Minimum Wage Comparison
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California vs New York: Minimum Wage

California and New York have the same minimum wage.

California flag
California
CA • West
$16.50/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
$16.50/hr
State minimum wage in U.S. dollars per hour (U.S. Department of Labor, updated January 1, 2026).

Visual Comparison

California $16.50/hr
New York $16.50/hr

Difference: $0 — New York leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for minimum wage.

California #2 · $16.50/hr
New York #3 · $16.50/hr
Lowest Highest

Top 10 States — Minimum Wage

#1 Washington flag Washington
$16.66/hr
#2 California flag California
$16.50/hr
#3 New York flag New York
$16.50/hr
#4 Connecticut flag Connecticut
$16.35/hr
#5 Hawaii flag Hawaii
$16.00/hr
#6 Oregon flag Oregon
$15.95/hr
#7 New Jersey flag New Jersey
$15.49/hr
#8 Illinois flag Illinois
$15.00/hr
#9 Maryland flag Maryland
$15.00/hr
#10 Massachusetts flag Massachusetts
$15.00/hr

California ranks 2nd and New York ranks 3rd nationally for minimum wage.

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

California: $16.50/hr. New York: $16.50/hr.

California
$16.50/hr
New York
$16.50/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 $16.50/hr.

Q What is New York's minimum wage?

New York's minimum wage is $16.50/hr.

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; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes 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.