Santa Monica Minimum Wage
$18.47 an hour · $1.57 above the state minimum · adjusts every July 1
The minimum wage in Santa Monica is $18.47 an hour, in effect since July 1, 2026. The rate next adjusts on July 1, 2027, by the Los Angeles-area Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), aligned with the unincorporated LA County rate. The new figure has not been published yet.
What Santa Monica's minimum wage pays
Gross pay before taxes
Want take-home pay? Use the California paycheck calculator with this hourly rate.
Santa Monica minimum wage by year
| Effective | Rate | Change | State minimum then |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2026 (current) | $18.47 | +$0.66 (3.7%) | $16.90 |
| July 1, 2025 | $17.81 | — | $0.00 |
The rate adjusts every July 1 by the Los Angeles-area Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), aligned with the unincorporated LA County rate. At $18.47, a full-time job (2,080 hours) pays $38,418 a year before taxes, $3,266 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.
- Hotel workers earn a separate hotel minimum wage: $25.00 an hour from July 1, 2026.
- First-time workers with no similar experience can be paid 85% of the minimum wage for their first 160 hours.
- Paid sick leave: 40 hours for businesses with 25 or fewer employees, 72 hours for larger ones.
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 Los Angeles County
| City or area | Rate |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $18.42 |
| Unincorporated Los Angeles County | $18.47 |
| Malibu | $17.91 |
| Pasadena | $18.57 |
| West Hollywood | $20.25 |
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 Monica in 2026?
It is $18.47 an hour for every employer, in effect since July 1, 2026. That is $1.57 an hour above California's $16.90 statewide minimum.
When does the Santa Monica minimum wage go up next?
The rate next adjusts on July 1, 2027, by the Los Angeles-area Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), aligned with the unincorporated LA County rate. The new figure has not been published yet.
Does the Santa Monica minimum wage apply to small businesses?
Yes. The rate is the same for every employer, whatever its size.
Do fast food workers in Santa Monica 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 Monica's $18.47. Other restaurant workers get the local rate.
Who has to be paid the Santa Monica 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 Monica official minimum wage page (checked: City of Santa Monica minimum wage page, fetched 2026-09-30)
- 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.