Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage Checker
SB 525 set four separate wage tiers by facility type, each with its own schedule through 2033 — this is the single most-confused wage rule in the state.
Your rate depends on your employer's facility classification, not your job title. Four tiers currently range from about $19.28/hour (smaller/rural facilities) up to $25.00/hour (large health systems and dialysis clinics), with scheduled increases through 2033.
Select your facility type below to see your current tier, rate, and next scheduled increase.
Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage Checker
Your Tier
How this is calculated
SB 525 assigns every covered health care facility employer to one of four tiers based on organizational characteristics — size, facility type, payer mix, and county population — not based on any individual worker's job title or department. Tier 1 (largest systems, dialysis clinics, and big-county facilities) reached its $25/hour ceiling on June 1, 2026, and now adjusts annually with CPI, capped at 3.5%.
Tier 2 (high-governmental-payer hospitals, independent rural hospitals, small-county facilities) is on the slowest track: a flat $18 base from June 1, 2024, compounding 3.5% every June 1 until it reaches $25/hour, expected around 2033 — which is why its current rate is a calculated figure rather than a clean published number.
Tiers 3 (clinics) and 4 (most other hospitals and skilled nursing facilities) step up on fixed dates through 2029. Because coverage is broader than clinical staff — many support-role employees at a covered facility are included too — the "role" question above is informational; it's your employer's facility classification, not your job duties, that determines which tier applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the healthcare worker minimum wage in California?
SB 525 created four separate wage tiers for covered health care facility employers, currently ranging from about $18.63-$25.00/hour depending on facility type. The largest health systems and dialysis clinics reached $25/hour on June 1, 2026; smaller and rural facilities are on a slower schedule reaching $25 by around 2033.
Does the healthcare minimum wage apply to all hospital employees, or just clinical staff?
It's broader than just clinical roles. Covered health care facility employers must pay the applicable tier's minimum wage to most employees working at the facility, including many support staff, not only nurses and direct-care clinicians — though some employers and job categories have carve-outs, so check the specific facility's classification.
Which facilities are in Tier 1 (the highest, fastest-rising tier)?
Tier 1 covers health systems and integrated delivery systems with 10,000+ full-time-equivalent employees, dialysis clinics, and county-owned facilities in counties with a population over 5,000,000 (Los Angeles County).
Why does Tier 2 not have a clean dollar schedule like the others?
Tier 2 (hospitals with a high governmental-payer mix, independent rural hospitals, and smaller-county facilities) increases by 3.5% every June 1 from an $18 base set in 2024, rather than jumping to fixed dollar amounts — it's expected to reach $25/hour around 2033.
Is the healthcare worker minimum wage higher than the regular state minimum wage?
Yes, in every tier. Even the slowest tier (Tier 2) starts above the general state minimum wage and rises steadily, while Tier 1 facilities are already well above it at $25/hour.
This tool provides an educational estimate only and is not legal advice. Facility tier classification can be fact-specific — confirm your employer's exact classification with the DIR Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage FAQ or an employment attorney.