Washington state minimum wage set to increase to $9.19

Rolf Boone/The Business Blog • Published December 31, 2012 Modified December 31, 2012

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Washington state's minimum wage is set to rise to $9.19 per hour Tuesday, 15 cents higher than it was in 2012, according to the state Department of Labor and Industries.

Washington has the highest minimum wage in the country, followed by Oregon. The Beaver State's minimum wage also is set to increase 15 cents to $8.95 per hour in 2013.

The Washington state minimum wage increase is the result of a 1.67 percent rise in the consumer price index. And the CPI was pushed higher due to higher gasoline prices, which rose an average of 9 percent over the past year. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Here's how Washington's minimum wage has changed over the years, according to L&I data:

-2013: $9.19

-2003: $7.01

-1994: $4.90

-1976: $2.30

-1968: $1.60

-1961: $1.15

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