Minimum wage increases in 2022
From Ballotpedia
- Last updated: December 22, 2021
In 2022, the minimum wage will increase in 25 states and Washington, D.C. The increases ranged from $0.22 in Michigan to $1.50 in Virginia.
- 20 increases take effect on January 1, 2022,
- four take effect on July 1, 2022,
- one takes effect on December 31, 2021, and
- one takes effect on September 30, 2022.
HIGHLIGHTS
2022 minimum wages
The average state minimum wage in 2022 was $9.85, up from $9.59 in 2021.
The highest 2022 statewide minimum wages were:
- $15.00 in California,
- $14.49 in Washington, and
- $14.25 in Massachusetts.
In Washington, D.C., the minimum wage was $15.20 per hour. The lowest minimum wages based on state law were $5.15 in Georgia and Wyoming, which were lower than the federal government's requirement. When the state rate is lower than the federal rate, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 superseded state law for most types of employees. Twenty (20) states used the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25.
The map below shows state minimum wages in 2022.
Changes to state minimum wage laws in 2021
The following list details the adopted changes to state minimum wage laws in chronological order:
- Rhode Island: On May 20, 2021, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee (D) signed a bill into law that was designed to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025.[2]
- Delaware: On July 19, 2021, Delaware Governor John Carney (D) signed Senate Bill 15 into law. The bill was designed to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025.[3]
Increases in 2022
In 2022, the minimum wage increased in 25 states. The increases ranged from $0.22 in Michigan to $1.50 in Virginia. The average wage increase was $0.37, including all states and Washington, D.C. The average wage increase was $0.76 for just the states with increases in 2022, and excluding states and Washington, D.C without 2022 increases. According to the National Employment Law Project, 35 cities and counties also increased their minimum wage rates in 2022.[4]
Effective December 31, 2021
One increase in the minimum wage was scheduled for New Year's Eve, December 31, 2021, in the following state:
- New York: On December 31, 2021, the minimum wage increased in New York. In 2022, the minimum wage in the five counties composing New York City was $15.00. On December 31, 2021, the minimum wage in the three counties composing Long Island and Westchester increased from $14.00 to $15.00. The minimum wage in the 54 counties composing upstate New York increased from $12.50 to $13.20.[5] To read more about New York's regional minimum wages, see the regional minimum wages section below.
Effective January 1, 2022
Twenty (80%) of the wage increases were scheduled to occur on January 1, 2022, in the following states:
Ballot initiatives
- Arizona: Arizona's minimum wage increased from $12.15 to $12.80 on January 1, 2022. In 2016, voters approved Proposition 206, which was designed to increase the minimum wage each year until reaching $12.00 in 2020 and index the wage to inflation beginning in 2021.[6]
- Colorado: Colorado's minimum wage increased from $12.32 to $12.56 on January 1, 2022. Amendment 70, approved by voters in 2016, was designed to increase the state's minimum wage to $12 by January 1, 2020, and to index it to the CPI thereafter.
- Maine: Maine's minimum wage increased from $12.15 to $12.75 on January 1, 2022. Question 4 was designed to increase the minimum wage until reaching $12.00 in 2020 and index the wage to inflation beginning in 2021.[7]
- Missouri: Missouri's minimum wage increased from $10.30 to $11.15 on January 1, 2022. Voters in Missouri approved Proposition B on November 6, 2018. Proposition B was designed to increase the minimum each year until reaching $12 in 2023 and index the wage to inflation beginning in 2024.[8]
- Montana: Montana's minimum wage increased from $8.75 to $9.20 on January 1, 2022. In 2006, voters approved Initiative 151, which increased the minimum wage to $6.15 in 2007 and indexed the minimum wage to inflation beginning in 2008.[9]
- Ohio: Ohio's minimum wage increased from $8.80 to $9.30 on January 1, 2022. In 2006, voters approved Amendment 2, which increased the minimum wage to $6.85 in 2007 and indexed the minimum wage to inflation beginning in 2008.[10]
- South Dakota: South Dakota's minimum wage increased from $9.45 to $9.95 on January 1, 2022. In 2014, voters approved Measure 18, which increased the minimum wage to $8.50 in 2015 and indexed the minimum wage to inflation beginning in 2016.[11]
- Washington: Initiative 1433, approved by voters in 2016, was designed to increase the state's minimum wage to $13.50 per hour by January 1, 2020, and to index the minimum wage to the CPI every year after. Initiative 1433 increased the state's minimum wage from $13.69 per hour to $14.49 per hour on January 1, 2022.
Bills
- California: California's minimum wage increased from $14.00 to $15.00 on January 1, 2022. In 2015, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 3 as a compromise with the labor union behind a citizen-initiated measure that would have increased the minimum wage faster. SB 3 was set to increase the minimum wage each year until reaching $15.00 in 2022 and tie the minimum wage to inflation thereafter.[12]
- Delaware: On July 19, 2021, Delaware Governor John Carney (D) signed Senate Bill 15 into law. The bill increased the state's minimum wage from $9.25 per hour to $10.50 per hour for 2022. The bill was designed to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025.[13]
- Illinois: Illinois' minimum wage increased from $11.00 to $12.00 on January 1, 2022. On February 19, 2019 Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed into law SB 1, which enacted an incremental increase in the state minimum wage until it reaches $15 by 2025.[14]
- Maryland: Maryland's minimum wage increased from $11.75 to $12.50 on January 1, 2022, for employers with 15 or more employees. Employers with 14 or fewer employees must pay a minimum wage of $12.20 per hour in 2022. On March 28, 2019, the state legislature overruled Republican Governor Larry Hogan's veto to enact a law designed to raise the state minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by 2025.[15]
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts' minimum wage increased from $13.50 to $14.25 on January 1, 2022. In 2018, the Massachusetts State Legislature passed House Bill 4640 (HB 4640) as a compromise with the organization Raise Up Massachusetts to keep a citizen-initiated measure off the ballot. HB 4940 was set to increase the minimum wage each year until reaching $15.00 in 2023 but did not tie the minimum wage to inflation thereafter.[16]
- Michigan: Michigan's minimum wage increased from $9.65 to $9.87 on January 1, 2022. There was no increase in 2021 because the unemployment rate was higher than 8.5%.[17]
- Minnesota: Minnesota's minimum wage increased from $10.08 to $10.33 per hour for large companies and $8.21 to $8.42 per hour for small companies on January 1, 2022. Passed in 2014, the state's law increased the minimum wage to $9.50 in 2017 and indexed increases to annual changes in inflation after that.[18]
- New Jersey: New Jersey's minimum wage increased from $12.00 to $13.00 per hour on January 1, 2022. In February 2019, New Jersey passed a bill (A15) that raises the state minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2024.[19]
- New Mexico: New Mexico's minimum wage increased from $10.50 to $11.50 per hour on January 1, 2022. Passed on April 1, 2019, the state law increased the minimum wage to $12.00 by 2023. The law did not tie the wage to inflation.[20]
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island's minimum wage increased from $11.50 to $12.25 per hour on January 1, 2022. On May 20, 2021, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee (D) signed a bill into law that was designed to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025.[21]
- Vermont: Vermont's minimum wage increased from $11.75 to $12.55 per hour on January 1, 2022. The Vermont State Legislature overrode Governor Phil Scott's (R) veto of Act 86 in February 2020. The bill was designed to increase the state's minimum wage. On January 1, 2023, the wage was set under the bill to increase by either 5% or by a percentage increase based on changes to the consumer price index.[22]
- Virginia: Virginia's minimum wage increased from $9.50 to $11.00 per hour on January 1, 2022. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) signed HB 395 into law on April 22, 2020, which was designed to increase the state minimum wage from the federal minimum wage ($7.25) to $15.00 by 2026. On January 1, 2027, and going forward, the minimum wage was set under the bill to be adjusted based on the consumer price index.[23]
Effective on July 1, 2022
Bills
- Connecticut: Connecticut's minimum wage increased from $13.00 to $14.00 per hour on July 1, 2022. On May 28, 2019, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law an incremental increase to the state minimum wage, designed to reach $15.00 by 2023 and then adjust based on the U.S. Department of Labor's employment cost index thereafter.[24]
- Nevada: On June 12, 2019, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signed into law Assembly Bill 456, which incrementally increases the state's minimum wage to $12 by 2024. On July 1, 2022, the minimum wage in Nevada increased from $8.75 to $9.50 for employees who receive health benefits and for employees who do not receive health benefits the minimum wage increased from $9.75 to $10.50 per hour. The minimum wage will increase by 0.75 cents every year until 2024.[25]
- Oregon: On July 1, 2022, the minimum wage increased in Oregon. Passed in 2016, the legislation for the state's minimum wage divided the state into three regions. On July 1, 2022, the minimum wage in portions of the three counties classified as the metropolitan Portland urban growth area increased from $14.00 to $14.75. The minimum wage increased in the 15 counties classified as standard from $12.75 to $13.50. The minimum wage increased in the 18 counties classified as nonurban from $12.00 to $12.50. To read more about Oregon's regional minimum wages, see the regional minimum wages section below.[26]
- Washington, D.C.: The minimum wage in Washington, D.C., which was $15.20 as of 2021, was set to increase annually on July 1 based on changes to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).[27]
Effective September 30, 2022
Initiatives
- Florida: Florida's minimum wage increased from $10.00 per hour to $11.00 per hour. On November 3, 2020, voters approved Amendment 2 by a vote of 60.82% to 39.18%. The initiative was designed to increase the state's minimum wage, which was $8.56 in 2020, to $15 per hour by September 2026.[28]
States with regional minimum wages
In 2016, both New York and Oregon passed laws increasing state minimum wages. Both states divided counties between three different categories and gave them each a different minimum wage rate.
New York
In New York, the minimum wage varied between counties classified as New York City, Long Island and Westchester, and upstate. In 2022, the minimum wage in the five counties composing New York City was $15.00. On December 31, 2021, the minimum wage in the three counties composing Long Island and Westchester increased from $14.00 to $15.00. The minimum wage in the 54 counties composing upstate New York increased from $12.50 to $13.20.[5]
Oregon
In Oregon, the minimum wage varied between counties classified as metropolitan Portland, standard, and nonurban. On July 1, 2022, the minimum wage in portions of the three counties classified as the metropolitan Portland urban growth area increased from $14.00 to $14.75. The minimum wage increased in the 15 counties classified as standard from $12.75 to $13.50. The minimum wage increased in the 18 counties classified as nonurban from $12.00 to $12.50.[29]
Recent and proposed ballot measures
There were no statewide minimum wage ballot measures in 2021. Voters in Tucson, Arizona, approved a $15 per hour minimum wage initiative.
2022 measures
| State | Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NE | Initiative 433 | Increase the minimum wage from $9 to $15 by 2026 |
|
386,756 (59%) |
272,603 (41%) |
|
| NV | Question 2 | Increase the minimum wage to $12 by July 1, 2024 |
|
545,828 (55%) |
443,318 (45%) |
2020 measures
| State | Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL | Amendment 2 | Increase the state minimum wage to $15 by 2026 |
|
6,391,753 (61%) |
4,117,815 (39%) |
2018 measures
| State | Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR | Issue 5 | Incrementally increase the minimum wage in Arkansas to $11 an hour by 2021 |
|
605,784 (68%) |
279,046 (32%) |
|
| MO | Proposition B | Increase the state's minimum wage each year until reaching $12 in 2023 |
|
1,499,002 (62%) |
905,647 (38%) |
2016 measures
| State | Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZ | Proposition 206 | Increase the minimum wage to $10 in 2017, and then incrementally to $12 by 2020, and create a right to paid sick time off from employment |
|
1,465,639 (58%) |
1,046,945 (42%) |
|
| SD | Referred Law 20 | Uphold or repeal Senate Bill 177 (SB 177), a law decreasing the minimum wage for workers under age 18 from $8.50 to $7.50 |
|
104,185 (29%) |
256,686 (71%) |
|
| WA | Initiative 1433 | Incrementally increase the state's minimum wage from $9.47 to $13.50 by 2020 and mandating employers to offer paid sick leave |
|
1,848,583 (57%) |
1,370,907 (43%) |
|
| CO | Amendment 42 | Set the minimum wage for workers, set the minimum wage for tipped workers, and adjust the minimum wages annually based on inflation. |
|
823,526 (53%) |
721,531 (47%) |
The history of minimum wage ballot measures
- See also: Minimum wage on the ballot
From 1996 to 2022, there were 28 minimum wage increase measures on the ballot. Voters approved 26 (92.86%) and rejected two (7.14%).[30]
As of 2022, the last time that voters rejected a minimum wage increase measure was in 1996, when measures were defeated in Missouri and Montana.
The following chart shows election outcomes for minimum wage increase ballot measures from 1996 to 2022.
| Measures to increase state minimum wages (1996-2022) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | State | Measure | Wage | Type | Yes votes (%) | No votes (%) | Outcome |
| 2022 | Nebraska | Nebraska Initiative 433 | $15.00 (2026) | Initiative | 58.66% | 41.34% | 
|
| 2022 | Nevada | Amendment 2 | $12.00 (2024) | Referral | 55.18% | 44.82% |
|
| 2020 | Florida | Amendment 2 | $15.00 (2026) | Initiative | 60.82% | 39.18% |
|
| 2018 | Arkansas | Issue 5 | $11.00 (2021) | Initiative | 68.46% | 31.54% |
|
| 2018 | Missouri | Proposition B | $12.00 (2023) | Initiative | 62.34% | 37.66% |
|
| 2016 | Arizona | Proposition 206 | $12.00 (2020) | Initiative | 58.33% | 41.67% |
|
| 2016 | Colorado | Amendment 70 | $12.00 (2020) | Initiative | 55.36% | 44.64% |
|
| 2016 | Maine | Question 4 | $12.00 (2020) | Initiative | 55.50% | 44.50% |
|
| 2016 | Washington | Initiative 1433 | $13.50 (2020) | Initiative | 57.42% | 42.58% |
|
| 2014 | Alaska | Measure 3 | $9.75 (2016) | Initiative | 69.35% | 30.65% |
|
| 2014 | Arkansas | Issue 5 | $8.50 (2017) | Initiative | 65.94% | 34.06% |
|
| 2014 | Nebraska | Initiative 425 | $9.00 (2016) | Initiative | 59.47% | 40.53% |
|
| 2014 | South Dakota | Measure 18 | $8.50 (2015) | Initiative | 55.05% | 44.95% |
|
| 2013 | New Jerseu | Question 2 | $8.25 (2014) | Referral | 61.26% | 38.74% |
|
| 2006 | Arizona | Proposition 2022 | $6.75 (2007) | Initiative | 65.37% | 34.63% |
|
| 2006 | Colorado | Initiative 42 | $6.85 (2007) | Initiative | 53.30% | 46.70% |
|
| 2006 | Missouri | Proposition B | $6.50 (2007) | Initiative | 75.94% | 24.06% |
|
| 2006 | Montana | I-151 | $6.50 (2007) | Initiative | 72.69% | 27.31% |
|
| 2006 | Nevada | Question 6 | $6.15 (2006)[31] | Initiative | 68.71% | 31.29% |
|
| 2006 | Ohio | Amendment 2 | $6.85 (2007) | Initiative | 56.65% | 43.35% |
|
| 2004 | Florida | Amendment 5 | $6.15 (2005) | Initiative | 71.25% | 28.75% |
|
| 2004 | Nevada | Question 6 | $6.15 (2006)[31] | Initiative | 68.4% | 31.6% |
|
| 2002 | Oregon | Measure 25 | $6.90 (2003) | Initiative | 51.3% | 48.7% |
|
| 1998 | Washington | Initiative 688 | $6.50 (2000) | Initiative | 66.1% | 33.9% |
|
| 1996 | California | Proposition 210 | $5.75 (1998) | Initiative | 61.45% | 38.55% |
|
| 1996 | Missouri | Proposition A | $6.75 (1999)[32] | Initiative | 28.70% | 71.30% | 
|
| 1996 | Montana | I-121 | $6.25 (2000) | Initiative | 43.53% | 56.47% |
|
| 1996 | Oregon | Measure 36 | $6.50 (1999) | Initiative | 56.85% | 43.15% |
|
State minimum wage data
See also
- Minimum wage on the ballot
- Minimum wage by state in the United States
- Minimum wage increases in 2024
- Minimum wage increases in 2023
- Minimum wage increases in 2022
- Minimum wage increases in 2021
- Minimum wage increases in 2020
- Minimum wage increases in 2019
- Minimum wage increases in 2018
Additional reading
- ProCon.org, "State-by-State Minimum Wage Levels"
- ProCon.org, "Should the Federal Minimum Wage Be Increased?"
- ProCon.org, "Should the federal minimum wage be increased: Pro and Con quotes"
- ProCon.org, "Should the federal minimum wage be increased: Background of the Issue"
Footnotes
- ↑ Note: One of the initiatives was amended by the legislature.
- ↑ Business Insider, "Rhode Island just passed a law raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2025," accessed December 21, 2021
- ↑ Delaware Business Times, "Carney signs bill to set minimum wage to $15 by 2025," accessed December 21, 2021
- ↑ National Employment Law Project, "Record number of cities, states will increase minimum wgaes in 2022," December 20, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 New York Department of Labor, "New York State's Minimum Wage," accessed December 20, 2021
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "2016 Initiatives, referendums & recalls," accessed March 31, 2016
- ↑ Maine Department of Labor, "New Minimum Wage Increases," December 6, 2018
- ↑ Springfield News-Leader, "When does the minimum wage go up in Missouri?" November 7, 2018
- ↑ KPAX, "Montana's minimum wage is scheduled to increase in January," October 1, 2019
- ↑ NFIB, "2020 Ohio Minimum Wage To Be $8.70 Per Hour," October 2, 2019
- ↑ KSFY News, "South Dakota minimum wage to increase in 2020," October 10, 2019
- ↑ USA Today, "California reaches deal on $15 minimum wage," March 28, 2018
- ↑ Delaware Business Times, "Carney signs bill to set minimum wage to $15 by 2025," accessed December 21, 2021
- ↑ Illinois.gov, "Gov. Pritzker Signs Historic Minimum Wage Legislation Giving 1.4 Million Illinoisans a Raise," February 19, 2019
- ↑ The Baltimore Sun, "Maryland's minimum wage increase, explained," March 29, 2019
- ↑ Boston.com, "What you need to know about the ‘grand bargain’ that Charlie Baker just signed into law," June 28, 2018
- ↑ Michigan State Legislature, "Senate Bill 1171," accessed December 5, 2018
- ↑ Twin Cities Pioneer Press, "Minnesota sets new minimum wage for 2019," August 23, 2018
- ↑ State of New Jersey, "Governor Murphy Signs Landmark Legislation Raising Minimum Wage to $15 Per Hour," February 4, 2019
- ↑ U.S. News, "New Mexico Adopts First Minimum Wage Increase in a Decade," April 1, 2019
- ↑ Business Insider, "Rhode Island just passed a law raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2025," accessed December 22, 2021
- ↑ StateNet, "Vermont Act 86," accessed December 10, 2020
- ↑ BillTrack50, "Virginia House Bill 395," accessed December 10, 2020
- ↑ The Office of Governor Ned Lamont, "Governor Lamont Signs Minimum Wage Increase," May 28, 2019
- ↑ Review-Journal, "Sisolak signs bill raising minimum wage to $12 an hour in Nevada," June 12, 2019
- ↑ Oregon, "Minimum Wage," accessed December 11, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Minimum Wages," accessed December 14, 2020
- ↑ Florida Department of Elections, "Initiative Information," accessed November 11, 2019
- ↑ Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, "Oregon Minimum Wage Rate Summary," accessed December 20, 2021
- ↑ Note: In 2014, voters approved an advisory question on increasing the minimum wage in Illinois. As this question was nonbinding, the measure is not counted here.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Question 6 provided that employers to compensate employees $5.15 per hour when the employer provides health benefits or $6.15 per hour when the employer does not provide health benefits.
- ↑ Proposition A would have also added 15 cents to the minimum wage each year beginning in 2000.
