LANSING – On Feb. 21, Michigan will raise its state minimum wage by almost $2 per hour, from $10.56 to $12.48 — that is, unless lawmakers block it first.

It would be the second increase of the year and, jumping $1.92, the largest single raise in the 65 years of the wage’s existence, MLIVE reported.

The 18% change would be the sixth highest, percentage wise. The highest came in 1998 at 53.7%, when the wage jumped from $3.35 to $5.15.

It will also be one of only three times the increase has exceed $1. When combining 2025’s earlier 23-cent increase, this will be the first time a year-over-year raise will break $2.

The increase is part of a multi-year schedule of raises, stemming from a Michigan Supreme Court ruling last year. If the schedule isn’t altered by lawmakers, minimum wage will hit nearly $15 in 2028.

Michigan has enacted a minimum wage raise every year over the past decade, with the exception of 2021 when the COVID lockdown era put a pause on many things.

The last time the federal minimum wage increased was 15 years ago.
During that 15-year period, Michigan’s wage has grown by $5.08 per hour. This is the largest gap between the Michigan and federal minimum wage ever.