2016 Federal Minimum Wage
The 2016 Federal Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2016-01-01Source: Minimum Wage (DOL)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2015
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2015.
| Item | 2015 | 2016 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Many states have their own minimum wage laws that may provide greater protections; employers must comply with both federal and applicable state requirements.
What changed this year, and why
The federal minimum wage for 2016 is $7.25 per hour, unchanged from 2015.
Common questions
- Did the federal minimum wage change in 2016?
- No. The federal minimum wage in 2016 is $7.25 per hour, which is the same rate as in 2015.
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
The federal minimum wage statute does not create a process for recovering wages or commissions that an employer has promised above the $7.25 per hour federal floor. If a worker is owed more than the minimum wage, the federal law does not supply a collection mechanism for those excess amounts. Many states, however, have their own wage-payment laws under which an employee can file a claim to recover unpaid wages, and those state claims sometimes cover fringe benefits as well. Workers who believe they are owed wages above the federal minimum should contact their state labor agency to learn whether the state offers a claims process and what steps are required to file.
However, some states do have laws under which such claims (sometimes including fringe benefits) may be filed.
Minimum Wage (DOL)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
The $7.25 federal minimum is a floor and not a ceiling, and for most workers in the United States it is not the operative number. Many states set their own minimum wage, some of them well above the federal one, and where a state gives greater protection the employer must comply with both laws - which in practice means paying the higher rate. Nothing in the federal act preempts the more generous state rule; it sets the minimum below which no covered employer may go. Two consequences worth carrying. Your own rate is the highest of the federal, state and local figures that reach your job, so the number to look up is your state's and your city's rather than this one. And a job that pays exactly $7.25 in a state with a higher minimum is not a lawful federal-rate job; it is an underpaid one.
Many states also have minimum wage laws. Some state laws provide greater employee protections; employers must comply with both.
Minimum Wage (DOL)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
When both federal and state minimum wage laws apply, the employee is entitled to the higher of the two rates. However, with some limited exceptions, the federal minimum wage rate applies when the state rate is lower. This means that employers in states with minimum wages below the federal floor must still pay at least $7.25 per hour to their non-exempt workers. The rule ensures that no covered employee receives less than the federal baseline, regardless of where they work. Some states set their minimum wage at or above the federal level, but in any jurisdiction where the state law provides a lower rate, the federal standard controls and the employer must comply with it.
Many states also have minimum wage laws. Some state laws provide greater employee protections; employers must comply with both. The FLSA does not provide wage payment collection procedures for an employee’s usual or promised wages or commissions in excess of those required by the FLSA.
Minimum Wage (DOL)
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.
Minimum Wage (DOL)
- Hourly
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour
Other years
Every Federal Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state