Federal taxes only. State income taxes not included. Based on 40 hrs/week, 52 weeks, single filing status, 2026 IRS brackets.
The 2026 State Minimum Wage Landscape
Minimum wage in the United States is set at three levels: federal, state, and local. The federal floor is $7.25 per hour. Each state can set its own higher rate, and cities and counties can go higher still. Workers are always entitled to the highest rate that applies to them.
For 2026, rates range from the $7.25 federal floor in twenty states up to $17.13 in Washington. The District of Columbia is highest overall at $18.40. States like California ($16.90), Connecticut ($16.94), New York ($16.00, or $17.00 in New York City and nearby counties), and Hawaii ($16.00) cluster near the top.
A growing number of states index their minimum wage to inflation, meaning it rises automatically each year without new legislation. Others, including Texas, Georgia, and Tennessee, defer entirely to the federal rate and have no separate state minimum.
This site calculates take-home pay after federal income tax and FICA for every state's 2026 rate. All wage figures are verified against the U.S. Department of Labor state minimum wage table, updated July 1, 2026.
How to Read This Table Like an Employer Would
The rate listed for each state is the general adult minimum for non-tipped employees. Three overlays can change what you are legally owed. First, city and county minimums: a growing list of local governments set rates above their state's floor, and the highest applicable rate always wins. Second, tipped wages: states range from full tip credits that allow a cash wage far below the minimum to complete bans on tip credits. Third, size and industry carve-outs: several states set different rates for small employers, seasonal work, or youth workers. Your state page lists the overlays that apply where you live.
When two rates could apply - federal versus state, or state versus city - the rule is simple and worker-friendly: the employee is entitled to the highest rate in force at the place where the work is performed. An employer cannot choose the lower one. That is also why remote and multi-state workers should check the minimum where they physically work, not where the company is headquartered.
Verification and Update Cadence
Every rate in this table is checked against the state labor department or the U.S. Department of Labor's consolidated state minimum wage table, and the take-home figures are regenerated from a single verified script using the 2026 IRS standard deduction and current FICA rates so that every row balances arithmetically. Most states adjust on January 1; a few adjust mid-year. When a state announces a change, the affected page and this table are updated together. If a figure here disagrees with your state labor department's site, trust the state and report the discrepancy to us so we can correct it.
“The employee is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages.” - U.S. Department of Labor