California’s minimum wage is gradually going to become the highest in the nation and could affect nearly 5 million workers.
A 2018 study by the UC Berkeley Labor Center defines low-wage workers as those earning less than two-thirds of the median full-time wage in California.
About 32% of California’s workers, some 4.9 million, earned less than $14.35 an hour in 2017.
The chart below shows California’s minimum wage increases since 1964 and projections for the next several years.
Wages by state
- California has one of the highest minimum wage rates ($12) in the nation.
- Seattle has the highest minimum wage rate at $16 for large employers and $15 for small employers.
- New York City’s minimum wage is $15 for all employers.
Worker profile
Figures may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
Low wages, by industry
Those with the highest share of workers earning low wages, 2016
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 71%
- Restaurants and other food services: 66%
- Grocery stores: 54%
- Community, family and child care services: 51%
- Administrative and business services: 49%
Where the low-wage workers are
Source: UC Berkeley Labor Center, California Department of Industrial Relations, U.S. Department of Labor