2023 Washington Minimum Wage
The 2023 Washington Minimum Wage is $15.74.
Effective 2023-01-01Source: Washington minimum wage for 2023 to be $15.74 per hour (Washington State Department of Labor & Industries)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2022
| Item | 2022 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $14.49 | $15.74 | +$1.25 (+8.6%) |
Who it applies to
Most workers employed in Washington State age sixteen and older. Employers may pay a reduced rate to younger workers. Some cities, such as Seattle and SeaTac, set higher local minimum wages.
What changed this year, and why
Washington State's minimum wage increased to $15.74 per hour, effective January 2023. The increase is based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), as required by state law. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries calculates the rate each year.
Common questions
- When did the new rate take effect?
- The $15.74 per hour minimum wage took effect in January 2023.
- Is the Washington minimum wage the same everywhere in the state?
- No. Cities such as Seattle and SeaTac have set higher local minimum wages that apply within their boundaries.
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
In Washington, cities have the authority to set a minimum wage that is higher than the state rate. When a local government does so, the higher local rate applies to workers in that city. For 2023, the Washington State minimum wage is $15.74 per hour, but Seattle and SeaTac have both established higher minimum wages for workers within their boundaries. Employers in those cities must pay the local rate, not the state rate. Workers should check whether their city or county has adopted a higher minimum wage, because the higher rate — whether state or local — is the one they are entitled to be paid.
Cities can set minimum wages higher than the state. Seattle and SeaTac both have higher wages.
Washington minimum wage for 2023 to be $15.74 per hour (Washington State Department of Labor & Industries)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
In Washington, the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) enforces the state's wage-and-hour laws and investigates all wage-payment complaints. A worker who believes they have not been paid the correct minimum wage or overtime can file a worker rights complaint online, download and mail a complaint form, or visit a local L&I office. More information about the minimum wage, overtime, rest breaks, meal periods, and how to file a wage complaint is available on L&I's website. Employers and workers may also call L&I at 360-902-5316 or toll-free at 1-866-219-7321 to ask questions about the rate or to report a problem.
L&I enforces the state’s wage-and-hour laws and investigates all wage-payment complaints. A worker rights complaint can be filed online, downloaded and mailed to the agency, or at a local L&I office. More information about the minimum wage is available on L&I's website, along with details about overtime, rest breaks, meal periods, and information on how to file a wage complaint. Employers and workers may also call 360-902-5316 or 1-866-219-7321.
Washington minimum wage for 2023 to be $15.74 per hour (Washington State Department of Labor & Industries)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
Each year, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) announces a new state minimum wage. State law requires L&I to base the calculation on the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which tracks the cost of common goods such as housing, food, and medical care. To determine the new rate, L&I compares the CPI-W index value from August of the previous year to the index value from August of the current year. The percentage change in the index drives the percentage change in the wage. For 2023, the resulting increase was 8.66 percent, producing an hourly minimum wage of $15.74. L&I issues the announcement in late September, and the new rate takes effect each January.
The 8.66 percent rise is directly linked to the cost of common goods such as housing, food, and medical care as reflected in the Consumer Price Index. State law directs the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) to calculate the minimum wage for the coming year based on the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). In making the calculation, L&I compares the CPI-W index from August of the previous year to the index for August of the current year.
Washington minimum wage for 2023 to be $15.74 per hour (Washington State Department of Labor & Industries)
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.
Washington minimum wage for 2023 to be $15.74 per hour (Washington State Department of Labor & Industries)
- Hourly
The Washington State minimum wage for 2023 will increase to $15.74 an hour in January.
Other years
Every Washington Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state