2017 Alaska Minimum Wage
The 2017 Alaska Minimum Wage is $9.80.
Effective 2017-01-01Source: Alaska Minimum Wage to Increase to $9.80 (News Release No. 16-44) (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2016
| Item | 2016 | 2017 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $9.75 | $9.80 | +$0.05 (+0.5%) |
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in Alaska subject to the state minimum wage
What changed this year, and why
The Alaska state minimum wage increased to $9.80 per hour in 2017, up from $9.75 in 2016, as a result of the annual inflation adjustment required by Alaska law.
Common questions
- Does the Alaska minimum wage apply to tipped employees?
- Yes. Tips do not count toward the Alaska minimum wage. Employers must pay at least the full minimum wage for all hours worked regardless of tips received.
- How is the employee paid?
- The Alaska minimum wage applies to all hours worked in a pay period regardless of how the employee is paid—whether by time, piece, commission, or otherwise.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
The DOL press release announcing Alaska's 2017 minimum wage does not address whether minors, students, or trainees may be paid less than the $9.80 hourly rate. The document states that the Alaska minimum wage applies to all hours worked in a pay period regardless of how the employee is paid, whether by time, piece, commission, or otherwise, and that tips do not count toward the minimum wage. However, it contains no mention of subminimum rates for any category of worker. Information about who may be paid less than the standard rate in Alaska would need to come from a different source, such as the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development's guidance on student learners, apprentices, or workers with disabilities.
The Alaska minimum wage applies to all hours worked in a pay period regardless of how the employee is paid: whether by time, piece, commission, or otherwise. All actual hours worked in a pay period multiplied by the Alaska minimum wage is the very least an employee can be compensated by an employer. Tips do not count toward the minimum wage.
Alaska Minimum Wage to Increase to $9.80 (News Release No. 16-44) (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
If you have questions about Alaska's minimum wage or need to file a wage complaint, you can contact the Alaska Women's Business Initiative (AWIB). The press release lists Heather Beaty, AWIB Executive Director, as the contact person. You can reach her at 907-269-3569 or by email at Heather.Beaty@alaska.gov. This is the state office that can provide information about the current minimum wage rate of $9.80 per hour and help workers understand their rights under Alaska law. If you believe your employer is not paying you the correct wage, this is where you should direct your concerns.
For more information: Heather Beaty, AWIB Executive Director 907-269-3569, Heather.Beaty@alaska.gov
Alaska Minimum Wage to Increase to $9.80 (News Release No. 16-44) (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
In Alaska, employers may not use tips as a credit toward the state minimum wage. Even if a worker regularly receives tips from customers, the employer must still pay at least $9.80 per hour in direct wages before counting any tip income. This rule applies to all hours worked in a pay period, whether the employee is paid by time, piece, commission, or any other method. An Alaskan worker who earns tips should therefore expect a base wage that meets the full state minimum on its own; tips are extra compensation and do not reduce the employer’s obligation. If tips are low in a given pay period, the employer still cannot pay less than the minimum hourly rate.
Tips do not count toward the minimum wage.
Alaska Minimum Wage to Increase to $9.80 (News Release No. 16-44) (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
Alaska's minimum wage is adjusted each year based on inflation. Under Alaska Statute 23.10.065(a), the rate is recalculated using the Consumer Price Index for urban consumers in the Anchorage metropolitan area (Anchorage CPI-U) from the preceding calendar year. This annual cost-of-living adjustment was established when Alaska voters approved a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage. The adjustment is automatic: workers and employers in Alaska do not need to petition for it. The new rate takes effect at the start of each year based on the published index figure. For 2017 the rate reached $9.80 per hour. This means that Alaska workers can expect the minimum wage to keep pace with the cost of living in the Anchorage area without requiring new legislation each session.
Alaska Statute 23.10.065(a) requires the Alaska minimum wage to be adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for urban consumers in the Anchorage metropolitan area (Anchorage CPI-U) for the preceding calendar year.
Alaska Minimum Wage to Increase to $9.80 (News Release No. 16-44) (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
Alaska Minimum Wage to Increase to $9.80 (News Release No. 16-44) (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
- Hourly
Alaska Minimum Wage to Increase to $9.80
Other years
Every Alaska Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state