Washington Minimum Wage & Exempt-Salary Thresholds: What’s Changing Jan. 1, 2026
Effective January 1, 2026, Washington will raise both the statewide minimum wage and the salary floor for overtime-exempt employees. The state minimum wage increases 2.8% to $17.13/hour; several jurisdictions (including Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Bellingham, Everett, Burien, and unincorporated King County) may require higher local rates. Because the exempt threshold is tied to a multiplier of the minimum wage, the 2026 salary floor for executive, administrative, professional, and certain computer employees will be 2.25× the state minimum, or $1,541.70 per