Santa Clara Minimum Wage
$18.70 an hour · $1.80 above the state minimum · adjusts every January 1
The minimum wage in Santa Clara is $18.70 an hour, in effect since January 1, 2026. Santa Clara's minimum wage rises to $19.25 on January 1, 2027, a 2.9% increase that the city has already published.
What Santa Clara's minimum wage pays
Gross pay before taxes
Want take-home pay? Use the California paycheck calculator with this hourly rate.
Santa Clara minimum wage by year
| Effective | Rate | Change | State minimum then |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2027 (announced) | $19.25 | +$0.55 (2.9%) | $17.40 |
| January 1, 2026 (current) | $18.70 | +$0.50 (2.7%) | $16.90 |
| January 1, 2025 | $18.20 | — | $0.00 |
The rate adjusts every January 1 by the regional (San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward) Consumer Price Index. At $18.70, a full-time job (2,080 hours) pays $38,896 a year before taxes, $3,744 more than the state minimum.
Who is covered
Employees for the hours they work inside the city limits, full- or part-time. Check the ordinance for any minimum-hours threshold.
Some workers are owed more than the local rate under state law: fast food workers at chains with more than 60 locations ($20.00 an hour) and health care facility workers (see the health care minimum wage checker). Salaried workers must earn at least $70,304 a year to be exempt from overtime; that threshold is based on the state minimum wage, not the local one.
Other local minimum wages in Santa Clara County
| City or area | Rate |
|---|---|
| Cupertino | $18.70 |
| Los Altos | $18.70 |
| Milpitas | $18.50 |
| Mountain View | $19.70 |
| Palo Alto | $18.70 |
| San Jose | $18.45 |
| Sunnyvale | $19.50 |
A local rate applies to hours worked inside that city's limits. Anywhere else in the county, the state minimum of $16.90 applies unless another ordinance covers the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Santa Clara in 2026?
It is $18.70 an hour for every employer, in effect since January 1, 2026. That is $1.80 an hour above California's $16.90 statewide minimum.
When does the Santa Clara minimum wage go up next?
Santa Clara's minimum wage rises to $19.25 on January 1, 2027, a 2.9% increase that the city has already published.
Does the Santa Clara minimum wage apply to small businesses?
Yes. The rate is the same for every employer, whatever its size.
Do fast food workers in Santa Clara get a higher wage?
Workers at limited-service restaurants in national chains with more than 60 locations earn California's fast food minimum of $20.00 an hour, which is higher than Santa Clara's $18.70. Other restaurant workers get the local rate.
Who has to be paid the Santa Clara minimum wage?
Employees for the hours they work inside the city limits, full- or part-time. Check the ordinance for any minimum-hours threshold.
Sources
- Santa Clara official minimum wage page (checked: City of Santa Clara minimum wage page, opened in a browser 2026-10-11)
- UC Berkeley Labor Center inventory of local minimum wage ordinances
- California Labor Commissioner: minimum wage FAQ
Educational information only, not legal advice. Local ordinances have exemptions and details not listed here; the city's ordinance and official notice control. When local, state and federal rates differ, the employer must pay the highest one that applies.