Bellevue workers earning the state minimum wage will see a 60-cent raise on Jan. 1, 2027, when Washington's hourly floor rises to $17.73.
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) announced the 3.5% increase on Sept. 30. The new rate, up from $17.13, is tied to inflation as measured by the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. The Seattle Times called it the largest jump in recent years.
Bellevue has no city minimum wage. Unlike Seattle, Tukwila, Renton and several other Washington cities, Bellevue does not set its own rate above the state floor. That means the state number is the binding wage for Bellevue restaurants, retail shops and service businesses, according to Bellevue Reporter.
Overtime threshold jumps for large employers
The wage increase also triggers a new overtime-exempt salary threshold that Bellevue employers with 51 or more workers must meet. Starting Jan. 1, the multiplier rises from 2.25 to 2.5 times the minimum wage. An exempt employee must earn at least $1,773 per week, or $92,196 per year, to remain exempt from overtime pay, according to L&I.
Small businesses with up to 50 workers stay at the 2.25 multiplier in 2027. Their threshold will be at least $1,595.70 per week, or $82,976.40 per year. The small-business multiplier is scheduled to rise to 2.5 in 2028.
Tech workers and non-competes
L&I also set the 2027 hourly rate for overtime-exempt computer professionals at $62.06, an increase of $2.10. That rate equals 3.5 times the minimum wage regardless of employer size.
Separately, the annual salary threshold for employees subject to a non-compete clause will be $131,326.59 between January and June 2027. State law will prohibit non-compete clauses starting in July 2027.
Other details
Workers aged 14 and 15 may be paid 85% of the minimum wage. Their rate rises to $15.07 per hour on Jan. 1.
The Consumer Price Index for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area rose 4.4% in the year ending in August 2026, a full percentage point above the national average, according to the Seattle Times. The federal minimum wage has not changed from $7.25 per hour since July 24, 2009.
Workers with wage complaints can file online at lni.wa.gov or call L&I's Employment Standards Program at 360-902-5316 or toll-free at 1-866-219-7321.
