Seattle minimum wage rising to more than $22 an hour in 2027
Sep 28, 2026, 5:30 PM
Seattle glows during the night. (Photo courtesy of the City of Seattle)
(Photo courtesy of the City of Seattle)
Seattle workers can expect a pay increase in the new year, as the city’s minimum wage will rise to $22.14 an hour on Jan. 1.
That’s up 84 cents from the current rate.
The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) said the increase reflects inflation in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area.
With this increase, Seattle’s minimum wage will surpass Burien ($21.63 an hour) and Tukwila ($21.65 an hour) for the highest in the state.
Amazon raises minimum pay for warehouse workers to $20 an hour
The City of Seattle isn’t the only employer increasing wages.
Earlier this month, Amazon announced it is raising the minimum starting wage for its full-time U.S. operations employees to $20 an hour, a $ 1-per-hour increase the company said represents more than a $1.5 billion investment.
Average pay for the warehouse workers who sort, pack, and ship orders will now reach nearly $24 an hour. The pay increase takes effect Sept. 27.
The company’s minimum starting pay has risen more than 17% over the past three years. Amazon first set its minimum wage at $15 an hour in 2018.
