Washington minimum wage to rise above $17 in 2026

Washington’s minimum wage will rise to $17.13 an hour on Jan. 1.

That’s a 2.8% increase tied by law to the federal Consumer Price Index.

The state’s current minimum wage is $16.66 per hour, the highest in the nation, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

Several local jurisdictions in Western Washington have their own minimum wage: Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Bellingham, Everett, Burien and the unincorporated areas of King County..

The minimum salary for overtime exempt employees is rising to nearly $80,170 a year, or 2.25 times the mimum wage.

The minimum wage for workers age 14-15 is $14.56 an hour, or 85% of the minimum wage.

Go to lni.gov.

This story was originally published October 1, 2025 at 5:00 AM.