Highest Minimum Wage States 2026
| Rank | State | Hourly Wage | Annual Take Home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $18.40 | $32,932 |
| 2 | Washington | $17.13 | $30,677 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $16.94 | $30,491 |
| 4 | California | $16.90 | $30,254 |
| 5 | New York | $16.00 | $28,591 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $16.00 | $28,591 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $15.92 | $28,443 |
| 8 | Colorado | $15.16 | $27,038 |
| 9 | Arizona | $15.15 | $27,019 |
| 10 | Florida | $15.00 | $26,742 |
*Federal tax estimate only. Single filer, 40 hrs/week, 52 weeks. State taxes not included. Florida rate effective September 30, 2026.
More Wage Resources
Minimum Wage After Tax - All 50 States 2026
Click your state to see the exact take-home pay breakdown after federal taxes. Each state page shows local minimum wage rates, state tax rules, and OBBBA overtime exemption status for that state.
Did you work overtime or earn tips in 2026? Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), the overtime premium portion of your pay is federally tax-free up to $12,500 (single filers). Tips are federally tax-free up to $25,000. Most paycheck calculators don't account for this.
Note: The OBBBA federal overtime exemption does not apply in all states. Colorado, Alabama, and New Mexico still tax overtime at the state level. Check your state page for details.
Every wage figure on this site starts from the federal floor set by law. The U.S. Department of Labor is the primary authority on that rate:
"The federal minimum wage provisions are contained in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Many states also have minimum wage laws."Source: U.S. Department of Labor - Minimum Wage
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
How Much Do You Take Home on Minimum Wage?
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour in 2026, unchanged since 2009. Working 40 hours per week for 52 weeks, that's $15,080 per year before taxes. After Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%), take-home pay is approximately $13,926 per year or $1,161 per month. Federal income tax is $0 because $15,080 falls below the 2026 standard deduction of $16,100.
Most states have set their own minimum wage above the federal rate. California's minimum wage is $16.90/hr, giving full-time workers a gross income of $35,152 per year. Florida raised its minimum wage to $15.00 effective September 30, 2026 as part of its voter-approved Amendment 2 phase-in schedule. Washington state has the highest statewide minimum wage at $17.13/hr, translating to $30,677 per year in federal take-home pay. The District of Columbia tops all jurisdictions at $18.40/hr ($32,932 take-home).
Seven states use the federal floor of $7.25 for most workers: Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Workers in these states take home $13,926 per year at minimum wage.
Our take-home calculations apply the 2026 standard deduction exactly as the IRS published it:
"For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately, the standard deduction rises to $16,100 for tax year 2026, and for heads of households, the standard deduction will be $24,150."Source: IRS - Tax Inflation Adjustments for 2026
- Internal Revenue Service
How This Is Calculated: Federal Minimum Wage Worked Example
Every estimate on this site follows the same four-step method, using the 2026 IRS standard deduction, 2026 federal brackets, and current FICA rates. Here is the full math for one year of full-time work at the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour:
- Step 1 - Annual gross pay: $7.25/hour x 40 hours x 52 weeks = $15,080.
- Step 2 - Apply the standard deduction: The 2026 IRS standard deduction for a single filer is $16,100.
- Step 3 - Federal income tax: $15,080 minus $16,100 is below zero, so taxable income is $0. Federal income tax owed: $0. A full-time federal minimum wage worker earns less than the standard deduction.
- Step 4 - FICA taxes: Social Security (6.2%) plus Medicare (1.45%) = 7.65% of gross pay. $15,080 x 0.0765 = $1,154.62. FICA applies from the first dollar. Social Security is collected on wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500.
Annual take-home: $15,080 - $0 - $1,154.62 = $13,926.38. Assumptions: single filer, no dependents, standard deduction, federal taxes only, no pre-tax benefits. Educational estimate, not tax advice.
2026 Information Gain Insight
One fact most minimum wage calculators miss: a full-time federal minimum wage worker ($7.25/hr) pays zero federal income tax in 2026. Their $15,080 gross income falls $1,020 below the $16,100 standard deduction. They still owe $1,154.62 in FICA taxes. This means their effective "tax rate" is purely FICA, about 7.65%, not the 10% or 12% bracket most people assume. Working overtime under OBBBA rules can reduce that rate even further since the overtime premium is federally tax-free up to $12,500.
Last Verified: October 2026 | Verified by: MinimumWageAfterTax.com Research Team | Source: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-322026 Minimum Wage Changes by State
Several states raised their minimum wages in 2026. Florida made the most impactful change, jumping to $15.00 per hour effective September 30, 2026 under Amendment 2's voter-approved schedule. Missouri and Nebraska both reached $15.00. Washington's rate rose to $17.13. These changes directly affect take-home pay calculations for millions of minimum wage workers.
For a full state-by-state comparison of every 2026 wage increase, visit our 2026 Minimum Wage Increases page. For a side-by-side comparison of every state's current rate, see our Minimum Wage by State hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Editorial Team: Our wage and tax data is verified by a team of tax researchers who cross-reference every figure against primary sources including the IRS, U.S. Department of Labor, and state departments of labor. We audit state labor bulletins and update calculations to reflect current-year accuracy. Found a discrepancy? Report a Data Error.
Data last verified: October 10, 2026 | About Our Methodology