Washington’s Minimum Wage Set To Rise In January 2026

If you are a minimum wage worker in Washington state, you are due for another pay increase in January of 2026. Just talking about the minimum wage in the state of Washington can be a little controversial. Many business owners are up in arms over it. 

According to Seattletimes.com,
‘The minimum wage for workers in Seattle and Washington state is going up.
The state minimum wage will rise 2.8%, from $16.66 per hour to $17.13, on Jan. 1, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries announced Tuesday.’ 

$17.13 an hour actually sounds like a lot of money unless of course you have to actually live on it. I understand why business owners are up in arms, especially if you are in a service business. A higher minimum wage means higher overhead, which means you may have to raise your prices. No merchant wants to raise their prices. 

Let's get a little perspective. 

In 1974, the minimum wage was $1.80 an hour. The minimum wage didn't surpass $5.00 an hour until 1997 at $5.15 an hour. By the way, that increase was federally mandated. It wasn't until 2017 that the minimum wage broke $10.00 landing at $11.00 an hour. 

According to US Labor and Industries, Washington state has the highest minimum wage in the country. 

Now take a look at Seattle. 

If you work in the Seattle area, your wage goes even higher. On January 1st your minimum wage will go up to $21.31 an hour. (My granddaughter Katie is excited about that. She works at Chick-fil-A.) 

Looking at it from the outside, it seems like a vicious circle. The cost of living goes up, the minimum wage goes Up, then the cost of living goes up a little bit more. 

Look, I have no solution to this problem. I'm just somebody looking at it from the outside and shaking my head. If I did come up with a solution that worked, I'd be famous.
Here’s how much minimum wage will increase in WA, Seattle | The Seattle Times
History of Washington State's Minimum Wage