About the Minimum Wage Calculator
This minimum wage calculator shows what a job paying the legal minimum earns in each US state. Pick a state, enter your usual hours and weeks worked, and it converts the hourly minimum into weekly, monthly and yearly gross pay, and compares it with the federal $7.25 floor.
Switch on the tipped option to see the minimum cash wage an employer may pay a tipped worker, the tip credit it can claim, and how much you must average in tips each hour for your total pay to reach the full minimum. It is useful for job seekers, servers and bartenders, small employers setting pay, and anyone budgeting on an entry-level wage.
Rates come from the US Department of Labor state minimum wage and tipped wage tables updated 1 July 2026, with Florida’s scheduled increase to $15.00 on 30 September 2026. When a state rate is below $7.25 or there is no state law, the federal rate is used. City and county minimums (for example in California, Washington or Colorado) can be higher, and some states allow lower rates for small businesses, minors or training wages.
With the default inputs, the annual earnings at minimum wage is $15,080. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the minimum wage calculator
- 1Choose your state (or region for New York and Oregon).
- 2Enter your usual weekly hours and the weeks you work in a year.
- 3Turn on the tipped option if you receive tips.
- 4Read the annual, monthly and weekly pay at the minimum wage.
- 5For tipped jobs, check the cash wage and the tips you need per hour.
Formula and method
Weekly pay is the hourly minimum wage (W) times hours worked, with hours above 40 in a workweek paid at time and a half as required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Annual pay multiplies weekly pay by the number of weeks worked, and monthly pay is the annual figure divided by 12.
For tipped employees many states let employers pay a lower cash wage and count tips towards the rest of the minimum (the tip credit). Tips must make up the difference: if cash wages plus tips fall short of the full minimum in any workweek, the employer has to pay the gap. Seven states require the full minimum before tips.
- W
- Applicable state (or federal) minimum wage per hour
- H
- Hours worked per week
- cash wage
- Minimum direct wage an employer must pay a tipped employee
Worked examples
Full-time at the federal minimum in Texas
Texas uses the federal $7.25 minimum. 40 hours × $7.25 = $290 a week, and 52 weeks gives $15,080 a year, or about $1,256.67 a month before tax.
Full-time in Washington State
Washington’s 2026 minimum is $17.13 an hour: 40 × $17.13 = $685.20 a week and $35,630.40 a year — $20,550.40 more than the federal minimum would pay.
Tipped server in Arizona, 30 hours a week
Arizona’s minimum is $15.15 and employers may pay a $12.15 cash wage with a $3.00 tip credit. Over 30 hours × 52 weeks the guaranteed total is $23,634, of which $18,954 is cash wages and at least $3.00 an hour must come from tips.
Frequently asked questions
What is the federal minimum wage in 2026?+
The federal minimum wage is still $7.25 an hour, unchanged since July 2009. Tipped employees can be paid a cash wage of $2.13 an hour under federal law if tips bring them up to $7.25. States can set higher rates, and the higher rate always applies.
Which states have the highest minimum wage in 2026?+
Among states, Washington has the highest at $17.13 an hour, followed by New York City and its suburbs at $17.00, Connecticut at $16.94 and California at $16.90. The District of Columbia is higher still at $18.40.
How much is minimum wage per year full time?+
Multiply the hourly rate by 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks). At the federal $7.25 that is $15,080 a year; at $15 an hour it is $31,200; at $17.13 it is $35,630.40, all before taxes.
What is a tip credit?+
A tip credit lets an employer count part of a tipped employee’s tips towards the minimum wage and pay a lower cash wage. The employer must make up any shortfall if tips do not bring total pay up to the full minimum for the workweek.
Which states do not allow a tip credit?+
Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington require employers to pay the full state minimum wage before tips. Some cities elsewhere, such as Chicago, are phasing out the tip credit too.
Do city minimum wages override the state rate?+
Yes. Where a city or county sets a higher minimum, employers in that area must pay the higher local rate. Many cities in California, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New Mexico have local minimums above the state level.
Results are general estimates and not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction — consult a qualified attorney.