Current Minimum Wage
San Diego: hotel workers$19.00since July 1, 2026↑ $20.50 on July 1, 2027

Sector ordinance · California

San Diego hotel worker minimum wage

$19.00 an hour as of September 2, 2026, rising to $20.50 on July 1, 2027. The California state rate is $16.90.

  • The San Diego hotel worker minimum wage is $19.00 an hour (hotels and amusement parks), effective .
  • That is $2.10 above the California state rate of $16.90 and $11.75 above the federal $7.25.
  • 2 tiers apply: hotels and amusement parks $19.00; event centers $21.06.
  • The next change is : $20.50.
  • Coverage: Employees working in covered hotels, event centers, and amusement parks within the City of San Diego (size/room thresholds not stated on the fetched page).

Rates and tiers

TierRateSince
hotels and amusement parks$19.00
event centers$21.06

Indexing

No
fixed schedule through July 1, 2030 adjusts July 1 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 12, Division 1 (Sections 312.0101-312.0112), Hospitality Minimum Wage...
Ordinance text · City of San Diego, Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement (Minimum Wage Program)

Scheduled increases

July 1, 20272 jurisdictions
Sector$22.00
San Diego - Hospitality Minimum Wage, CAevent centers · ordinance
$22.00from $21.06 (+$0.94)
Sector$20.50
San Diego - Hospitality Minimum Wage, CAhotels and amusement parks · ordinance
$20.50from $19.00 (+$1.50)
July 1, 20282 jurisdictions
Sector$23.00
San Diego - Hospitality Minimum Wage, CAevent centers · ordinance
$23.00from $22.00 (+$1.00)
Sector$22.00
San Diego - Hospitality Minimum Wage, CAhotels and amusement parks · ordinance
$22.00from $20.50 (+$1.50)
July 1, 20292 jurisdictions
Sector$24.00
San Diego - Hospitality Minimum Wage, CAevent centers · ordinance
$24.00from $23.00 (+$1.00)
Sector$23.50
San Diego - Hospitality Minimum Wage, CAhotels and amusement parks · ordinance
$23.50from $22.00 (+$1.50)
July 1, 20301 jurisdiction
Sector$25.00
San Diego - Hospitality Minimum Wage, CAall covered hospitality employers · ordinance
$25.00from $19.00 (+$6.00)
July 1, 20311 jurisdiction
SectorTBA
San Diego - Hospitality Minimum Wage, CAall covered hospitality employers · indexed-unannounced · Adjusted annually based on the prior year's increase in the cost of living (CPI) from July 1, 2031
TBAindexed, amount to be announced

Official page table: 'July 1, 2026: Hotels & Amusement Parks $19.00 per hour; Event Centers $21.06 per hour', stepping to $25.00 for both by July 1, 2030, then CPI. New ordinance (effective July 1, 2026); single official source.

Common questions

What is the San Diego hotel worker minimum wage?

$19.00 an hour for hotels and amusement parks, effective July 1, 2026.

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

Yes, by $2.10: $19.00 versus $16.90.

When does the San Diego hotel worker minimum wage change next?

On July 1, 2027, to $20.50.

Sources

  1. https://www.sandiego.gov/labor-and-wage/minimum-wage/hospitality official

Checked 2026-09-02; researcher confidence 0.88.