These are the changes by year that have been made to the Washington State minimum wage since 1961.
Initiative 688, approved by Washington voters in 1998, requires L&I to make a cost-of-living adjustment to the minimum wage each year based on the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
See the Minimum Wage page for more information, and to find out why it changes.
| History of Minimum Wage in Washington State | |
| Effective date | Minimum wage per hour |
| January 1, 2012 | $9.04 |
| January 1, 2011 | $8.67 |
| January 1, 2010 | $8.55 |
| January 1, 2009 | $8.55 |
| January 1, 2008 | $8.07 |
| January 1, 2007 | $7.93 |
| January 1, 2006 | $7.63 |
| January 1, 2005 | $7.35 |
| January 1, 2004 | $7.16 |
| January 1, 2003 | $7.01 |
| January 1, 2002 | $6.90 |
| January 1, 2001 | $6.72 |
| January 1, 2000 | $6.50 |
| January 1, 1999 | $5.70 |
| (September 1, 1997) | $5.15 (Federal minimum wage change) |
| January 1, 1994 | $4.90 |
| January 1, 1990 | $4.25 |
| January 1, 1989 | $3.85 |
| January 1, 1976 | $2.30 |
| September 1, 1975 | $2.00 |
| January 1, 1974 | $1.80 |
| January 1, 1968 | $1.60 |
| January 1, 1962 | $1.25 |
| June 30, 1961 | $1.15 |
