The Santa Clara minimum wage for 2027 has not yet been officially set. The current rate — effective January 1, 2026 — is $18.70 per hour under the Santa Clara Minimum Wage Ordinance. Under the city's annual CPI adjustment process, the 2027 rate is expected to be announced in fall 2026 and will take effect January 1, 2027.
That announcement is only a few months away. This page will be updated with the official rate as soon as Santa Clara releases it. Join our free mailing list below to receive the update the day it's published.
- Current Rate (2026): $18.70/hr — effective January 1, 2026
- 2027 Rate: Not yet announced
- Expected Announcement: Fall 2026 (September-October)
- 2027 Effective Date: January 1, 2027
- This page updates when the official 2027 rate is published.
- Official Source: santaclaraca.gov
- Current rate details: Santa Clara Minimum Wage 2026 →
How the Santa Clara Minimum Wage Is Set Each Year
Santa Clara sets its local minimum wage by ordinance. The Santa Clara Minimum Wage Ordinance requires an annual review and adjustment based on the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland CPI published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The adjustment takes effect every January 1.
City staff calculate the percentage increase in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland CPI for the applicable 12-month period (typically August to August of the prior year), then apply it to the current rate. The City publishes the new rate in September or October — giving employers roughly 60–90 days to update payroll before the January 1 effective date.
Like other Bay Area cities with CPI-tied ordinances, Santa Clara's minimum wage will continue rising each year as long as regional prices increase. There is no mechanism to hold the rate flat if CPI is positive. For long-range payroll planning, budgeting an annual increase of 1.5–3% is reasonable based on recent trends.
When Will the 2027 Rate Be Announced?
Based on prior years, expect the Santa Clara 2027 minimum wage announcement in September or October 2026. The new rate will take effect January 1, 2027 — giving employers approximately 60–90 days to update payroll. We track Santa Clara's minimum wage announcements and will update this page the day the 2027 rate is published.
Santa Clara Minimum Wage History
| Effective Date | Minimum Wage |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2025 | $18.20/hr |
| January 1, 2026 (current) | $18.70/hr |
| January 1, 2027 (pending) | TBD — we will post it here |
Heading Into 2027 -- Is Your Payroll Ready?
When Santa Clara's minimum wage changes January 1, 2027, you need to update payroll before the first pay date of the new year. B&H handles payroll for South Bay businesses and manages every rate change automatically. Call for a free payroll evaluation.
Call 408-256-0339 — Free EvaluationWhy Track the 2027 Rate Early?
Searching for next year's minimum wage before the official announcement is a smart habit. Cities and the state typically publish the new rate 60–90 days before it takes effect — which can be tight if you have a large hourly workforce or multiple locations.
Business owners who track the rate change early can:
- Update job offer letters and employment agreements before the effective date
- Re-run labor cost projections for the coming year's budget
- Verify that tipped employees still meet the new floor on base pay alone
- Confirm your payroll provider will apply the new rate automatically — many do not
- Decide whether to spread wage increases across a broader team for equity
If you use B&H for payroll, you don't need to track this yourself — we handle every minimum wage update for every city in our service area and update your payroll settings before the effective date, at no additional charge.