In 2022 a whole lot of minimum wage increases occurred in several states across the U.S., and we have detailed them all for you.
Unfortunately for many, the minimum wage has not increased in all states across the U.S., nor has the federal minimum wage increased from $7.25 per hour.
We have compiled a comprehensive list of all the states (half of them) that have increased their minimum wage in 2022 and the date that it went into effect.
Below is our minimum wage increase map, showcasing all of the states that have increased their minimum wage rate in 2022. The red states represent increases, and the blue states represent no increases.
This year sees 25 states increase their minimum wage, which is good news for workers in those states, but it does also put added pressure on small businesses in the US that have to cope with these increases and balance the additional overhead costs it creates.
Of the 25 US states that increased their minimum wage in 2022, an impressive 21 of them enacted their increases on Jan 1st. The other four states increased their minimum wage on different dates in 2022.
Currently, the highest minimum wage state is California at $15.00 per hour (for employers with 26 employees or more), with Washington state coming in a close 2nd at $14.49 per hour.
Minimum Wage Increases By State in 2022
While California and the state of Washington have the highest statewide minimum wage rate, New York and Oregon, both have regional minimum wage rates that are higher than the state as a whole.
On the other end of the scale, the lowest minimum wage rates are $5.15 per hour in Georgia and Wyoming, but most employers are required to pay their employees the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour in those states.
It is a challenging time for small businesses in the U.S. because they are already struggling with the after-effects of the pandemic and the surge in inflation, with just about everything going up in price.
The addition of these minimum wage increases is making many businesses decide between keeping people on at a higher rate or having to let them go to try and get more done with fewer staff.
Here are the Minimum Wage increases by State in 2022
As an employer, you need to keep up with the latest minimum wage rates and make sure your employees are paid the correct amount in 2022.
As an employee, you should make sure your employer is paying you fairly and according to the law and know your rights.
1. Arizona – the 2022 rate is $12.80 per hour, up 65 cents from 2021, which was $12.15 per hour. The increase is 5.34% and is intended to cover the increase in the cost of living in Arizona.
2. California – the 2022 rate for businesses with 26 employees or more is $15.00 per hour, and for businesses with fewer employees, the rate is $14.00 per hour. Both of these rates increased by $1 from the previous year (2021).
3. Colorado – the 2022 rate is $12.56 per hour, which is a small 24 cents increase over 2021 when it was $12.32 per hour.
4. Connecticut – the 2022 rate is $14.00 per hour, which is a generous $1 increase from the 2021 wage of $13.00 per hour. Connecticut has one of the highest minimum wage rates in the nation!
5. Delaware – the Delaware minimum wage increased in 2022 to $10.50 per hour.
6. Florida – the 2022 rate in Florida is $11.00 per hour after a mid-year September increase (9/30/22), increasing by $1 from 2021. This is an impressive 10% increase!
7. Illinois – the 2022 rate is $12.00 per hour, increasing by a healthy $1 over the 2021 rate of $11.00 per hour. This 9% increase is to help coincide with the cost of living increasing.
8. Maine – the 2022 rate is $12.75 per hour, which is 60 cents higher than it was the previous year (2021). The 4.9% increase has helped make what was already a strong minimum wage even stronger!
9. Maryland – the 2022 rate is $12.50, which is a 75-cent increase from the wage in 2021, representing a 6.4% increase.
10. Massachusetts – the current rate is $14.25 per hour, which is 75 cents higher than the 2021 minimum wage rate. As the cost of living increases each year so does the minimum wage, and the percentage increase from 2021 to 2022 was 5.55%.
11. Michigan – the 2022 minimum wage rate in Michigan is $9.87 after a 22-cent increase from the 2021 rate.
12. Minnesota – the 2022 rate is $10.33 per hour, up from $10.08 per hour in 2021. This is the min wage rate for businesses that have gross annual sales of over $500,00. For businesses generating less than $500K in revenue, the minimum wage rate is $8.42 per hour in 2022.
13. Missouri – the 2022 rate is $11.15 per hour, which is an 85 cents increase from the 2021 rate of $10.30 per hour. The 8.2% increase is to coincide with the cost of living going up.
14. Montana – the 2022 rate is $9.20 per hour, which is a 45-cent increase from 2021, when the Montana minimum wage was at $8.75 per hour.
15. New Jersey – the 2022 rate is $13.00 per hour, which is a $1.00 increase from the 2021 rate. This represents a healthy 8.33% increase.
16. New Mexico – the 2022 rate is $11.50 per hour, which is a generous $1.00 increase per hour from the 2021 rate! This is an increase of over 9.52%.
17. New York – the 2022 rate is $13.20, this is the statewide rate for New York in 2022 (increasing from $12.50 in 2021).
18. Nevada – the 2022 rate is $10.50 per hour (effective – July 1st, 2022), which is a 75 cents increase from the 2021 rate of $9.75 per hour.
19. Ohio – the 2022 rate is $9.30 per hour, which is 50 cents higher than the previous minimum wage rate of $8.80 (2021), increasing by 5.68%.
20. Oregon – the 2022 rate is $13.50 per hour, increasing by 75 cents from the year before (2021). This is the standard minimum wage rate for Oregon, the 2022 minimum wage rate for the Portland Metro area is $14.75 per hour and $12.50 for all the nonurban counties within the state.
21. Rhode Island – the Rhode Island 2022 rate is $12.25 per hour in 2022, which is a 75-cent increase from the previous year (2021).
22. South Dakota – the 2022 rate is $9.95 per hour, which is 50 cents higher than the 2021 rate of $9.45 per hour. The minimum wage has increased due to the cost of living increasing.
23. Vermont – the 2022 rate is $12.55 per hour, and the previous year’s minimum wage rate was $11.75 per hour (2021) – an 80 cents increase. This percentage increase of 6.8% accounts for inflation and cost of living increases.
24. Virginia – in 2022, the minimum wage rate increased to double figures, moving from $9.50 to $11.00 per hour, which represents a $1.50 increase. This represents a healthy 15.79% increase!
25. Washington – the 2022 rate is $14.49, which is an 80-cent increase from the 2021 wage of $13.69 per hour.
