2017 Federal Minimum Wage
The 2017 Federal Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2017-01-01Source: Minimum Wage (DOL)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2016
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2016.
| Item | 2016 | 2017 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the workers they employ
What changed this year, and why
The federal minimum wage remained at $7.25 per hour for 2017, unchanged from 2016.
Common questions
- What was the federal minimum wage in 2017?
- The federal minimum wage was $7.25 per hour in 2017.
- Did the federal minimum wage change from 2016 to 2017?
- No. The federal minimum wage was $7.25 per hour in both 2016 and 2017.
- Can states set a higher minimum wage?
- Yes. Many states have their own minimum wage laws. When a state minimum wage is higher than the federal rate, employers must pay the higher amount.
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
The federal minimum wage is set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) at $7.25 per hour, but this is not the final word on what workers must be paid. The FLSA does not handle disputes over wages that exceed the federal minimum or over promised compensation like fringe benefits. Instead, employees who believe they are owed wages above the federal minimum must look to state law. Some states have created procedures where workers can file claims for unpaid wages, including commissions and fringe benefits that their employer promised but did not deliver. Workers should contact their state labor office or wage enforcement agency to learn whether their state offers this type of claim process and to file a complaint if needed.
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. 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
Under Federal law, when both the federal minimum wage and a state minimum wage apply to an employee, the employer must comply with both laws. The sentence in the source document states that some state laws provide greater employee protections, which means when a state has set a higher minimum wage than the federal level, the state rate applies because it offers greater protection to workers. By this logic, when a state rate is lower than the federal floor of $7.25 per hour, the federal rate controls because it provides the greater worker protection. Employers in Federal must follow whichever standard is more beneficial to the employee, ensuring workers receive at least the federal minimum regardless of their state's rate.
Some state laws provide greater employee protections; employers must comply with both.
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