Minimum Wage to Rise in 23 States in 2025

A record 88 jurisdictions—23 states and 65 cities and counties—will raise their minimum wage floors by the end of 2025, according to the National Employment Law Project (NELP).

In 70 of these jurisdictions (nine states and 61 cities and counties) wages will reach or exceed US$15 an hour for some or all employees; in 53 jurisdictions (two states and 51 cities and counties) the wage floor will reach or exceed $17 an hour. 

On Jan. 1, 21 states and 48 cities and counties will raise their minimum wages. Additionally, five states and 23 cities and counties will increase their minimum wages later in the new year.

A growing number of states and localities are increasing their minimum wages to $15 an hour or above, USA Today reported. New York, California, Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, New Jersey, and Connecticut are already there. On Jan. 1, Illinois, Delaware, and Rhode Island will increase their state minimums to $15. Oregon also will increase to $15 in July because of a cost-of-living rise.

Other states are raising their minimums but are shy of $15. Missouri’s minimum will grow to $13.75 and Nebraska’s minimum to $13.50. Nebraska’s minimum wage will increase to $15 on Jan. 1, 2026. Additionally, Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, and Missouri will reach a $15 minimum by 2026 or 2027. In total, 16 states—Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Oregon and Washington—are on a path to a $15 (or higher) minimum wage, NELP reported.

Additionally, California and New Jersey will raise their minimum wages for some healthcare workers, including janitorial work in California, to $18 and above.

Regarding local governments, 47 localities will also hit or top $15 on Jan. 1, including more than four dozen in California, most of which will climb higher than $18. Burien, Washington—already subject to the state’s $16.28 minimum pay—will jump to $21.16 for employers with 500 or more workers in King County, making it the nation’s highest minimum wage.

On the other hand, the federal minimum wage has been stagnant at $7.25 an hour since 2009. Nearly 30 states housing about 60% of the U.S. workforce have higher minimum wages than the federal limit.