Many people come to this site looking for the current and past minimum wage in California and the federal minimum wage. We have compiled this information into one source. Below is the California minimum wage and below that is the federal minimum wage. Enjoy.
Did You Know? If you worked for less than minimum wage in California, you may be entitled to not only collect unpaid wages (what you should have been paid if you had worked at the minimum wage) AND a penalty equal to that amount in “liquidated damages.” That liquidated damages penalty can double your wage claim for unpaid minimum wage. Plus, there are other penalties you may be able to seek, including “waiting time penalties” under Labor Code section 203, which can amount to 30 days of wages. If you were denied minimum wages in California, contact us now for a minimum wage claim case evaluation.
California Current and Historic Minimum Wage Chart
| Effective Date | Mew Minimum Wage | Old Minimum Wage | Amount of Increase | Percent Increase |
| 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 | – | – | – |
Federal Minimum Wage History
| Effective Date | Mew Minimum Wage | Old Minimum Wage | Amount of Increase | Percent Increase |
| 1939 | $0.30 | – | – | – |
| 1945 | $0.40 | $0.30 | $0.10 | 33.33 percent |
| 1950 | $0.75 | $0.40 | $0.35 | 87.50 percent |
| 1956 | $1.00 | $0.75 | $0.25 | 33.33 percent |
| 1965 | $1.25 | $1.00 | -$0.25 | 25.00 percent |
| 1967 | $1.00 | $1.25 | $0.25 | -20.00 percent |
| 1968 | $1.15 | $1.00 | $0.15 | 15.00 percent |
| 1969 | $1.30 | $1.15 | $0.15 | 13.04 percent |
| 1970 | $1.45 | $1.30 | $0.15 | 11.54 percent |
| 1971 | $1.60 | $1.45 | $0.15 | 10.34 percent |
| 1974 | $1.90 | $1.60 | $0.30 | 18.75 percent |
| 1975 | $2.00 | $1.90 | $0.10 | 5.26 percent |
| 1976 | $2.20 | $2.00 | $0.20 | 10.00 percent |
| 1977 | $2.30 | $2.20 | $0.10 | 4.55 percent |
| 1978 | $2.65 | $2.30 | $0.35 | 15.22 percent |
| 1979 | $2.90 | $2.65 | $0.25 | 9.43 percent |
| 1980 | $3.10 | $2.90 | $0.20 | 6.90 percent |
| 1981 | $3.35 | $3.10 | $0.25 | 8.06 percent |
| 1990 | $3.80 | $3.35 | $0.45 | 13.43 percent |
| 1991 | $4.25 | $3.80 | $0.45 | 11.84 percent |
| 1996 | $4.75 | $4.25 | $0.50 | 11.76 percent |
| 1997 | $5.15 | $4.75 | $0.40 | 8.42 percent |
| 2007 | $5.85 | $5.15 | $0.70 | 13.59 percent |
| 2008 | $6.55 | $5.85 | $0.70 | 11.97 percent |
| 2009 | $7.25 | $6.55 | $0.70 | 10.69 percent |