More Money! New Jersey’s Minimum Wage Is Going Up

According to NJ.Gov, as of December 2025, the current minimum wage in New Jersey for most hourly workers is $15.49 per hour, which went into effect on January 1, 2025. This is the rate that applies through the end of December when the next scheduled increase kicks in on January 1, 2026.

Get our free mobile app

NJ.Gov added, "So right now, people working in New Jersey who are covered by the standard wage rules must be paid at least $15.49 an hour (unless special rules apply for small/seasonal employers, tipped employees, or agricultural workers)."

When Will New Jersey's Minimum Wage Next Increase?

The next scheduled increase in the "minimum wage" here in the Garden State will be in just a few days. The next scheduled increase will take place on January 1, 2026. The minimum wage will increase to $15.92/hour. So the average worker in New Jersey making minimum wage on January first will get a bump of $17.20 an hour, based on a 40-hour work week.

What State/District Has The Highest Minimum Wages In America?

As of December 2025, workers earn the highest minimum hourly pay in the nation in the District of Columbia, where the wage floor is just under eighteen dollars ($17.95) an hour. This rate is $2.03 an hour higher than where NJ is scheduled to be on January 1st. No U.S. state sets its minimum wage higher than D.C.’s. Close behind are Washington state, which pays workers more than sixteen and a half dollars per hour, along with parts of California and New York, where minimum wages are also in the mid-sixteen-dollar range.