2018 Federal Minimum Wage
The 2018 Federal Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2018-01-01Source: Minimum Wage (DOL)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2017
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2017.
| Item | 2017 | 2018 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
What changed this year, and why
The federal minimum wage remained $7.25 per hour in 2018, unchanged from 2017.
Common questions
- What was the federal minimum wage in 2018?
- The federal minimum wage was $7.25 per hour in 2018.
- Did the federal minimum wage change from 2017 to 2018?
- No, the federal minimum wage remained at $7.25 per hour.
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division administers and enforces the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour under the Fair Labor Standards Act. If a worker believes an employer has paid less than that federal floor, a complaint can be directed to the Wage and Hour Division. However, the FLSA does not cover disputes over wages that exceed the federal minimum, such as an employee's contracted rate or earned commissions. For those situations, the federal statute offers no collection procedure. Instead, some states have their own laws that allow workers to file claims for unpaid wages and sometimes fringe benefits. Employees with complaints about pay above the federal minimum should contact their state labor office to learn whether state law provides a process for recovery.
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
In Federal jurisdiction, when a state has set its minimum wage below the federal floor, employers must still pay the higher of the two rates. The U.S. Department of Labor enforces this rule under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). With some limited exceptions, the federal minimum wage rate applies in states where the state rate is lower. For 2018, the federal hourly minimum remains $7.25, so any state whose rate falls short of that amount does not relieve employers of the obligation to pay at least $7.25 per hour. Workers in those states are protected by the federal floor even though their own state legislature set a lower figure. Employers must comply with whichever standard—state or federal—provides the greater protection to the employee.
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