SACRAMENTO - California workers will see another increase in the state’s minimum wage next year.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California’s statewide minimum wage will increase beginning Jan. 1, 2027, under the state’s annual inflation adjustment.

California’s statewide minimum wage is automatically adjusted each year for inflation and is intended to help workers keep pace with the rising cost of living without requiring lawmakers to pass new legislation.

Beginning Jan. 1, California’s statewide minimum wage will increase to $17.40 an hour. State officials said the new rate will be the highest statewide minimum wage in the nation and nearly two-and-a-half times the federal minimum wage.

The governor’s office said California’s statewide minimum wage has increased from $12 an hour when Newsom took office to $17.40 an hour beginning in 2027.

Some California cities and counties already require employers to pay local minimum wages that exceed the statewide rate, meaning workers in those jurisdictions may already earn more than the new statewide minimum. (Source: KTLA)

Story Date: July 31, 2026