Seattle minimum wage 2026, $21.30 an hour.

The 2026 and 2027 rates

The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) lists a 2026 minimum wage of $21.30 and a 2027 minimum wage of $22.14. It applies to employees working within city limits under Seattle Municipal Code 14.19. At 40 hours a week, $21.30 is $852.00 before tax, or $44,304.00 over 52 weeks. At $22.14 that becomes $885.60 a week and $46,051.20 a year, a rise of $0.84 an hour (our subtraction).

One rate for every employer

Starting January 1, 2025, all employers, "regardless of schedule size", must pay the same minimum wage. The page says small employers can no longer count tips or payments toward an employee's medical benefit plan toward minimum compensation. So the old split between large and small employers that older articles describe no longer applies, and a search result showing two Seattle rates is out of date.

How it adjusts

The wage increases every January 1 to reflect inflation, based on the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Area Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). OLS announces the upcoming year's increase by the fall of each year, which is why the 2027 number is already published.

Work near Seattle

The OLS page warns that other cities and places outside Seattle may have their own minimum wages, and that Seattle's rate applies within city limits. For King County it points to a Minimum Wage Lookup map where you type an address, and to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries list of local minimum wage rates. If your workplace is just across the city line, check the map before assuming $21.30.

Worked example

A retail worker at a Capitol Hill store who works 35 hours a week for 52 weeks at $21.30 earns $745.50 a week and $38,766.00 gross. At the 2027 rate of $22.14 the same schedule pays $774.90 a week, which is $29.40 more each week.

What this page does not cover

• It does not cover Washington State's statewide minimum wage or other local rates.
• It does not cover Seattle's secure scheduling or paid sick and safe time ordinances.

FAQ

What is the minimum wage in Seattle in 2026?

$21.30 an hour, according to the Seattle Office of Labor Standards.

What will the Seattle minimum wage be in 2027?

$22.14 an hour, as listed by the Office of Labor Standards.

Do small employers in Seattle pay a lower minimum wage?

No. Since January 1, 2025, all employers pay the same minimum wage regardless of schedule size, and small employers can no longer count tips or medical benefit payments toward it.

When does the Seattle minimum wage change?

Every January 1, based on the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue CPI-W. The city announces the next year's rate by the fall.

How much is the Seattle minimum wage per year?

$44,304.00 before tax at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks in 2026. Use the calculator to change hours and weeks.

How do I find the minimum wage for a King County address?

The Office of Labor Standards links a Minimum Wage Lookup map where you enter an address.

Sources

Retrieved 2026-11-01. Each link was opened and checked against the claim next to it.

• Seattle Office of Labor Standards: Minimum Wage: The 2026 and 2027 rates, the one-rate rule from 2025, the CPI-W adjustment, SMC 14.19 and the King County lookup.