California minimum wage in 2026
The minimum wage in California is $16.90 an hour in 2026, in effect since January 1, 2026.
Scheduled increases
- January 1, 2027: rises to $17.40
Tipped minimum wage
California doesn't allow a tip credit, so tipped workers get the full $16.90 before tips.
Good to know
- Covered fast food restaurant employees have a separate $20.00 minimum (since April 1, 2024), and certain health care workers have a higher minimum too, according to the California Labor Commissioner.
- Local rates: Some California cities and counties set higher minimum wages; when a local rate is higher, employers must pay it.
How the pay is calculated
Monthly = weekly × 52 ÷ 12 · Yearly = weekly × 52
Federal law requires time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek for most hourly workers, so the calculator pays 1.5× for those hours. The after-tax figure subtracts 2026 federal income tax (with the standard deduction), Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), California income tax and state payroll deductions for the whole year.
Worked example
A full-time job at $16.90 an hour, 40 hours a week: $16.90 × 40 = $676.00 a week. Times 52 weeks, that's $35,152 a year, or $2,929.33 a month.
For a single filer, taxes for the year come to $2,038.24 federal income tax, $2,689.13 Social Security and Medicare, California income tax of $389 and $456.98 in state payroll deductions. That leaves about $29,579 a year, or $568.82 a week.
At $17.40 from January 1, 2027, the same 40-hour week pays $696.00, or $36,192 a year before tax.
California minimum wage pay table
| Hours a week | Weekly | Monthly | Yearly | Yearly after tax* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours | $338.00 | $1,464.67 | $17,576 | $15,855 |
| 30 hours | $507.00 | $2,197.00 | $26,364 | $22,829 |
| 40 hours | $676.00 | $2,929.33 | $35,152 | $29,579 |
*Single filer, 2026 taxes, no pre-tax deductions or local tax.
What this doesn't cover
- Some jobs have their own rules: tipped workers, minors, students, trainees, farm work and very small employers can have different minimums. The U.S. Department of Labor notes its state table doesn't show these.
- Daily overtime rules (for example California's after 8 hours a day) aren't included; only weekly overtime over 40 hours is.
- Tax is an estimate for a full year at the same hours. Refundable credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, which many minimum wage workers qualify for, aren't included.
See your exact paycheck with the California paycheck calculator. Compare every state on the minimum wage by state page.
Sources
- California Labor Commissioner: Minimum Wage
- California DIR: minimum wage to increase to $17.40 on January 1, 2027 (Aug. 13, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Labor: State Minimum Wage Laws (updated July 1, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Labor: Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees (July 1, 2026)
Figures last reviewed October 2026. Tax estimates use the same 2026 federal and state tables as the paycheck calculator.