The minimum wage in California will increase to $16.50 per hour on Jan. 1, 2025, according to the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).
During the 2024 election, Californians rejected Proposition 32, which would have raised the minimum wage to $17 per hour in 2025. However, the state's minimum wage rises 50 cents, from $16 per hour in 2024 to $16.50 in 2025.
The minimum wage is required for all California employers.
"[It] is an obligation of the employer and cannot be waived by any agreement, including collective bargaining agreements," according to the DIR.
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Here's what know about minimum wage increases in California.
Higher minimum wage in some California cities
The state minimum wage applies to all of California, however, some cities and counties have enacted ordinances to offer a higher minimum wage.
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For such cities, “the employer must follow the stricter standard; that is, the one that is the most beneficial to the employee,” and therefore must pay a higher minimum wage, according to the DIR.
Here is a list of California cities with a higher minimum wage.
Alameda: Minimum wage is $17.00 as of 7/1/2024.
Belmont: Minimum wage will be $18.30 effective 1/1/2025
Berkeley: Minimum wage is $18.67 as of 7/1/2024
Burlingame: Minimum wage will be $17.43 effective 1/1/2025
Cupertino: the minimum wage will be $18.20 effective 1/1/2025
Daly City: Minimum wage will be $17.07 effective 1/1/2025
East Palo Alto: Minimum wage will be $17.45 effective 1/1/2025
El Cerrito: Minimum wage will be $18.34 effective 1/1/2025
Emeryville: Minimum wage is $19.36 as of 7/1/2024
Foster City: Minimum wage will be $17.39 effective 1/1/2025
Fremont: Minimum wage is $17.30 as of 7/1/2024
Half Moon Bay: Minimum wage will be $17.47 effective 1/1/2025
Hayward: Minimum wage will be $17.36 effective 1/1/2025 for large employers (26 or more employees), and $16.50 for small employers (25 or fewer employees).
Los Altos: Minimum wage will be $18.20 effective 1/1/2025
Los Angeles: Minimum wage is $17.28 as of 7/1/2024
Los Angeles County (unincorporated): Minimum wage is $17.27 as of 7/1/2024
Malibu: Minimum wage is $17.27 as of 7/1/2024
Menlo Park: Minimum wage will be $17.10 effective 1/1/2025
Milpitas: Minimum wage is $17.70 as of 7/1/2024
Mountain View: Minimum wage will be $19.20 effective 1/1/2025
Novato: Starting on 1/1/2025 the minimum wage will be $17.27 per hour for very large businesses with 100 or more employees; $17.00 per hour for large businesses with 26-99 employees; and $16.50 per hour for small businesses with 1-25 employees.
Oakland: Minimum wage will be $16.89 effective 1/1/2025.
Palo Alto: Minimum wage will be $18.20 effective 1/1/2025
Pasadena: Minimum wage is $17.50 as of 7/1/2024
Petaluma: Minimum wage will be $17.97 effective 1/1/2025
Redwood City: Minimum wage will be $18.20 effective 1/1/2025
Richmond: Minimum wage will be $17.77 effective 1/1/2025
San Carlos: the minimum wage will be $17.32 effective 1/1/2025
San Diego: Minimum wage will be $17.25 effective 1/1/2025
San Francisco: Minimum wage is $18.67 as of 7/1/2024
San Jose: Minimum wage will be $17.95 effective 1/1/2025
San Mateo: Minimum wage will be $17.95 effective 1/1/2025
San Mateo County (unincorporated): Minimum wage will be $17.46 effective 1/1/2025
Santa Clara: Minimum wage will be $18.20 effective 1/1/2025
Santa Monica: Minimum wage is $17.27 as of 7/1/2024.
Santa Rosa: the minimum wage will be $17.87 effective 1/1/2025
Sonoma: Starting on 1/1/2025 the minimum wage will be $18.02 for large employers (26 or more employees), and $16.96 for small employers (25 or fewer employees).
South San Francisco: Minimum wage will be $17.70 effective 1/1/2025
Sunnyvale: Minimum wage will be $19.00 effective 1/1/2025
West Hollywood: Minimum wage will be $19.65 effective 1/1/2025
