Several states will increase minimum wage this year. When was the last time Indiana did?
Show Caption
While minimum wage in Indiana hasn't changed in almost 16 years, many states are seeing minimum wage increases this year. Here's where.
States with minimum wage changes after Jan. 1, 2025
According to data compiled by the National Employment Law Project, the following states have enacted minimum wage increases after the New Year or are set for increases later this year:Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Florida: Minimum wage will increase to $14 and $10.98 for tipped employees on Sept. 30
Michigan: $12.48 per hour became the new minimum wage as of Feb. 21
Alaska: $13.00 will be the new minimum wage as of July 1
California: $18.63-$24 will be the new minimum wage for healthcare, depending on the type of facility, as of July 1
Oregon: $15.05 will be the new standard minimum wage as of July 1. The minimum rate is $16.30 for the Portland metro area and $14.05 for nonurban communities.
These cities see minimum wage hikes throughout 2025
Here are some of the cities and jurisdictions seeing minimum wage hikes this year, according to data compiled by the National Employment Law Project:
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Minimum wage increased to $15 per hour, effective March 1
Los Angeles County, California: Minimum wage increases to $17.81, effective July 1
San Francisco: Minimum wage increases to $19.18, effective July 1
Washington, D.C.: Minimum wage increases to $17.95, effective July 1
St. Paul, Minnesota: Small and micro businesses will see an increase to $15 and $13.25, respectively, effective July 1
Minimum wage debates moving through state legislatures
Virginia: Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a bill in March that would have raised the minimum wage to $13.50 per hour by Jan. 1, 2026 and $15 per hour on Jan. 1, 2027.
Tennessee: A 2025 bill to raise the minimum wage to $20 per hour has stalled, reported the Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network.
North Carolina: The wage floor in North Carolina is set by the federal rate, $7.25. A bill proposing a $22 per hour minimum wage was referred to a committee on March 11, while a separate measure to increase the wage annually until it reached $18 per hour in 2030 was also referred to a committee.
Michigan: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill in February that will increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027. It will also incrementally increase wages for tipped workers.
Florida: While Florida's minimum wage gets increased every year due to a prior law, bills under consideration in the state legislature, SB 676 and HB 541, would carve out exemptions for apprenticeships, internships or work-study programs to be able to work for less, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Minimum wage increased as inflation persisted; advocates say it's not enough
Minimum wage increases throughout the entirety of 2025 will directly impact 3 million workers earning minimum wage, and can also help bump up wages for another 6.2 million workers as companies adjust to the new minimum, USA TODAY previously reported.
Wage jumps in recent years have helped some Americans try to keep up with inflation, which hit a 40-year high of 9.1% in mid-2022 before falling to 2.4% in March. However, some of the trade policies pursued by the Trump administration have experts concerned that inflation rates could rise again.
Advocates have pointed out that some minimum wages are below what they call the "living wage" threshold for the cost of living in the area. Others argue that raising the minimum wage is associated with higher prices and job loss.
What is minimum wage in Indiana?
Minimum wage in Indiana is $7.25 an hour and has been since 2009, according to the Indiana Department of Labor, when the federal minimum wage was increased from $6.55.
Employers must pay tipped employees at least $2.13 per hour if the employer claims a tip credit and if the employee's tips combined with the hourly wage do not equal the minimum wage, the employer must make up the difference.
What is considered a living wage in Indianapolis?
According to MIT's Living Wage Calculator in Indianapolis, a living wage (for full-time employment) for one adult without children is $21.54 an hour, which is almost three times the current state minimum wage.
One child increases that living wage to $40.30 an hour, two children to $51.31 an hour and three children to $64.48 an hour, which is almost six, seven and nearly nine times the state minimum wage of $7.25.
Contributing: Paul Davidson, Diana Leyva, C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY Network
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
10 hours ago
- Fox News
After ‘agroterror' fungus is seized in Detroit, lawmaker says Michigan has best plan to blunt CCP influence
EXCLUSIVE: After a dangerous fungus was intercepted in Detroit, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall spoke out to Fox News Digital about the legislature's efforts to blunt Chinese influence and espionage. The fungus, Fusarium graminearum, is considered capable of "agroterrorism" and was allegedly smuggled into the country by two Chinese nationals studying at the University of Michigan. Hall, R-Kalamazoo, said he and colleagues have sounded the alarm for months about Beijing's efforts and that the incident shows Michigan and other states need to be vigilant and prepared. "As speaker, I led our Foreign Influence Protection package through the State House to block CCP operatives from buying Michigan farmland, infiltrating our universities and accessing our most sensitive data," he said. "Our plan would have tackled this head-on and prevented Chinese government interference with our food supply and our universities." He called the bill package the strongest collection of protections against CCP interference nationwide but said it is being held up by Senate Democrats and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Requests for comment from Whitmer and Senate President Pro Tempore Jeremy Moss, D-Bloomfield, were not immediately returned. "Their inaction means our farmland, our military bases and our universities are still at risk," Hall lamented while praising President Donald Trump for taking action to protect U.S. land and people from Chinese "schemes." "Too many professors and administrators have let Beijing use our campuses as pawns. We will expose every CCP operation, root out every vulnerability and mobilize every state resource to secure Michigan — farmland, universities and beyond." While a Chinese embassy official claimed earlier this week to have no knowledge of the case involving two Chinese students allegedly attempting to bring a fungus to the University of Michigan, experts said the pathogen was capable of causing billions in damage to U.S. grain supplies. The case drew some parallels to the coronavirus pandemic, which sparked global debate over whether a viral pathogen may have emerged from a lab and infected the world. A Michigan House Republican Communications Office official said too many federal and state oversight bodies can be infiltrated by CCP sympathizers, and they have allowed foreign agents to run rampant on college campuses with CCP-backed research grants on dangerous things like Fusarium graminearum. While state officials like Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs have vetoed attempts to block Chinese-linked land purchases, Michigan House leaders have said security breaches like the Fusarium graminearum incident prove the issue cannot go unchecked. Republicans similarly criticized Whitmer for touting "corporate subsidy" deals with Chinese EV battery companies and a proposed Gotion vehicle plant in Big Rapids, Michigan. In 2024, House Chinese Communist Party Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar, also a Michigan Republican, said he uncovered "indisputable evidence" that Gotion High Tech was connected to supply chains involving forced labor in China. "The American people expect companies in the U.S. to avoid all involvement with the Chinese Communist Party's campaign of genocide," Moolenaar said. The company, reportedly tied to both China and German-owned Volkswagen, denied the committee's findings, calling them "baseless and absolutely false." In October, five Chinese nationals studying in the Great Lakes State in partnership with a Chinese school were charged with espionage for what was an alleged spying operation outside Michigan National Guard Camp Grayling. A Michigan House source said the package would also block schools from accepting foreign grants if found to be promoting any anti-American agenda and strip foreign data-mining apps from government devices through provisions from Reps. Rachelle Smit, R-Allegan; Nancy Jenkins-Arno, R-Lenawee; and William Bruck, R-Erie. Michigan lawmakers are also trying to address another perceived threat from China: the use of drones and other technology linked to Chinese companies that are being employed by certain law enforcement agencies and municipal governments.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
DC Public Schools to ban cell phone use starting in 2025-26 school year
WASHINGTON () — District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is continuing to take steps toward banning phones inside its schools. The school division announced Friday that all phones and mobile devices will no longer be allowed in the classroom. The policy will go into effect during the fall of the 2025-26 school year. This means that all phones must be turned off and stored away throughout the school day. All middle schools and several high schools have already begun implementing the policy, and DCPS noted they are seeing positive changes. 'Piloting a phone-free program in our middle schools demonstrated that storing students' personal devices throughout the school day enriches academic, social, and emotional learning,' said DCPS Chancellor, Dr. Lewis D. Ferebee. 'From increased classroom engagement to reduced anxiety and stronger student relationships — DCPS is ready to scale the program so we can keep driving outcomes that positively impact our students.' Fairfax County Public Schools defends new cell phone policy as some question whether it complies with law Despite the new policy, the school district will continue to utilize school-issued devices to integrate technology into a learning experience, and engage students in lessons related to digital literacy. DCPS said that while technology provides learning opportunities, significant challenges arise when it comes to cell phones being present in classrooms. School officials noted that growing research revealed that an increase in smartphones has fueled youth mental health concerns, negatively affected concentration and worsened bullying to include cyber interactions. At least eight states have imposed bans on cell phone use in the classroom, including Florida, New York, Ohio and Virginia. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the Bell to Bell law, stating that there should be no phone usage from 'bell to bell,' as in 'after the first bell rings at the start of the school day to begin instructional time until the dismissal [bell] rings at the end of the school day.' It also includes 'lunch and time in between class periods.' Check for updates. To keep up with the latest news and weather updates, download our Mobile App on iPhone or Android. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
In Nashville, everybody wants to be a millionaire — until they are
Editor's note: Letters to the editor reflect the views of individual readers. Scroll to see how you can add your voice, whether you agree or disagree, or click on this link to fill out the form. We welcome diverse viewpoints. I know some Nashvillians who wanted the rich to pay their fair share (whatever that is). They never considered themselves rich until, lo and behold, they woke up one day and found out that the $400,000 home they over-paid for ten years ago is now worth a whopping one million dollars. They have, by luck or design, joined that same exclusive 'Millionaire's Club' they've resented for years. Now, they don't want the rich to pay their fair share… because they hate paying the increased real estate taxes that go along with the sky-rocketing value of their home. However, no matter what, they never stop funding their pet projects, even if the money comes from continuing the deficit spending they have embraced for years. They can't have it both ways. More: With Nashville budget debate looming, some on council may lobby for lower property taxes Do we want a city or state income tax? (Tennessee has neither.) Do we want a state inheritance tax? (Tennessee doesn't have one.) Do we want tolls on all our highways? Do we want the European valued added tax of 20% on everything we buy, or our 9.75% sales tax? More: Trio of Republican groups form coalition to oppose potential tax hike in Nashville Every Tennessean is expected to live within their means. Yet some won't apply that same principle to our own town. And they don't want to pay the higher taxes on their highly appraised properties. Hypocrisy is alive and well and living in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Steve Morris DDS (ret), Nashville 37205 Agree or disagree? Or have a view on another topic entirely? Send a letter of 250 words or fewer to letters@ Include your full name, city/town, ZIP and contact information for verification. Thanks for adding to the public conversation. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Meet Nashville's new millionaire's club: Your neighbors | Letters
