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State’s Minimum Wage Rate Rises to $16.28 an Hour Starting Jan. 1

State’s Minimum Wage Rate Rises to $16.28 an Hour Starting Jan. 1

October 3, 2023 Last Edit: June 5, 2025

State’s Minimum Wage Rate Rises to $16.28 an Hour Starting Jan. 1

Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries announced September 29 that the state’s minimum-wage rate will rise to $16.28 an hour beginning January 1, 2024. “Under state law, L&I calculates the minimum wage for the coming year based on the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W),” said L&I in this news release. “In making the calculation, L&I compares the CPI-W index from August of the previous year to August of the current year. In 2023, Washington has the highest state-level minimum wage in the nation. The federal minimum wage remains set at $7.25 an hour.” The department’s news release has more information on its calculation, the minimum wage for the young, and the rates for overtime exempt employees and for rideshare drivers. Cities are still free to set rates higher than the state’s.  
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