Lane Russell at WSTM/WTVH in Syracuse reports some New Yorkers will be ringing in the New Year with a raise. Across the State, the minimum wage is increasing by 50 cents on January 1st, 2026, the same amount it rose at the beginning of 2025. In much of New York the minimum wage will increase from $15.50 to $16. That's a 3.23% increase, slightly higher than the 3% September 2025 Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key tool published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that’s used to measure inflation. Data for October is not available due to the government shutdown and November's data has not been released yet. In Long Island, Westchester and New York City the minimum wage is increasing from $16.50 to $17. For a Minimum Wage Worker who works 40 hours a week, that would bring their annual income to between $33,000 to $35,000 before taxes depending on where they live in the State. Starting in 2027, minimum wage will annually increase by the three-year moving average of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers for the Northeast Region, according to the State’s Labor Department.

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