Minimum Wage Comparison
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California vs New York: Minimum Wage

New York has a higher minimum wage than California by $0.

California flag
California
CA • West
$16.90/hr
State minimum wage in U.S. dollars per hour (U.S. Department of Labor, updated January 1, 2026).
New York flag
New York
NY • Northeast
Winner
$17.00/hr
State minimum wage in U.S. dollars per hour (U.S. Department of Labor, updated January 1, 2026).

Visual Comparison

California $16.90/hr
New York $17.00/hr

Difference: $0 — New York leads.

Related Context

Minimum Wage in Context

A minimum wage only makes sense relative to what things cost and what the local market actually pays.

What This Means

California vs New York: Minimum Wage in context

New York has a minimum wage of $17.00/hr, compared with $16.90/hr in California. State minimum wage in U.S. dollars per hour (U.S. Department of Labor, updated January 1, 2026).

California
$16.90/hr
New York
$17.00/hr
Difference
$0

People Also Ask

California vs New York Minimum Wage — Common Questions

Q What is California's minimum wage?

California's minimum wage is $16.90/hr.

Q What is New York's minimum wage?

New York's minimum wage is $17.00/hr.

Q Which state has a higher minimum wage — California or New York?

New York has a higher minimum wage than California by $0.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.