Seattle announces annual minimum wage increase for January 1

The minimum wage in Seattle will increase to $21.30 per hour on January 1, 2026, in accordance with the annual increase required by Seattle’s minimum wage ordinance.

The 2.6% minimum wage increase will also be applied regardless of an employee’s immigration status, the Office of Labor Standards (OLS) announced.

OLS noted the wage increases reflect the rate of inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area.

“All employers, regardless of schedule size, will be required to pay the same minimum wage,” OLS stated. “Small employers will no longer be able to count tip and/or payments toward an employee’s medical benefit plan toward an employee’s minimum compensation requirements under Seattle’s Minimum Wage Ordinance.”

Seattle’s minimum wage increase history

In 2014, the Seattle City Council unanimously approved the “$15 Now” campaign to establish a $15-per-hour minimum wage in Seattle, according to The Capitol Hill Seattle Blog.

This movement took several years to reach its goal, but in 2017, companies with more than 500 employees reached a $15 minimum wage. Two years later, the same $15 minimum wage became law for companies with fewer than 500 employees.

At the beginning of 2025, Seattle’s minimum wage increased to $20.76 per hour, and will increase each new year on Jan. 1.

The highest year-to-year minimum wage increase in Seattle was the 2018-2019 revision, which raised small employee wages by 30.4% from $11.50 to $15, and large employee wages by 18.8% from $13 to $15.45.

Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here.