California · 2027
California minimum wage in 2027.
Published rate, effective January 1, 2027.
California's minimum wage rises to $17.40 an hour on January 1, 2027, from $16.90 in 2026. Until December 31, 2026 the state rate is $16.90 for employers not covered by a higher industry or local minimum.
California's Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) announced the 2027 rate in an August 2026 press-room item. This page turns it into weekly, biweekly, monthly and annual pay and shows what the raise is worth at your hours.
Convert the hourly rate
Result
California minimum wage rates
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| State minimum wage | $16.90 | $17.40 |
What the sources say
The DIR press room lists, dated August 13, 2026: "California's minimum wage set to increase to $17.40 per hour on January 1, 2027." The DIR minimum wage page, read the same day as this page, gives the current rate: "The minimum wage in California, effective January 1, 2026, is $16.90/hour for all employers." That is a raise of $0.50 an hour, about 2.96%, or $1,040 a year before tax at 2,080 hours.
Higher rates apply to some workers. The DIR page notes a higher minimum for fast food restaurant employees (effective April 1, 2024) and for healthcare facility employees (effective October 16, 2024), and says some cities and counties set rates above the state's. This page covers the general state rate only. We did not read the 2027 fast food or healthcare figures, so check DIR for those.
Worked example
Full-time at $17.40, 40 hours a week. $696.00 a week, $1,392.00 every two weeks, $3,016.00 a month and $36,192.00 a year (2,080 hours), before tax.
Part-time at $17.40, 30 hours a week. $522.00 a week and $27,144.00 a year before tax.
What the change is worth. $16.90 to $17.40 is $0.50 more an hour (2.96%), or $1,040.00 more a year at 40 hours.
Limits of this page
The converter multiplies the hourly rate by your hours and 52 weeks, with monthly as one twelfth of the year. It is gross pay before tax and ignores overtime, unpaid time off and local minimum wages that are higher than the state rate. Cities and counties in some states set their own rates, so check the place where the work is done.
Sources
Primary sources opened and checked on November 2, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the California minimum wage in 2027?
$17.40 an hour from January 1, 2027, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.
What is it until then?
$16.90 an hour through December 31, 2026.
How much more is that annually?
$0.50 an hour, or about $1,040 a year before tax for 40 hours a week over 52 weeks.
Do fast food and healthcare workers get a different rate?
DIR lists higher minimums for fast food restaurant and healthcare facility employees. Their 2027 figures were not checked for this page, so confirm with DIR.
Do cities and counties set a higher rate?
Some do. If you work in a city or county with its own minimum wage, the higher rate applies. DIR links to a list of local rates.
Not legal advice
This page is general information, not legal, payroll or tax advice. Wage laws change and exemptions apply to some workers. Confirm the rate with the state labor agency before you set pay. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.