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As of 2025, the current minimum wage rates stands at $16.50 per hour for New York City, Long Island, and Westchester Country, and for the reminder of the New York state it stands at $15.50 per hour.
These rates apply to all employers regardless of size. The state also maintains specific minimum cash wages and tip credits for tipped employees to ensure their total earnings meet or exceed the applicable minimum wage. For example, in New York City, tipped food service workers must receive at least $11.00 per hour in cash wages with a $5.50 tip credit to reach the $16.50 minimum wage threshold.
These rates are scheduled to witness another increase again by $0.50 from 2026, bringing the rates to $17.00 for the prominent cities of the State.
Minimum Wages In New York Cities
As mentioned above, the minimum wage rate for the State of New York varies from one region to another. Here’s a table diving deep into wage rates for ease of understanding.
Minimum Wage of New York Cities 2024
| City | Region | Minimum Wage |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | New York City | $16.50 |
| Buffalo | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Rochester | Reminder of New York State | $16.50 |
| Yonkers | Westchester County | $16.50 |
| Syracuse | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Albany | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| New Rochelle | Westchester County | $16.50 |
| Mount Vernon | Westchester County | $16.50 |
| Schenectady | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Utica | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| White Plains | Westchester County | $16.50 |
| Hempstead | Long Island | |
| Troy | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Niagara Falls | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Binghamton | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Freeport | Long Island | $16.50 |
| Valley Stream | Long Island | $16.50 |
| Long Beach | Long Island | $16.50 |
| Rome | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| North Tonawanda | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Poughkeepsie | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Spring Valley | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Auburn | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Elmira | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Saratoga Springs | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Middletown | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Kingston | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Lockport | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Plattsburgh | Reminder of New York State | $15.50 |
| Ossining | Westchester County | $16.50 |
Salary Thresholds for Minimum Wages In New York
As of January 1, 2025, New York raised their minimum salary thresholds for exempt employees to:
- New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Countries: $1,2735 per week ($64,350 annually), up from $1,200 in 2024.
- Rest of the New York State: $1,161 per week ($60,405), an increase from previous $1,124 in 2024.
Simultaneously, these rates will again witness an increase on January 1, 2026, to $1,275 per week ($66,300 annually), and $1,199 per week ($62,353.20 annually).
Increased Threshold for Executive, Administrative, and Professional Employees
Effective from March 13, 2024, the salary exempt threshold for EAP employees have increased from $900 to $1,300 per week, to stay aligned with the updated wage and hour laws.
Federal Professional Exemption Threshold
The federal minimum threshold for exempt professional remains at $684 per week ($35,568 annually) under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
These updates are made to ensure the various salary thresholds keep in pace with the inflation and economic conditions.
Historical Data Of New York Minimum Wages
New York’s minimum wage laws have significantly evolved since 1960 when the state government set the first general minimum wage at $1 per hour. One hundred fast-food workers staged a one-day protest in 2012 to demand an increase in minimum wages to $15 per hour from $7.25 set in 2009 by the Federal Government. Here is a table explaining all the significant changes witnessed:
| Year | Large Employers | Small Employers | Fast Food Establishments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 – 2013 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 |
| 2014 | $8.00 | $8.00 | $8.00 |
| 2015 | $8.75 | $8.75 | $8.75 |
| 2016 | $9.00 | $9.00 | $10.50 |
| 2017 | $11.00 | $10.50 | $12.00 |
| 2018 | $13.00 | $12.00 | $13.50 |
| 2019 | $15.00 | $13.50 | $15.00 |
| 2020 – 2023 | $15.50 | $15.00 | $15.00 |
In response to the rising inflation and the outbreak of COVID – 19 pandemic, two legislative proposals were introduced to address this issue. The “Raise Up NY” bill sponsored by Sen and Jessica Ramos proposed a gradual increase of minimum wages to $17.25 in 2024 to $21.25 in 2026. It also demanded future adjustments to be made based on inflation and productivity growth.
| Year | Raise Up NY | FY 24 Executive Budget | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed Wage | % Change | Forecasted Wage | % Change | CPI – W NE | |
| 2024 | $17.25 | 15.00% | $15.45 | 3.0% | 6.2% |
| 2025 | $19.25 | 11.60% | $15.91 | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| 2026 | $21.25 | 10.40% | $16.28 | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Meanwhile, New York’s Governor proposed indexing the minimum wages to the CPI for the Northeast region. However, it came with some limitations such as a yearly increase capped at 3% and imposition of certain conditions to prevent indexation during economic downturns.
While both the proposals aim to solve the persisting minimum wage issue, they differ in their approach. The “Raise Up NY” bill offers more substantial and consistent wage increases compared to the Governor’s plan. However, the overall impact of these proposals depends much on future inflation trends and economic conditions.
