The New York state minimum wage rate in 2024 is $15.00 per hour for employees working within the state that are not exempt from the minimum wage rate.
Additionally, there is a slightly different minimum wage rate and system for New York City and some other city employees in New York.
The New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County minimum wage rates for 2024 are all $16.00 per hour, whereas the minimum wage for the rest of the state is $15.00 per hour.
In the past, the minimum wage within the state differed depending on the size of the business you worked for, but that is no longer the case, with New York adopting different rates subject to certain areas.
If you are a full-time worker on minimum wage in New York City, Long Island, or Westchester County, your earnings should be as follows:
- Daily Minimum Wage: $128.00 (based on an 8-hour working day).
- Weekly Minimum Wage: $640.00 (based on a 40-hour week).
- Monthly Minimum Wage: $2,773.33 (based on a full-time month).
- Yearly Minimum Wage: $33,280.00 (based on being paid 52 weeks per year).
Now, if you are an employee in New York State who works in a different area and is subject to the lower minimum wage rate, here are what your earnings will look like:
- Daily Minimum Wage: $120.00 (based on an 8-hour working day).
- Weekly Minimum Wage: $600.00 (based on a 40-hour week).
- Monthly Minimum Wage: $2,600.00 (based on a full-time month).
- Yearly Minimum Wage: $31,200.00 (based on being paid 52 weeks per year).
It is important to note that your earnings will be subject to New York income tax reductions, these rates are what your earnings would be before income tax has been reduced.
Future Minimum Wage Increases
2024 saw the New York minimum wage increase in most areas of New York from $14.20 to $15.00 per hour.
This increase had been planned for several years and we will see another increase to the New York minimum wage next year as part of the 2016-2017 State Budget that was agreed.
New York City used to have a different New York minimum wage rate depending on the size of the employer.
Now, large and small employers in New York City must pay their employees $16.00 per hour regardless.
Subminimum Wage and Minimum Wage Exemptions in New York
In addition to the regular minimum wage rate, city minimum wage rates, and other location-based minimum wages in New York, there are a few New York state minimum wage exemptions that typically depend on your age or employment situation.
Below are the various minimum wage exemptions with some situational examples.
New York Student Minimum Wage
The minimum wage for student employees in New York is 85% of the minimum wage, making the hourly pay for those working in New York City, Long Island, or Westchester County $13.60.
Now, for the rest of the state’s employees, the student minimum wage is $12.75 for 2024, which is 85% of $15.
This hourly rate is for any hours worked up to 20 hours per week. As a student employee, once you surpass 20 hours per week, you will be eligible for the minimum wage rate of $15.00 per hour or $16.00 depending on where your employment is situated within the state.
Being a student can be financially challenging, leading many students to pick up part-time jobs to make extra money while studying.
Despite a student minimum wage rate, many New York employers will not necessarily follow it and pay you equal to or more than the statewide minimum wage rates.
Many work-study programs are available at universities, which is a route many students go down. Still, coffee shop, cafe, bar, and restaurant jobs are commonly taken by students as they can work them into their class schedule.
New York Under 20 Minimum Wage
If you are under 20 years old in New York, federal law allows your employer to pay you as little as $4.25 per hour for your first 90 days of employment.
Once the 90-day period is over, you will be eligible to be paid the 2024 New York minimum wage of $15.00 per hour or $16.00.
Fortunately for young workers, this is 90 calendar days and not 90 working days; therefore, it can be completed relatively quickly and within about three months.
New York Overtime Minimum Wage
Once you work over 40 hours a week, you can be paid an overtime rate of 1.5 times your hourly wage for every hour you work past 40.
This makes the overtime minimum wage in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester $24.00, and the overtime minimum wage in the rest of the state $22.50 per hour.
Other New York Exempt Employees
If you are working under one of the following New York industries, you are also exempt from the statewide minimum wage, via something called “Wage Orders”:
- Hospitality Industry (includes fast-food workers)
- Building Service Industry
- Non-Profitmaking Institutions
- Farm Workers
- Miscellaneous Industries and Occupations
New York Minimum Wage History
The table below shows the current rate and history of New York’s minimum wage over the past 40+ years since 1983.
You can see when there were increases in the minimum wage, how much they were, and what percentage increase it represents each year.
| Year | Minimum Wage | Increase ($) | Increase (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15.00 | $0.80 | 5.6% |
| 2023 | $14.20 | $1.00 | 7.57% |
| 2022 | $13.20 | $0.70 | 5.6% |
| 2021 | $12.50 | $0.70 | 5.9% |
| 2020 | $11.80 | $0.70 | 6.3% |
| 2019 | $11.10 | $0.70 | 6.7% |
| 2018 | $10.40 | $0.70 | 7.2% |
| 2017 | $9.70 | $0.70 | 7.8% |
| 2016 | $9.00 | $0.25 | 2.9% |
| 2015 | $8.75 | $0.75 | 9.4% |
| 2014 | $8.00 | $0.75 | 10.3% |
| 2013 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2012 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2011 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2010 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2009 | $7.25 | $0.10 | 1.4% |
| 2008 | $7.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2007 | $7.15 | $0.40 | 5.92% |
| 2006 | $6.75 | $0.75 | 12.5% |
| 2005 | $6.00 | $0.85 | 16.5% |
| 2004 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2003 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2002 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2001 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2000 | $5.15 | $0.90 | 21.17% |
| 1999 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1998 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1997 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1996 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1995 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1994 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1993 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1992 | $4.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1991 | $4.25 | $0.45 | 11.84% |
| 1990 | $3.80 | $0.45 | 13.43% |
| 1989 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
| 1988 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
| 1987 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
| 1986 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
| 1985 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
| 1984 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
| 1983 | $3.35 | $0 | 0% |
New York Labor Law Poster and Department of Labor Contact Details
As a New York employer, you need to keep yourself compliant with the law. To do this, you need to display a New York Labor Law poster in a prominent place.
The good news is that you can acquire one of these posters for free from the Department of Labor website, and download the poster for usage in your business premise.
If you wish to contact the department directly, here are all of the contact details you need:
Department of Labor:
NYS Department of Labor
Building 12, W.A. Harriman Campus
Albany, NY 12226
Telephone: (518) 457-9000
Email: Leah.Spoltore@labor.ny.gov
