Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
What is the current federal minimum wage as of 2025?
Executive summary
Available reporting in the provided sources shows that, as of 2025, the federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour according to multiple labor and payroll firms and advocacy analysis [1] [2] [3]. Some outlets and many unofficial pages claim a federal increase (for example to $9.50 or other amounts) taking effect in November 2025, but those claims are not corroborated by the mainstream payroll/DOL–or by the sources that document state-level changes—within this set of results [4] [5] [6] [7].
1. Federal floor unchanged: what the payroll and policy trackers report
Major payroll and HR resources in these search results state the federal minimum wage in 2025 is $7.25 per hour and that the tipped federal rate remains $2.13 [1] [2] [3]. These providers emphasize that the federal floor has been unchanged since the 2009 increase to $7.25 and that states and localities have been the main drivers of higher wages in 2025 [8] [9].
2. Conflicting claims of a 2025 federal raise: lots of unverified pages
Several web pages in the sample assert a federal increase in late 2025—examples cite $9.50, $10.50, or other numbers and dates such as November 2 or November 12, 2025 [7] [4] [6] [5]. These pages present a narrative of a first federal raise since 2009, but those specific claims are not confirmed by the payroll/HR sources in this collection nor by an official Department of Labor page included here (note: the DOL “State Minimum Wage Laws” and related DOL pages are present in the results but not fully excerpted; available sources do not quote a new federal rate) [10] [11].
3. Legislative proposals vs. law: proposals exist but don’t equal a new federal rate
Policy organizations report legislative efforts—e.g., the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, which proposes ramping the federal floor to $17 by 2030—but a bill proposal does not itself change the current legal federal minimum [12]. The EPI material documents advocacy and simulations around proposed federal increases but does not state that Congress enacted a new federal rate in 2025 [12].
4. Why the discrepancy matters: federal vs. state/local rates
Even with the federal floor at $7.25, dozens of states and many localities set higher minimums; several sources highlight that a record number of jurisdictions raised their own floors in 2025, with many surpassing $15 or even $17 in some places [9] [8]. This fragmentation is likely the root of confusion: state and municipal hikes can look like a nationwide change when widely reported, but they do not alter the federal statutory floor [8] [9].
5. Tips, exemptions, and workers covered—important nuances
Payroll and HR guides reiterate important federal nuances: tipped employees can be paid a lower direct cash wage under federal rules if tips make up the difference, and some small employers or exempt categories are governed by different standards—details employers often consult DOL guidance or payroll vendors about [1] [3]. These nuances remain tied to the existing federal framework unless Congress or the DOL formally changes it [1].
6. What the available sources do not say or confirm
Within this provided set, there is no authoritative source—no Department of Labor rule text or a confirmed act of Congress—stating a new federal minimum wage amount (for example $9.50 or $10.50) took effect in 2025; therefore, available sources do not confirm that any federal increase occurred in 2025 [10] [11]. Several webpages claiming such increases appear to be secondary or not corroborated by the payroll/DOL/trade sources in this sample [7] [4] [6] [5].
7. Bottom line and what to watch next
Based on payroll firms, HR resources, and policy analyses in this dataset, the federal minimum wage in 2025 remains $7.25 per hour; higher amounts reported on some pages are not corroborated here [1] [2] [3]. Keep an eye on primary legal sources—Congressional action or an official Department of Labor announcement—for any definitive change, and watch state/local enactments for the real-world wages most workers receive in their jurisdictions [12] [9].
Limitations: this analysis uses only the provided search results; the DOL pages appear in the list but their full text is not excerpted here, so if you want an official authoritative confirmation I can re-check the DOL or Congressional records within a broader source set.