Washington Minimum Wage 2027: $17.73 an Hour From January 1
Quick answer: The Washington minimum wage for 2027 is $17.73 an hour, up 3.5 percent from $17.13, starting January 1, 2027. Workers aged 14 and 15 may be paid $15.07. Large employers must pay overtime-exempt staff at least $92,196 a year, and Seattle's own minimum rises to $22.14 an hour.
Key takeaways
Washington's statewide minimum wage rises 60 cents to $17.73 an hour on January 1, 2027, a 3.5 percent increase tied to the CPI-W inflation index.
Employers with 51 or more workers must pay salaried overtime-exempt staff at least $1,773 a week, or $92,196 a year, because the multiplier rises to 2.5 times the minimum wage.
Small employers with up to 50 workers stay at 2.25 times the minimum wage in 2027, which means an exempt salary of at least $82,976.40 a year.
Seattle's minimum wage climbs 84 cents to $22.14 an hour for every employer in the city, regardless of size.
Fourteen- and 15-year-olds may be paid 85 percent of the state rate, which works out to $15.07 an hour in 2027.
The Washington minimum wage 2027 rate is set: from January 1, 2027, most workers in the state must earn at least $17.73 an hour. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) announced the 3.5 percent increase on September 30, 2026, raising the floor by 60 cents from today's $17.13. Washington already has the highest minimum wage of any state, and the new figure also lifts the salary that white-collar employees must earn before an employer can stop paying them overtime.
Below is what changes, who it applies to, how the local rates in Seattle and nearby cities fit in, and what workers and job seekers should check before their first paycheck of 2027.
What is the Washington minimum wage in 2027?
The statewide minimum wage in 2027 is $17.73 an hour, effective January 1, 2027. It replaces the 2026 rate of $17.13 and applies to most agricultural and non-agricultural jobs for every hour worked.
2026 rate: $17.13 an hour
2027 rate: $17.73 an hour (up 60 cents, or 3.5 percent)
Workers aged 14 and 15: $15.07 an hour in 2027, up from $14.56
Federal minimum wage: still $7.25 an hour
For a full-time worker on 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, the new rate works out to roughly $36,878 a year before taxes, about $1,248 more than at the 2026 rate. That is a simple calculation, not an official L&I figure, and actual pay depends on hours worked.
Why is Washington's minimum wage going up?
The increase is automatic. State law requires L&I to adjust the minimum wage each year for inflation, so no new vote or bill was needed for 2027.
L&I compares the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for August of the previous year with August of the current year, then raises the wage by the same percentage. Between August 2025 and August 2026 that index rose enough to produce the 3.5 percent increase. The agency announces the new rate on September 30 each year, and it always takes effect on January 1.
How does the Washington minimum wage 2027 change overtime-exempt salaries?
This is the change most salaried workers will feel. In Washington, a salaried executive, administrative or professional employee can only be treated as exempt from overtime if their pay meets a threshold set as a multiple of the state minimum wage, and that multiple goes up for large employers in 2027.
Large employers (51 or more employees)
The multiplier rises from 2.25 to 2.5 times the minimum wage on January 1, 2027. An exempt employee must now earn at least $1,773 a week, or $92,196 a year. L&I says the multiplier is not scheduled to go above 2.5.
Small employers (1 to 50 employees)
Small businesses stay at 2.25 times the minimum wage for 2027. Exempt staff must earn at least $1,595.70 a week, or $82,976.40 a year. Their multiplier is scheduled to reach 2.5 in 2028.
Computer professionals paid by the hour
Exempt computer professionals can be paid hourly instead of a salary, but the rate must be at least 3.5 times the minimum wage at any employer size. In 2027 that is $62.06 an hour, $2.10 more than in 2026.
If you are salaried, classed as exempt and earn below the new figure for your employer's size, your employer has two lawful options from January 1: raise your salary to the threshold, or start paying you overtime for hours over 40 in a week. Duties still matter too: the salary alone does not make a job exempt.
What is the Seattle minimum wage in 2027?
Seattle's minimum wage will be $22.14 an hour from January 1, 2027, according to the city's Office of Labor Standards. That is an 84-cent rise from Seattle's 2026 rate of $21.30.
The Seattle rate applies to every employer inside city limits, regardless of size. Since a 2025 change, small employers can no longer count tips or medical benefits toward the wage, so workers must receive the full hourly rate. The Office of Labor Standards will mail an updated 2027 workplace poster to every business with a Seattle business license. FOX 13 Seattle reports that once the 2027 increases take effect, Seattle will have the highest local rate in Washington, ahead of Burien, Renton and Tukwila.
Which other Washington cities pay more than the state minimum?
Several local governments set their own, higher minimums, and the higher rate is the one that applies. L&I lists these jurisdictions as paying above the state rate: Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Bellingham, Everett, Burien and unincorporated King County.
Here are the 2026 local rates for comparison, as published by L&I. Each city sets its own 2027 rate, so check that city's official labor standards page before January.
Tukwila: $21.65 an hour for covered employers
Burien: $21.63 an hour for employers with 500 or more employees; $20.63 for 21 to 499 employees
Renton: $21.57 an hour for employers with more than 500 employees
Seattle: $21.30 an hour (rising to $22.14 in 2027)
Unincorporated King County: $20.82 an hour for employers with more than 500 employees, with lower tiers for smaller firms
Everett: $20.77 an hour for employers with more than 500 employees in Washington
SeaTac: $20.74 an hour in the hospitality and transportation industries
Bellingham: $19.13 an hour
What else changes on January 1, 2027?
The minimum wage also feeds several other pay rules, so a handful of related figures move at the same time.
Rideshare drivers in Seattle: at least 72 cents per passenger platform minute and $1.69 per passenger platform mile, or $6.34 per trip, whichever is greater.
Rideshare drivers outside Seattle: at least 41 cents per minute and $1.43 per mile, or $3.68 per trip, whichever is greater.
Non-compete clauses: state law will ban them from July 2027. From January to June 2027, an employer can only enforce one against an employee earning at least $131,326.59 a year, or an independent contractor earning at least $328,316.49.
What should workers do before the new rate starts?
Check your first 2027 pay stub against the rate that applies where you actually work. A few quick steps help:
Confirm your location rate. If you work in Seattle or another city with its own minimum, that higher rate applies, not $17.73.
Check your hours. The minimum wage covers all hours worked, including opening and closing, required training and meetings.
Keep tips separate. In Washington, employers cannot use tips or service charges to make up any part of the hourly minimum wage.
Salaried and exempt? Compare your salary with $92,196 (51 or more employees) or $82,976.40 (50 or fewer). If you fall below it, ask HR how your pay or overtime will change.
Report problems. If you are underpaid, you can file a worker rights complaint with L&I online, by mail or at a local office, or call its Employment Standards Program at 1-866-219-7321. Retaliation for raising a wage complaint is illegal, and retaliation complaints must be filed within 180 days.
What this means for job seekers in Washington
For anyone job hunting in Washington, the new numbers give you a firm baseline when you compare offers. From January, most hourly jobs for adult workers cannot legally pay less than $17.73 anywhere in the state, and in Seattle the floor is $22.14. For salaried professional roles, an offer below the exempt threshold for the employer's size should come with overtime pay, which is worth asking about before you sign.
Employers that post jobs for January starts may already list the 2027 rates, so it is also a useful check on whether a listing is up to date.
Last updated: October 3, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What will the minimum wage be in Washington state in 2027?
Washington's statewide minimum wage will be $17.73 an hour starting January 1, 2027. That is 60 cents, or 3.5 percent, more than the 2026 rate of $17.13.
When does the 2027 Washington minimum wage take effect?
The new rate takes effect on January 1, 2027. The Department of Labor & Industries announced it on September 30, 2026, which is the date it announces each year's rate.
What is the Washington exempt salary threshold for 2027?
Employers with 51 or more employees must pay overtime-exempt staff at least $1,773 a week, or $92,196 a year. Employers with 50 or fewer employees must pay at least $1,595.70 a week, or $82,976.40 a year.
What is the Seattle minimum wage in 2027?
Seattle's minimum wage will be $22.14 an hour from January 1, 2027, up 84 cents from $21.30. It applies to all employers in the city regardless of size.
Can employers in Washington pay teenagers less than the minimum wage?
Yes, but only workers aged 14 and 15. Employers may pay them 85 percent of the state minimum wage, which is $15.07 an hour in 2027.
Can my employer count tips toward the Washington minimum wage?
No. Washington employers must pay all tips and service charges to employees, and they cannot use them as part of the hourly minimum wage.
Sources
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries: Minimum Wage
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries: Local Minimum Wage Rates
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries: Changes to Overtime Rules
FOX 13 Seattle: Seattle minimum wage set to increase to $22 in 2027 (September 29, 2026)
KIRO 7: Seattle's minimum wage is increasing in 2027 (September 28, 2026)
KPTV: Washington minimum wage rising to $17.73 in 2027 (October 1, 2026)
This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published October 3, 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.