• Starting January 1, 2026, New Jersey’s minimum wage rate will increase from $15.49 per hour to $15.92 per hour, representing a nearly 3 percent increase.
• The minimum wage for seasonal and small business employees will rise from $14.53 per hour to $15.23 per hour, and the minimum wage rate for agricultural workers will increase from $13.40 per hour to $14.20 per hour.
• Employers may want to review and adjust their compensation structures in light of the upcoming minimum wage increases.

On October 1, 2025, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) released the new minimum wage rates that will take effect on January 1, 2026. The hourly minimum wage will increase by $0.43, a nearly 3 percent increase from the prior year. The minimum wage for seasonal employees and small business employees will increase to $15.23 per hour from $14.53.

Under the New Jersey Constitution and the state minimum wage law (N.J.A.C. 12: 56-3.1(c)), NJDOL must annually adjust the minimum wage rate based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The minimum cash wage rate for tipped workers will increase to $6.05 per hour, up from $5.62 per hour. The maximum tip credit that employers will be allowed to claim will remain at $9.87. If the minimum cash wage plus a tipped employee’s tips does not equal at least the state minimum wage rate, then employers must pay the difference.

According to NJDOL, the minimum wage rate for agricultural...

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