New York set to increase minimum wage; here’s how much more workers will earn

New York’s Staten Island — At the beginning of the new year, New York state minimum wage workers will get a rise.

According to the state Labor Department, the minimum wage will rise to $15.50 per hour in all other parts of the state and to $16.50 per hour in Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties as well as New York City on January 1, 2025.

At the moment, the minimum wage is $15 in all other Empire State counties and $16 in New York City, Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties.

The minimum wage will rise by 50 cents on January 1, 2026, making it $17 in New York City, Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk and $16 in the rest of the state.

In order to guarantee that workers can keep up with the rising cost of living, New York will tie its minimum wage hikes to the rate of inflation, starting in 2027, by the three-year moving average of the CPI-W for the Northeast Region.

“This historic plan to overhaul New York’s minimum wage will ensure that the wages of those most affected by the affordability crisis, such as women, single mothers, and people of color, keep pace with the cost of living in the face of steadily rising costs and inflation,” Governor Kathy Hochul stated. Inflation-indexed minimum wages will help hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers keep their spending power, support our small business community, and contribute to the state economy. This is a win-win situation for both businesses and workers.

According to the state Labor Department, the minimum wage in the state has increased dramatically over the last ten years, nearly doubling from $8 in 2014 to $15.50 in 2025.

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