History of California Minimum Wage

Effective Date Minimum Wage (for Employers with 26 Employees or More) Minimum Wage (for Employers with 25 Employees or Less) Percentage of Increase Over Previous Wage (26 Employees or More) Percentage of Increase Over Previous Wage (25 employees or Less)
January 1, 2018 $11.00/hour $10.50/hour 4.76 percent 5 percent
January 1, 2017 $10.50/hour $10.00/hour 5 percent No Change
Effective Date New
Minimum Wage
Old
Minimum Wage
Amount of Wage Increase Percentage of Increase Over Previous Wage
January 1, 2016 $10.00 $9.00 $1.00 11.1 percent
July 1, 2014 $9.00 $8.00 $1.00 12.5 percent
January 1, 2008 $8.00 $7.50 $0.50 6.7 percent
January 1, 2007 $7.50 $6.75 $0.75 11.1 percent
January 1, 2002 $6.75 $6.25 $0.50 8.00 percent
January 1, 2001 $6.25 $5.75 $0.50 8.70 percent
March 1, 1998 $5.75 $5.15 $0.60 11.65 percent
September 1, 1997 $5.15 $5.00 $0.15 3.00 percent
March 1, 1997 $5.00 $4.75 $0.25 5.26 percent
October 1, 1996 $4.75 $4.25 $0.50 11.76 percent
July 1, 1988 $4.25 $3.35 $0.90 26.87 percent
January 1, 1981 $3.35 $3.10 $0.25 8.06 percent
January 1, 1980 $3.10 $2.90 $0.20 6.90 percent
January 1, 1979 $2.90 $2.65 $0.25 9.43 percent
April 1, 1978 $2.65 $2.50 $0.15 6.00 percent
October 18, 1976 $2.50 $2.00 $0.50 25.00 percent
March 4, 1974 $2.00 $1.65 $0.35 21.21 percent
February 1, 1968 $1.65 $1.30 $0.35 26.92 percent
August 30, 1964 $1.30 $1.25 $0.05 4.00 percent
August 30, 1963 $1.25 $1.00 $0.25 25.00 percent
November 15, 1957 $1.00 $0.75 $0.25 33.33 percent
August 1, 1952 $0.75 $0.65 $0.10 15.38 percent
June 1, 1947 $0.65 $0.45 $0.20 44.44 percent
February 8, 1943 $0.45 $0.33 $0.12 36.36 percent
1920 $0.33 $0.28 $0.05 17.86 percent
1919 $0.28 $0.21 $0.07 33.33 percent
1918 $0.21 $0.16 $0.05 31.25 percent
1916 $0.16 - - -