Prairie State Wire

Illinois’ minimum wage is set to go up by $1 in the new year, reaching $13 per hour and placing the Prairie State among the states with the 13 highest minimum wage levels in the nation, the Labor Law Center reported.

Illinois’ minimum wage is also $4.75 more than it was a decade ago in 2013, according to the center, which works with businesses to ensure they’re compliant with labor regulations. In comparison, the state with the highest minimum wage level this year is Washington, which requires entry-level workers to be paid at least $15.74.

As a result of changing minimum wage laws, the Economic Policy Institute reports that 8.4 million U.S. workers received a pay hike on New Year’s Day. In sum, the workers’ wages will increase by a collective $5 billion, according to the institute. 

The biggest increase this year among all 50 states was in Nebraska, where the minimum wage is increasing by $1.50 per hour. 

The changes in minimum wages nationwide stem from state law triggers, initiative or legislative actions or automatic inflation adjustments, the institute reported. The current federal minimum wage is only $7.25 per hour. 

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State Minimum Wage Levels in 2023

State	2013	2022	2023	Change Between 2013 and 2023
Alabama	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Alaska	$7.75	$10.34	$10.85	$3.10
Arizona	$7.80	$12.80	$13.85	$6.05
Arkansas	$7.25	$11.00	$11.00	$3.75
California	$8.00	$15.00	$15.50	$7.50
Colorado	$7.78	$12.56	$13.65	$5.87
Connecticut	$8.25	$14.00	$14.00	$5.75
Delaware	$7.25	$10.50	$11.75	$4.50
District of Columbia	$8.25	$16.10	TBD	TBD
Florida	$7.79	$10.00	$11.00	$3.21
Georgia	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Hawaii	$7.25	$12.00	TBD	TBD
Idaho	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Illinois	$8.25	$12.00	$13.00	$4.75
Indiana	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Iowa	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Kansas	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Kentucky	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Louisiana	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Maine	$7.50	$12.75	$13.80	$6.30
Maryland	$7.25	$12.50	$13.25	$6.00
Massachusetts	$8.00	$14.25	$15.00	$7.00
Michigan	$7.40	$9.87	TBD	TBD
Minnesota	$6.15	$10.33	$10.59	$4.44
Mississippi	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Missouri	$7.35	$11.15	$12.00	$4.65
Montana	$7.65	$9.20	$9.95	$2.30
Nebraska	$7.25	$9.00	$10.50	$3.25
Nevada	$8.25	$10.50	TBD	TBD
New Hampshire	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
New Jersey	$7.25	$13.00	$14.13	$6.88
New Mexico	$7.50	$11.50	$12.00	$4.50
New York	$7.25	$13.20	$14.20	$6.95
North Carolina	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
North Dakota	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Ohio	$7.85	$9.30	$10.10	$2.25
Oklahoma	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Oregon	$8.95	$13.50	TBD	TBD
Pennsylvania	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Puerto Rico	$6.55	$8.50	TBD	TBD
Rhode Island	$7.75	$12.25	$13.00	$5.25
South Carolina	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
South Dakota	$7.25	$9.95	$10.80	$3.55
Tennessee	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Texas	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Utah	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Vermont	$8.60	$12.55	$13.18	$4.58
Virginia	$7.25	$11.00	$12.00	$4.75
Washington	$9.19	$14.49	$15.74	$6.55
West Virginia	$7.25	$8.75	$8.75	$1.50
Wisconsin	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00
Wyoming	$7.25	$7.25	$7.25	$0.00

Source: Labor Law Center