Minimum wage by state · Alabama
Minimum Wage in Alabama (2026)
In 2026, the minimum wage in Alabama is $7.25 an hour — about $15,080 a year full-time, and at the federal floor, tied with 19 other jurisdictions at the bottom of the 51 states and DC. Here's what that wage works out to in real terms and how it stacks up against the federal floor and the highest-paying state.
- Alabama minimum wage $7.25/hr effective 2026 rate
- Full-time a year $15,080 40 hrs/wk, 52 wks
- vs federal $7.25 same as federal $7.25
Minimum wage in Alabama
The 2026 minimum wage in Alabama is $7.25 an hour. That is exactly the federal minimum of $7.25 — the lowest a state's floor can legally be. A state's floor can never sit below the federal minimum, so $7.25 is as low as it goes — and that is exactly where Alabama sits.
$7.25 an hour, in real terms
An hourly figure is abstract until you scale it up. Here is what $7.25 an hour becomes over a week and a full year of full-time work:
Full-time at $7.25 an hour — 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year — works out to about $15,080 a year before taxes. That matches the $15,080 a full-time federal-minimum job pays — and trails the $38,272 earned at District of Columbia's nation-leading $18.4 by about $23,192. To see what actually lands in a paycheck after tax, run the numbers with the take-home pay calculator.
How Alabama compares
Among all 51 states and DC, Alabama's $7.25 is at the federal floor, tied with 19 other jurisdictions at the bottom of the 51 states and DC. The federal minimum is $7.25, and the highest anywhere is District of Columbia at $18.4, about $11.15 above Alabama. 31 states and DC pay above the federal floor, while Alabama stays at it. For the full picture — every state ranked, the highest and lowest, and how the map has shifted — see minimum wage by state. You can also compare any two states with the minimum wage by state calculator.
Minimum wage in Alabama — FAQ
What is the minimum wage in Alabama in 2026?
The 2026 minimum wage in Alabama is $7.25 per hour. That is exactly the federal minimum of $7.25 — the lowest a state's floor can legally be. Because the effective minimum is always the higher of the state or federal rate, no employer covered by the law may pay less.
How much is minimum wage a year in Alabama?
At $7.25 an hour, full-time work (40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year) comes to about $15,080 a year before taxes. Use the take-home pay calculator to see what lands in your pocket after tax.
Is Alabama's minimum wage above the federal minimum?
No — Alabama sits right at the $7.25 federal minimum, so the federal rate is effectively the state rate. 31 states and DC pay more.
How does Alabama's minimum wage rank nationally?
Among all 51 states and DC, Alabama's $7.25 is at the federal floor, tied with 19 other jurisdictions at the bottom of the 51 states and DC. The highest is District of Columbia at $18.4; the federal floor is $7.25.
Data: U.S. Department of Labor, via APIVerve. Our tables, charts and text are licensed CC BY 4.0: reuse them freely, including commercially, as long as you credit us. Cite as: Digest Your Finances, “Minimum Wage by State”, https://digestyourfinances.com/studies/minimum-wage-by-state/alabama/ — based on U.S. Department of Labor. CC BY 4.0.
