2026 New Jersey Minimum Wage
The 2026 New Jersey Minimum Wage is $15.92.
Effective 2026-01-01Source: State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2025
| Item | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $15.49 | $15.92 | +$0.43 (+2.8%) |
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in New Jersey covered by the state minimum wage law. The Department of Labor's table gives a basic minimum rate that applies generally, and then names a lower rate for employers below a stated headcount and for employees engaged in seasonal employment. That lower figure is in the source but is not published on this page, which carries the general rate only. The entry also states a weekly threshold after which premium pay is due, and the table does not display subminimum rates for minors, students or trainees.
What changed this year, and why
The U.S. Department of Labor's table of state minimum wage laws, updated July 1, 2026, lists New Jersey's basic minimum rate as $15.92 per hour. The entry states that the minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula, so the figure on this page is the one the table carried as of that update. No earlier year of this record is published here, so this page states no year-over-year change.
Common questions
- What is the minimum wage in New Jersey in 2026?
- It is $15.92 per hour. That is the basic minimum rate the U.S. Department of Labor lists for New Jersey in its State Minimum Wage Laws table, in the version updated July 1, 2026. The figure published here is taken from that entry and from nothing else, so it reflects the general state rate as the department recorded it on that date.
- Is there a lower New Jersey minimum wage for small employers?
- Yes. The table's New Jersey entry names a separate, lower minimum wage per hour for employers who employ fewer than a stated number of people, and applies that same lower rate to employees engaged in seasonal employment. This page publishes the general rate only, so an employer below that headcount should read the entry itself rather than the figure shown here.
- Does the New Jersey minimum wage rise every year?
- The entry states that the minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula. That is more than most entries in this table say: the majority list a rate with no adjustment language at all. The entry names the existence of the formula without printing it, so this page reports that an annual adjustment applies and does not describe how the calculation is performed.
- What is the seasonal minimum wage in New Jersey?
- The table's entry applies its lower rate to employees engaged in seasonal employment as well as to employers below a stated headcount. It does not define seasonal employment, name the industries it covers, or set out how an employer qualifies. Those details are not in the source this page rests on, so the page does not state them.
- Does New Jersey require daily overtime?
- The entry states a weekly threshold after which premium pay is due, and no daily one. A handful of entries in the same table state both a daily and a weekly threshold; New Jersey's is among the majority that state the weekly threshold alone. The hour count itself is a figure in the source that this page does not republish.
- Is there a separate tipped minimum wage for New Jersey?
- The Department of Labor's state table lists a basic minimum rate per hour for New Jersey and no separate cash wage for tipped employees, so this page does not publish one. The same table says plainly that differential provisions are not displayed in it, naming subminimum rates for minors and students and training wages for new hires as its examples.
- Is New Jersey's minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage?
- Yes. The same Department of Labor table cites the current federal minimum wage in its entries for states that have no minimum wage law of their own, and New Jersey's basic minimum rate is well above that amount. New Jersey's entry also carries no clause adopting the federal rate by reference or replacing the state rate when the federal one is higher, which several other states' entries do carry.
- Where does the $15.92 figure on this page come from?
- From the Wage and Hour Division's State Minimum Wage Laws table at dol.gov, in the snapshot captured for this record, where the New Jersey entry gives the basic minimum rate per hour as $15.92. The division notes on the same page that it tries to ensure the information is accurate and that individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information.
Every amount on this page is a published figure rather than yours. The Minimum wage pay calculator takes the number you enter and works it out against them, showing which published figure it used.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
This page lists the general minimum wage rates that apply in each state and at the federal level. However, those rates do not apply to every worker in every situation. The document notes that some states establish subminimum wage rates specifically for minors and students, meaning that younger workers or those enrolled in school may legally be paid less than the standard rate shown. In addition, certain states completely exempt these categories of workers from minimum wage coverage, so the standard floor does not apply to them at all. Some states also allow employers to pay a lower training wage to newly hired employees during an initial period, which is separate from the regular minimum. These special provisions vary widely from state to state, and the table on this page does not attempt to display them. Workers or employers who need to know whether a subminimum rate applies should check their specific state's rules, as they can differ significantly from the rates published here.
Some states set subminimum rates for minors and/or students or exempt them from coverage or have a training wage for new hires.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
This page displays the minimum wage rates set at the state and federal levels. It does not, however, include every local minimum wage that may apply in a given area. Cities, counties, and other local jurisdictions sometimes enact their own minimum wage laws that set a higher hourly floor than the state rate. When a local rate exceeds the state or federal minimum, workers in that locality are generally entitled to the higher amount. Because these local rates change frequently and vary block by block or city by city, this table does not attempt to list them. Workers should check whether their city or county has its own minimum wage ordinance and, if so, at what level it is set. The higher of the applicable federal, state, or local rate governs the pay an employer must provide.
Some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage. Such differential provisions are not displayed in this table.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, covered nonexempt employees must receive overtime pay for hours worked beyond a full workweek. The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified. This means that for every hour worked past the weekly threshold, the employee must be paid at least time and a half of whatever their normal hourly rate is. The regular rate includes all earnings such as hourly wages, commissions, and certain bonuses, not just the base hourly amount. With the minimum wage at $15.92 per hour, the overtime premium would bring the minimum overtime rate to a corresponding higher amount based on that figure. The overtime requirement applies on a per-workweek basis, not daily. Some states have their own overtime laws that may require premium pay at different thresholds, and those state-specific rules may offer greater protection to workers. When both federal and state overtime rules apply, the employee is entitled to whichever provides the greater benefit.
The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
If you have questions about the minimum wage rate or need to file a wage complaint, you should contact the relevant state labor office. The Wage and Hour Division maintains this information, but individuals should consult with their state labor office for official and current information about minimum wage requirements. State labor offices can provide guidance on both state and local minimum wage rates, overtime rules, and how to file complaints if employers are not paying the correct wages. Contact information for state labor offices is available through the Department of Labor.
The Wage and Hour Division tries to ensure that the information on this page is accurate, but individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
In New Jersey, the state minimum wage is adjusted every year through a formula tied to the cost of living, so the rate changes with inflation rather than waiting for the legislature to pass a new figure. The adjustment is announced by the state government before each new year's rate takes effect. For 2026, that adjustment sets New Jersey's hourly minimum wage at $15.92. Because the rate is recalculated annually using a price index, workers and employers in New Jersey can expect the floor under wages to move each year in line with changes in consumer prices, rather than remaining frozen at the same dollar amount until a separate law changes it.
New Jersey Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.92 Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Weekly - 40 The minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula.
State Minimum Wage Laws (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.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
- Hourly
New Jersey Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.92
Other years
Every New Jersey Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state