Washington's minimum wage will rise to $17.73 an hour starting Jan. 1, 2027, a 3.5% increase from the current $17.13 rate, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
State law requires the department to calculate the annual minimum wage adjustment using the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, comparing August's index from the previous year to August of the current year.
The wage increase also affects threshold calculations for overtime-exempt workers. For large employers with 51 or more employees, the salary requirement for overtime exemption will rise to 2.5 times the minimum wage, equaling $1,773 per week or $92,196 per year. Small businesses with up to 50 workers remain at 2.25 times the minimum wage, or $1,595 per week ($82,976 per year), with an increase to 2.5 times scheduled for 2028.
The minimum wage for 14- and 15-year-old workers will reach $15.07 an hour. For computer professionals, the hourly rate will be $62.06, which is 3.5 times the minimum wage. Minimum pay for rideshare drivers will also increase Jan. 1. Several Washington cities, including Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Bellingham, Everett, Burien, and unincorporated King County, have minimum wages higher than the state rate. The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 an hour.