Youth and training
Youth and training wages by state
Sub-minimum rates for young or new workers, where a state publishes one.
- The federal youth minimum wage is $4.25 for the first 90 consecutive days of employment for workers under 20.
- 21 states publish their own youth or training rate; the rest follow the federal rule or allow none.
| State | Youth / training rate | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $4.25 | No state rule; federal youth wage ($4.25 for under-20s during first 90 consecutive calendar days) applies to FLSA-covered employers. |
| Alaska | See rule | No general youth or training sub-minimum rate in Alaska law; student learners may be exempt only with Department application/approval, and school bus drivers must receive at least two times the... |
| Arizona | See rule | No youth or training sub-minimum rate appears in A.R.S. 23-363 or DOL's state table. |
| Arkansas | $9.35 | Full-time students at accredited Arkansas institutions working no more than 20 hours per week in school weeks (40 when school is out) may be paid 85% of the minimum wage, with a Department... |
| California | See rule | Learners of any age with no previous similar experience may be paid not less than 85% of the minimum wage, rounded to the nearest nickel, for their first 160 hours of employment; no age-based youth... |
| Connecticut | $14.40 | Persons under 18 (except emancipated minors) may be paid not less than 85% of the minimum wage for the first 90 days of employment (CGS 31-58(i)(5)); $14.40 computed from $16.94. |
| Delaware | See rule | No statutory youth or training rate: the former youth/training wage in 19 Del. C. 902(e) is repealed; the Department may authorize sub-minimum rates for learners and apprentices by regulation under... |
| District of Columbia | See rule | No student, youth or training sub-minimum wage appears in D.C. Code 32-1003 or the exemptions in 32-1004. |
| Florida | See rule | No state youth or training rate; the constitution adopts FLSA definitions, so only the federal youth wage rules could apply. |
| Georgia | See rule | State law excludes students from coverage; FLSA youth wage rules apply to covered employers. |
| Idaho | $4.25 | Employees under 20 may be paid not less than $4.25/hr during the first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment; no displacing existing workers (Idaho Code 44-1502). |
| Illinois | $13.00 | Youth under 18 working fewer than 650 hours per calendar year: $13.00/hr (since 2025-01-01); once over 650 hours in a year the adult rate applies. Separately, an employee 18+ may be paid up to 50... |
| Indiana | $4.25 | Employees under 20 may be paid $4.25/hr for the first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment (IDOL poster). |
| Iowa | $6.35 | Initial employment wage: an employee who has not completed 90 calendar days with the employer may be paid at least $6.35/hr (not age-based) (Iowa Code 91D.1(1)(d)). |
| Louisiana | See rule | No state provision; federal FLSA youth opportunity wage ($4.25, under 20, first 90 days) may apply to FLSA-covered employers (not verified from a Louisiana source). |
| Maryland | $12.75 | Employees under 18 may be paid 85% of the state minimum wage (LE 3-413); 85% of $15.00 = $12.75 (computed). |
| Michigan | $4.25 | Training wage $4.25/hr for new employees under 20 for the first 90 days; otherwise employees under 18 may be paid 85% of the general minimum ($11.67 in 2026, computed) (MCL 408.934b). |
| Minnesota | $9.31 | 90-day training wage for employees under 20 during the first 90 consecutive days of employment: $9.31 (2026), $9.68 (2027-01-01). |
| Mississippi | See rule | No state provision; federal FLSA youth opportunity wage may apply to FLSA-covered employers (not verified from a Mississippi source). |
| Missouri | See rule | No youth or training subminimum found in RSMo 290.500-290.512 as read. Certain workers are excluded from 'employee' (e.g., employed under four months at a resident/day youth camp). |
| Montana | See rule | No training or youth subminimum; the full minimum wage applies (agency: 'No tip credit, meal credit, or training wage is allowed'). |
| Nebraska | $13.50 | Youth minimum wage of $13.50/hour for employees at least 14 but under 16 who are not emancipated minors (added by LB258); increases 1.5% (rounded to nearest cent) on 2030-01-01 and every fifth year... |
| Nevada | See rule | No youth subminimum rate. NRS 608.250 excludes certain categories from the minimum wage (fetch summary listed employees under 18, casual babysitters, and trainees during the first 90 days); exact... |
| New Hampshire | See rule | RSA 279:21 allows 75 percent of the applicable minimum for persons with under 6 months of experience in an occupation and for employees 16 years of age and under (per statute summary); dollar figure... |
| New Jersey | See rule | Training wage: 90 percent of the otherwise applicable minimum wage during the first 120 hours of work for employees in an established training program (N.J.S.A. 34:11-56a4 per fetched summary). No... |
| New Mexico | $8.50 | Students regularly enrolled in secondary school working after school hours or when school is not in session: at least $8.50/hour (50-4-22(B), effective 2020-01-01), unless tipped (then subsection D... |
| New York | See rule | No youth or training subminimum found in the fetched agency page or Labor Law 652. |
| North Carolina | $6.50 | Full-time students, learners, apprentices and messengers: 90% of the minimum wage rounded to the lowest nickel (G.S. 95-25.3(b)); $6.50 is computed from $7.25 (agency page does not state the figure). |
| North Dakota | See rule | 'North Dakota does not have a Training Wage' (state poster). Commissioner may license a sub-minimum wage (not below 85% of the state minimum) for students in vocational education programs, and for... |
| Ohio | $7.25 | Employees under 16 years of age may be paid not less than the federal FLSA minimum wage (Ohio Const. Art. II Sec. 34a). |
| Oklahoma | See rule | No youth or training subminimum found in the fetched statute sections or agency FAQ. 40 O.S. 197.5's $2.00 floor applies to employees 'who have reached eighteen (18) years of age'. |
| Oregon | See rule | No youth or training rate; 'Oregon law requires that employees receive at least minimum wage during all stages of employment.' |
| Pennsylvania | See rule | Act Section 4(e) allows a 'training wage' for employees under 20 during the first 60 calendar days, but only at not less than the FLSA Section 6(a) minimum ($7.25), so there is no effective... |
| Rhode Island | $12.00 | Ages 14-15 working 24 hours or less per week may be paid 75% of the minimum wage ($12.00 in 2026); if they work more than 24 hours in a week, the full $16.00 applies to all hours. |
| South Carolina | See rule | No state provision; federal FLSA youth opportunity wage rules apply to covered employers. |
| South Dakota | $4.25 | SDCL 60-11-4.1 'opportunity wage': employees under 20 may be paid the opportunity wage 'as defined in section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1996 as of October 1, 1996' (the FLSA 6(g)... |
| Tennessee | See rule | No state provision; federal FLSA youth opportunity wage rules apply to covered employers. |
| Utah | $4.25 | Labor Commission: 'an employer may pay a minor $4.25 per hour during the first 90 days of their employment' (minors under 18; Utah Code 34-40-103 authorizes separate minor rates). |
| Vermont | See rule | No youth or training sub-minimum in 21 V.S.A. 384. (Exclusions of students/minors from the definition of 'employee' in 21 V.S.A. 383 were not fetched.) |
| Virginia | See rule | No youth sub-minimum rate. Va. Code 40.1-28.9 excludes from 'employee' anyone under 16, anyone under 18 employed by a parent/guardian, full-time students under 18 working fewer than 20 hours/week... |
| Washington | $14.56 | Minors under 16 (ages 14-15) may be paid not less than 85% of the adult minimum (85% x $17.13 = $14.56 in 2026, per L&I's 2025-09-30 release); 16-17 year olds get the full rate. Rule now at WAC... |
| West Virginia | $6.40 | WV Code 21-5C-2: training wage of $6.40/hour (after 2014-12-31) for newly hired employees under 20, for no more than 90 cumulative days per employee (limited extension for new businesses). The... |
| Wisconsin | $5.90 | 'Opportunity employee' (under 20, first 90 consecutive days with the employer): $5.90/hour (tipped opportunity employee cash wage $2.13). Minors who are not opportunity employees: $7.25. |
| Wyoming | $4.25 | W.S. 27-4-202(c): employees under 20 may be paid not less than $4.25/hour during the first 90 consecutive days of initial employment; no displacement of existing employees permitted. |