Washington to raise minimum wage to $16.66 in 2025

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Minimum wage workers in Washington are about to get a pay raise in 2025, the state’s labor department announced Monday.

Starting Jan. 1, workers will earn $16.66 per hour after the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries determined the amount based on the national Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners. The current minimum wage in Washington is $16.28

State officials say that housing and food costs have increased across the country, though Washington currently has the highest state minimum wage in the U.S. As of 2024, the federal minimum wage still rests at $7.25 per hour.

However, some cities have set their minimum wages even higher than the state minimum for next year. For instance, the Seattle minimum wage will become $17.25 per hour in 2025.