California minimum wage: $16.90 an hour
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Pay at this minimum wage, before taxes
Tipped employees get this cash wage from the employer. Tips must bring their total up to the minimum wage, or the employer pays the difference.
All states and DC
Rates in dollars per hour, as listed by the Department of Labor on July 1, 2026. Where the state and federal rates differ, the table shows the higher one. Yearly pay is the minimum wage times your hours and weeks, before taxes.
Cities and counties are not listed
Many cities and counties set a minimum wage above their state’s, and some industries have their own. This table lists state minimums only, so check your local rate with your city, county, or state labor department.Which minimum wage applies
- The rule
- If the federal and state minimums differ, the employee is entitled to the higher one.
- Federal
- $7.25 an hour for workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Employers can pay tipped employees a cash wage of $2.13 if tips bring them up to $7.25.
- Formula
yearly pay = hourly wage × hours per week × paid weeks per year
Verified on October 8, 2026. Sources: state minimum wage laws,tipped employees, andthe federal minimum wage, all from the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Scheduled changes come from the state’s own page.
How to use it
- Choose your state, or the federal minimum wage, from the list.
- Enter your hours per week and paid weeks per year (40 and 52 by default).
- Read the hourly minimum wage and what it pays per week, every two weeks, month, and year.
- Search or sort the table of all states and DC by name, minimum wage, tipped cash wage, or yearly pay.
- Copy the result, copy a link with your numbers, or download the table as a CSV file.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in California?
As of October 8, 2026, the minimum wage in California is $16.90 an hour. California’s minimum wage is $16.90 for most employers. The state adjusts this rate every year by a set formula.
How much is the California minimum wage per year?
At $16.90 an hour, 40 hours a week, and 52 weeks, it is $35,152 a year before taxes, or $2,929.33 a month.
What is the tipped minimum wage in California?
The Department of Labor table lists a tipped cash wage of $16.90 an hour in California, the same as the minimum wage.
California minimum wage
California’s minimum wage is $16.90 for most employers. The state adjusts this rate every year by a set formula. At $16.90 an hour, a full-time worker on 40 hours a week for 52 weeks earns $35,152 a year before taxes: $2,929.33 a month, $1,352 every two weeks, and $676 a week.
Pay at the California minimum wage by hours per week
| Hours | Weekly | Biweekly | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | $253.50 | $507 | $1,098.50 | $13,182 |
| 20 | $338 | $676 | $1,464.67 | $17,576 |
| 30 | $507 | $1,014 | $2,197 | $26,364 |
| 35 | $591.50 | $1,183 | $2,563.17 | $30,758 |
| 40 | $676 | $1,352 | $2,929.33 | $35,152 |
These figures assume 52 paid weeks and no overtime, before taxes. Try your own schedule in the minimum wage by state tool, or turn an hourly rate into a salary with the hourly to salary calculator.
California compared with the federal minimum wage
The California rate of $16.90 is 2.33 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25. That is $9.65 more an hour, or $20,072 more a year at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks.
How California compares with other states
Ranked by its main rate of $16.90, California is number 5 of the 51 states and DC. The next higher rate is $16.94, in Connecticut. The next lower rate is $16.00, in Hawaii and Rhode Island.
Tipped employees in California
The Department of Labor table lists the tipped cash wage in California as $16.90 an hour, the same as the minimum wage. Tipped employees get the full minimum wage from the employer, and tips come on top. At 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, that is $35,152 a year before tips and taxes.
Changes to the California minimum wage
The California page says the rate is adjusted each year by a formula. It listed no 2027 amount on the verification date.
Cities and counties
This page lists the state minimum only. Cities, counties, and some industries can set a higher minimum wage, so check with your local government or the state labor department.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor state minimum wage table (updated July 1, 2026) and California Department of Industrial Relations: Minimum Wage FAQ. Figures verified October 8, 2026.
Updated on October 8, 2026