19 States Raise Minimum Wages in 2026, Nevada holds at $12

In 2026, 19 states will raise minimum wages, directly benefiting over 8.3 million workers.

Hawaii sees the largest increase from $14 to $16 per hour. Six states (Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Missouri, and Nebraska) reach or exceed $15 per hour for the first time.

This creates a historic shift: more U.S. workers will live in states with $15 or higher minimum wage than in those at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 (unchanged since 2009). Twenty states, mostly Southern states, remain at $7.25.

Beneficiaries of the minimum wage increases are mostly women (58%). Most are adults at 87%, with 25% parents aiding 4.8 million children. Nearly half work full-time at 49%, and 41% have some college education. Over one-fifth live in poverty at 21%, with 48% below twice the poverty line.

Nevada's minimum wage remains at $12 per hour in 2026, with no further increases scheduled after the unified rate took effect in 2024. This ranks Nevada 28th nationally among the 30 states with minimum wages above the federal $7.25 per hour.

In November 2022, voters approved a constitutional amendment that eliminated Nevada's unique two-tier system—established through 2004 and 2006 voter initiatives, which allowed employers offering qualifying health benefits to pay $1 less per hour. Nevada was the only state with this structure, criticized by proponents as a loophole enabling substandard benefits and lower wages. The reform established consistent pay for all workers regardless of benefits, ending a distinction that had lasted nearly two decades.

Washington leads the nation with the highest statewide minimum wage at $17.13 per hour, while New York reaches $17 per hour in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester. California stands at $16.90 per hour statewide, and Connecticut reaches $16.94 per hour.