatively, legislation in California, that went into effect on April 1, bumped up the minimum wage for certain fast food restaurants from $16 to $20, which equates to an annual salary of $41,600.

What is the 2026 minimum wage?

The National Daily Minimum Wage will also rise by 9%, moving from GH₵19.97 to GH₵21.77, effective January 1, 2026.

Is $40,000 a year considered poverty?

Whether $40,000 a year is considered poverty depends heavily on your household size and location, but generally, it's well above the official poverty line for individuals and small families but can feel like poverty in high-cost areas or for larger families, as it's often considered lower-middle class, not poverty. For a single person in the contiguous U.S. in 2025, the poverty guideline is about $15,650; for a family of four, it's around $32,150, meaning $40k is above poverty, but proximity to the poverty line for larger families or high-cost states (AK/HI) makes it much tighter, with some federal programs using 130-200% of FPL to define "low income". 

Which is the poorest state in the USA?

Mississippi is consistently ranked as the poorest state in the U.S., often leading with the lowest median household income and highest poverty rates, followed closely by states like Louisiana, West Virginia, and Arkansas, which also struggle with high poverty levels, low wages, and limited economic opportunities, according to data from sources like World Population Review and Stacker. 

What is a good salary by age?

A "good" salary generally increases with age and experience, peaking in the 45-54 age bracket (around $70k-$72k median), but what's good depends heavily on location and career; for example, a 25-34 year old might aim for $59k+, while a 35-44 year old could target $70k+, with significant jumps as you gain experience, though personal finances, skills, and cost of living matter more than age alone, say Fidelity, SmartAsset.com, and SoFi.
 

What is the lowest paid position at Walmart?

Hourly pay at Walmart.com ranges from an average of $12.62 to $22.96 an hour. Walmart.com employees with the job title Maintenance Technician make the most with an average hourly rate of $23.78, while employees with the title Cashier make the least with an average hourly rate of $13.65.

Is Walmart going to $18 an hour?

Starting in early March, store employees will make between $14 and $19 an hour. They currently earn between $12 and $18 an hour, according to Walmart spokeswoman Anne Hatfield.

What is the employee discount at Walmart?

Walmart offers its employees a 10% discount on most regularly priced items, including a recently expanded year-round grocery discount (dairy, meat, frozen, dry goods), fresh produce, and general merchandise like clothing, with the discount covering about 95% of items in-store and online after 90 days of employment.