California is one of the states with the highest minimum wage in the nation, and it is set to increase further in 2024. The statewide minimum wage will rise to $16 an hour on Jan. 1, 2024, up from $15 in 2023. This is part of a gradual increase that was signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2016, which aims to reach $15 an hour for all employers by 2023, and then adjust annually based on inflation.