Minimum Wage Is Rising in 22 States — Not Louisiana

(KPEL-FM) - Nearly two dozen states and Washington, D.C., will be increasing minimum wages in 2026 in an effort to help lessen income inequity.

Louisiana is not one of those states.

Millions of workers in 22 states, along with the District of Columbia, will soon be earning higher hourly wages.

Which States Are Raising Minimum Wage

The following states will be increasing minimum wages in 2026:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Maine
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington

The current federal minimum wage is set at $7.25 an hour, and it has been at that level since 2009.

READ MORE: Louisiana Ends Corporate Franchise Tax January 1 as Major Tax Reforms Take Effect

How Much Wages Will Increase

In some areas, the minimum wage will be raised to more than double the federal minimum wage. The highest will be in D.C. at $17.95 an hour.

When the Pay Raises Take Effect

Most of the wage increases will take effect January 1, but in three states -- Alaska, Florida, and Oregon -- those bumps won't take place until later in the year.

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Why Minimum Wage Increases Are Debated

The debate for or against raising minimum wages in America will seemingly always be ongoing. The primary reason for raising minimum wages is typically driven by inflation and the rising cost of living. Experts say that inflation erodes the purchasing power of the minimum wage, meaning workers can afford fewer goods and services over time.

What Economists Say About Income Inequality

While the wage increases are good news, they will not solve the affordability crisis, says Amit Batabyal, professor of economics at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

“Wealth inequality in the United States, where the difference between the 1 percenters and the 99 percenters is staggeringly large,” Batabyal said. “It will definitely help people at the lower end of the income distribution.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of hourly workers who earned the federal minimum wage or less last year was around 1%.