Minimum wage will increase in 19 states in 2026, including Arizona

(Mohamed Shaffaf/Unsplash)

By USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

December 11, 2025

In 2026, for the first time, Arizona‘s minimum wage will surpass $15. Arizona joins 18 other states that have announced wage increases in the new year.

In 2026, Arizona will have the eighth-highest state minimum wage in the country, based on available data. That’s an increase from 2025, whenArizona had the 13th-highest minimum wage.

Arizona‘s minimum wage has been tied to the cost of living since 2016, meaning that the wage adjusts each year. Since 2016, the minimum wage has increased by more than $7.

The 2026 minimum wage was calculated based on the increase in inflation from August 2024 to August 2025, according to the Industrial Commission of Arizona.

Here’s what the new minimum wage will be.

Is Arizona raising the minimum wage?

Arizona‘s hourly minimum wage will increase from $14.70 to $15.15 on Jan. 1, 2026. The base wage for tipped workers will increase from $11.70 to $12.15.

What states are raising the minimum wage?

Some states are still finalizing their minimum wage amounts, but these 19 states are raising the minimum wage in the new year, according to the National Employment Law Project:

Arizona: $14.70 raising to $15.15
California: $16.50 raising to $16.90
Colorado: $14.81 raising to $15.16
Connecticut: $16.35 raising to $16.94
Hawaii: $14.00 to $16.00
Maine: $14.65 raising to $15.10
Michigan: $12.48 raising to $13.73
Minnesota: $11.13 raising to $11.41
Missouri: $13.75 raising to $15.00
Montana: $10.55 raising to $10.85
Nebraska: $13.50 raising to $15
New Jersey: $15.49 raising to $15.92
New York (upstate): $15.50 raising to $16
New York (New York City and Long Island): $16.50 raising to $17
Ohio: $10.70 raising to $11
Rhode Island: $15 raising to $16
South Dakota: $11.50 raising to $11.85
Vermont: $14.01 raising to $14.42
Virginia: $12.41 raising to $12.77
Washington: $16.66 raising to $17.13

What is Arizona‘s minimum wage?

The current minimum wage in Arizona is $14.70 per hour and $11.70 for workers who rely on tips. In 2026, it will increase to $15.15 and $12.15, respectively.

What will the Arizona minimum wage be in 2026?

In 2026, Arizona‘s minimum wage will be $15.15 per hour.

What state has the lowest minimum wage?

There is no one state with the lowest minimum wage, as many states default to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which has a minimum wage of $7.25.

These 20 states have a $7.25 minimum wage: