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Washington minimum wage 2026

$17.13 an hour, and tipped workers get the full minimum before tips. Below: what that means for your paycheck.

In effect on November 4, 2026

Minimum wage$17.13/hSince January 1, 2026
Tipped cash wage$17.13/hNo tip credit allowed
Next increase$17.73From January 1, 2027 · tipped $17.73

Washington minimum wage per day, week, month and year

Full time at Washington’s minimum wage ($17.13), before tax, without tips or overtime. A month is the year divided by 12 (52 weeks of 40 hours).
HoursPay
Per hour1$17.13
Per day8$137.04
Per week40$685.20
Every two weeks80$1,370.40
Per month173.3$2,969.20
Per year2,080$35,630.40

Will Washington’s minimum wage go up in 2027?

Yes. On January 1, 2027, it rises to $17.73 an hour, for tipped workers too.

Cities and counties with their own minimum wage in Washington

Washington lets cities and counties set a higher minimum wage. If you work in one of them, your employer has to pay the higher rate.

Rates in effect on October 5, 2026, from each place’s official page. Where a place has more than one rate, this is the one for the largest employers, and the notes (*) say who gets a different one.
PlacePer hourSinceNext increase
Seattle$21.30January 1, 2026$22.14from January 1, 2027
SeaTac*$20.74January 1, 2026Not announced yet
Tukwila*$21.65January 1, 2026Not announced yet
Renton*$21.57January 1, 2026Not announced yet
Bellingham$19.13January 1, 2026Not announced yet
Everett*$20.77January 1, 2026Not announced yet
Burien*$21.78January 1, 2026Not announced yet
King County (unincorporated areas)*$20.82January 1, 2026$21.57from January 1, 2027
  • * SeaTac: only large hospitality employers and airport transportation companies pay it; other employers pay the Washington minimum.
  • * Tukwila: for employers with 15 or more employees, or over $2 million in revenue in Tukwila; others pay the Washington minimum.
  • * Renton: for employers with 15 or more employees; those with 14 or fewer pay the Washington minimum.
  • * Everett: for employers with more than 500 employees; those with 15 to 499 pay $19.77, and those with 14 or fewer, the Washington minimum.
  • * Burien: for employers with more than 500 employees; those with 16 to 500 pay $20.78, and those with 15 or fewer, $19.28.
  • * King County (unincorporated areas): for employers with more than 500 employees; those with 16 to 499, or 15 or fewer with $2 million or more in revenue, pay $19.82, and those with 15 or fewer and under $2 million in revenue, $18.32.

Federal Way doesn’t have a minimum of its own: the Washington minimum applies there ($17.13).

How the tip credit works in Washington

Washington doesn’t allow a tip credit. Tipped workers get at least $17.13 an hour from their employer, and tips are on top.

Check a week in the calculator.

Overtime

Under federal law, hours over 40 in a workweek are paid at time and a half (1.5 times your regular rate): at Washington’s minimum, at least $25.70 an hour. Washington has no daily overtime: a 12-hour double only gets you overtime if it takes your week past 40 hours.

PayJar applies weekly overtime from the start and lets you turn on daily overtime and double time. Add up your week’s hours and overtime in the time card calculator.

Washington and its neighbors

Hourly rates in effect on November 4, 2026.
StateMinimum wageTipped cash wage
Washington$17.13$17.13no tip credit
Oregon$16.80$16.80no tip credit
Idaho$7.25$3.35

Questions

What is the minimum wage in Washington?
$17.13 an hour, in effect on November 4, 2026. It rises to $17.73 on January 1, 2027.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Washington?
There isn’t a lower one: Washington doesn’t allow a tip credit, so tipped workers get $17.13 an hour before tips.
How much do you have to be paid per hour in Washington?
At least $17.13 an hour, and $25.70 for each overtime hour (over 40 in a week), even if you get tips.
How much is the minimum wage per month in Washington?
$2,969.20 a month working 40 hours a week, before tax. That’s $685.20 a week and $35,630.40 a year.
What is the minimum wage in Seattle?
$21.30 an hour since January 1, 2026, above the Washington minimum ($17.13). It goes up to $22.14 on January 1, 2027.
Will Washington’s minimum wage go up in 2027?
Yes. On January 1, 2027, it rises to $17.73 an hour, for tipped workers too.
Is the minimum wage before or after taxes?
Before. It’s your gross pay per hour; the taxes withheld from your check come out of it.
What can I do if I’m paid less than the minimum?
Keep your pay stubs and a record of your hours. Call the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243: it’s free and confidential, and help is available in more than 200 languages. You can also file with your state labor department.
Does the minimum wage apply if I’m undocumented?
Yes. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division “enforces the law without regard to an employee’s immigration status,” and all complaints are confidential.

Other states

See every state in one table

General information, not legal advice. Your state labor department has the final word, and some cities, counties and industries have higher minimums.

Sources

Stop wondering if your check is right.

PayJar knows your state’s minimum wage and tipped wage. Log your shifts and tips, and it tells you when a week comes up short.

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