McDonald's minimum wage varies more by state than almost any other large employer, from roughly $9-10/hr in states that default to the federal minimum wage to $20+/hr in California. Here's why, and what drives the gap.

What Is McDonald's Minimum Wage, and Why Does It Vary by Location?

McDonald's is approximately 95% franchised, meaning individual franchise owners, not McDonald's corporate, set wages at most locations. That makes pay far more location-dependent than at a corporately-run chain, since it reflects each franchise operator's local labor market and each state or city's minimum wage law, not one company-wide policy.

Under a franchise business model, individual franchise owners are generally the legal employer of record for their location's workers, responsible for setting wages within the bounds of applicable minimum wage law.

McDonald's Crew Pay by State (2026)

  • California: a $20/hr floor for fast food workers at chains with 60 or more locations nationally, under the state's FAST Recovery Act (AB 1228), effective since April 2024.
  • Washington: typically $17-$20/hr at Seattle-area locations.
  • New York: average crew member pay of approximately $16.90/hr.
  • Texas: average crew member pay of approximately $9.21/hr, reflecting the state's $7.25/hr minimum wage with only a modest premium above it.

What's the National Average?

Aggregated pay data puts the national average McDonald's crew member wage at roughly $13.61/hr, but that single figure obscures the real range: it's pulled up by high-wage states like California and Washington and pulled down by states still near the federal floor.

How Does California's Fast Food Law Work?

California's FAST Recovery Act set a $20/hr minimum specifically for fast food workers at chains with 60 or more locations nationwide, higher than California's general state minimum wage. It's a sector-specific minimum wage, not a general state law, so it applies to large fast food chains like McDonald's but not to every California employer.

How Does McDonald's Pay Compare to the Federal Minimum Wage?

Even McDonald's lowest-reported state averages, like Texas's roughly $9.21/hr, sit above the $7.25/hr federal minimum wage, though only modestly. At the other end, California's $20/hr fast food floor is nearly three times the federal rate, illustrating just how wide the pay gap can be for the same job title depending entirely on state and local law.

How Does McDonald's Pay Compare to Other Fast Food and Retail Chains?

McDonald's national average of roughly $13.61/hr sits below Starbucks' typical $15-$17/hr starting range and well below Costco's $20/hr floor, reflecting the franchise model's wider variation compared to corporately-set wage floors. See our corporate wage guides for a full comparison.

How Was This Pay Data Determined?

California's $20/hr fast food floor comes directly from the text of the FAST Recovery Act itself, a matter of public record. The state and national pay averages come from aggregator platforms like Indeed and ZipRecruiter, which compile self-reported pay data from current and former employees across thousands of individual, franchise-set locations, rather than a single company-wide pay scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is McDonald's minimum wage?

There's no single company-wide figure since 95% of locations are franchised. Pay ranges from about $9/hr in states near the federal minimum to $20+/hr in California under the state's fast food law.

Why does McDonald's pay $20/hr in California?

California's FAST Recovery Act (AB 1228) set a $20/hr minimum specifically for fast food chains with 60 or more locations nationwide, effective since April 2024.

Does McDonald's corporate set wages directly?

Rarely. With about 95% of locations franchised, individual franchise owners generally set wages within the bounds of applicable minimum wage law, not McDonald's corporate headquarters.

What state has the lowest McDonald's crew pay?

States that still default near the $7.25/hr federal minimum wage, like Texas, tend to show the lowest average McDonald's crew pay, around $9.21/hr.

See the California minimum wage guide for the general state rate, or check every state's current minimum wage.

Pay figures reflect aggregator-reported data (Indeed, ZipRecruiter) and California's published FAST Act rate; franchise-set wages vary by individual location and aren't published by McDonald's corporate.