💲 New Jersey’s minimum wage will rise again in 2026.
💲 Most workers will earn $15.92 an hour, up more than $7 since Gov. Murphy took office.
💲 Farm workers, tipped employees, and caregivers will see different, and in some cases larger, increases.
The minimum wage in New Jersey is going up one more time before Gov. Phil Murphy leaves office.
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the minimum wage for most employees will rise to $15.92 an hour. That’s a boost of 43 cents from where it sits now.
And it represents an increase of $7.32 an hour from when Murphy took office in 2018. At the time, he vowed to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025.
“Eight years ago, Governor Murphy pledged a stronger, fairer economy, and we’re delivering on this commitment by raising New Jersey’s minimum wage again,” said Department of Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo.
Gov. Phil Murphy holds a press conference on minimum wage in Trenton on Nov. 26, 2018 (Edwin J. Torres/Governor’s Office)
Gov. Phil Murphy holds a press conference on minimum wage in Trenton on Nov. 26, 2018 (Edwin J. Torres/Governor’s Office)
Murphy’s final wage hike before leaving office
This is the last minimum wage increase before Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill is sworn in during a Newark ceremony on Jan. 20, 2026.
While Sherrill campaigned on affordability, she has not indicated any plans to further increase the minimum wage in New Jersey. However, the governor-elect has said she plans to continue talks about worker misclassification rules for gig workers.
Read More: NJ truckers say gig worker rules would devastate supply chain
Small businesses and seasonal employers get more time
Seasonal employers and small businesses have another couple of years before they reach the same $15.92 mark in 2028. Lawmakers gave them a smoother path to reduce the impact a higher minimum wage would have.
Workers at those jobs will see their minimum wage hiked to $15.23 on Jan. 1.
Higher minimum wages for tipped workers, farm workers, and caregivers
There are also exceptions for farm workers, employees at small businesses, and workers, like waiters, who rely on tips.
Agricultural workers will see their minimum hourly wage increase by 90 cents, up from $13.40 to $14.20 an hour. Their minimum wage will continue to increase automatically through 2030.
Direct care staff at New Jersey long-term care facilities will also notice a healthy boost of 43 cents, increasing their minimum wage to $18.92.
And the minimum wage for tipped workers will increase to $6.05 an hour from $5.62. If a tipped employee does not make the state minimum wage of $15.92 through their wage and tips, then their employer must make up the difference.
Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom
[carbongallery id=”6377d09e3162d4475968708″]
LOOK: Fastest-growing jobs in New Jersey
Stacker analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine which jobs in New Jersey grew the fastest between 2022 and 2023.
Gallery Credit: Stacker
