OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) announced on Tuesday that Washington’s minimum wage will rise 2.8 percent next year, to $17.13 an hour.

The increase takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.

State law requires L&I to calculate the minimum wage for the coming year using the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) . L&I compares the CPI-W from August of the previous year to August of the current year to determine if a change is needed.

Washington’s current state minimum wage of $16.66 is the highest in the nation. The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 an hour.

However, the non-profit Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI) says the increase will hurt the nearly 700 businesses they help serve.

See Full Page