- The El Cerrito minimum wage is $18.82 an hour, effective .
- That is $1.92 above the California state rate of $16.90 and $11.57 above the federal $7.25.
- The next change is : an indexed adjustment, amount to be announced.
- Coverage: Any part-time or full-time employee who performs at least two hours of work in a particular workweek within El Cerrito.
Rates and tiers
| Tier | Rate | Since |
|---|---|---|
| all employers | $18.82 |
Indexing
Yes
CPI, San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (August to August) adjusts January 1 (annual) announced City of El Cerrito (annual wage bulletin)
Tipped
Same as minimum
no tip credit under California law (confirmed: DIR FAQ states an employer may not use an employee's tips as a credit toward its obligation to pay the minimum wage)
Ordinance
El Cerrito Municipal Code Chapter 6.95 (Minimum Wage Standards Ordinance)
Scheduled increases
January 1, 20271 jurisdiction
CityTBA
El Cerrito, CAall employers · indexed-unannounced · August-to-August CPI change (SF-Oakland-Hayward), percentage rounded down to two decimals, wage rounded down to the cent
TBAindexed, amount to be announced
Official page: 'January 1, 2026: $18.82 per hour'. Matches Berkeley inventory.
Common questions
What is the El Cerrito minimum wage?
$18.82 an hour for all employers, effective January 1, 2026.
Is the El Cerrito minimum wage higher than the California state minimum wage?
Yes, by $1.92: $18.82 versus $16.90.
When does the El Cerrito minimum wage change next?
On January 1, 2027, by an indexed amount to be announced.
Sources
- http://www.elcerrito.gov/940/Minimum-Wage-Ordinance official
- https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/
Checked 2026-09-02; researcher confidence 0.95.