Oregon’s Minimum Wage Rises to $9.10 Per Hour in 2014

Oregon's minimum wage rate rose to $9.10 per hour on January 1, 2014. The state's minimum wage is linked to inflation and will rise 15 cents per hour, or 1.7 percent. Oregon's minimum wage has been set at $8.95 per hour since January 1, 2013.

Oregon's minimum wage was second-highest among states in 2013, trailing only Washington ($9.19 per hour).  Minimum wage for Oregon remains above the federal minimum wage, which has been set at $7.25 per hour since July 24, 2009.

Oregon's minimum wage increase will be felt by workers and businesses across all industries, but the leisure and hospitality industry will likely see the greatest impact. Here are a few relevant facts from the first quarter of 2013:

• Oregon had roughly 149,700 jobs paying $9.10 per hour or less.  These jobs made up 8.5 percent of Oregon employment.
• The leisure and hospitality industry had 57,200 jobs paying $9.10 per hour or less, followed by retail trade with 29,800 jobs.
• Thirty-eight percent of jobs paying less than $9.10 per hour were in leisure and hospitality, which was the highest among industries.
• Within leisure and hospitality, 29 percent of jobs pay $9.10 per hour or less, also the highest among Oregon industries.