Current Minimum Wage
San Diego$17.75since January 1, 2026

City · California

San Diego minimum wage

$17.75 an hour as of September 2, 2026. The California state rate is $16.90.

  • The San Diego minimum wage is $17.75 an hour, effective .
  • That is $0.85 above the California state rate of $16.90 and $10.50 above the federal $7.25.
  • The next change is : an indexed adjustment, amount to be announced.
  • Coverage: Employees who perform at least two hours of work in one or more calendar weeks of the year within the geographic boundaries of San Diego.

Rates and tiers

TierRateSince
all employers$17.75

Indexing

Yes
CPI (details not in fetched page text) adjusts January 1 (annual) announced City of San Diego, Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement

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

San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 3, Article 9, Division 1...

Scheduled increases

January 1, 20271 jurisdiction
CityTBA
San Diego, CAall employers · indexed-unannounced · Annual CPI adjustment each January 1 under SDMC Ch. 3 Art. 9
TBAindexed, amount to be announced

Official page rate table ends 'January 1, 2026 $17.75'. Matches Berkeley inventory. San Diego also has a Traffic Control Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance (prevailing-wage style rates for permit work; not recorded as a separate entry) and a new Hospitality...

Common questions

What is the San Diego minimum wage?

$17.75 an hour for all employers, effective January 1, 2026.

Is the San Diego minimum wage higher than the California state minimum wage?

Yes, by $0.85: $17.75 versus $16.90.

When does the San Diego minimum wage change next?

On January 1, 2027, by an indexed amount to be announced.

Sources

  1. https://www.sandiego.gov/labor-and-wage/minimum-wage/earned-sick-leave official
  2. https://www.sandiego.gov/labor-and-wage/minimum-wage official
  3. https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/

Checked 2026-09-02; researcher confidence 0.95.