California Minimum Salary 2026 — Exempt Pay Threshold
California's general minimum salary threshold for many executive, administrative, and professional overtime exemptions is $70,304 per year in 2026. The salary level is only one part of exemption status: the applicable duties and other legal requirements must also be satisfied.
Different intent from minimum wage: Looking for California's hourly minimum wage, local rates, or health-care wage tiers? Use California Minimum Wage 2026. This page focuses on the salary threshold used in overtime-exemption analysis.
California Exempt Salary Threshold Checker — 2026
Select the pay category that applies and enter annual salary. For covered health-care employees, first verify the applicable hourly health-care minimum wage because facility category matters.
Passing the salary threshold does not prove exempt status. Duties, salary-basis rules, coverage, and other requirements still matter.
On this page: 2026 general threshold · 2027 announced threshold · Special categories · Salary is not enough · FAQ
California Minimum Salary for Exempt Employees in 2026
California Labor Code § 515 permits executive, administrative, and professional exemptions only when the applicable requirements are met, including a monthly salary equivalent to at least two times the state minimum wage for full-time employment.
California DIR calculates the 2026 general salary threshold from the $16.90 statewide minimum wage:
$16.90 × 2 × 40 hours/week × 52 weeks/year = $70,304/year
| 2026 general threshold | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual | $70,304 |
| Monthly equivalent | $5,858.67 |
| Weekly equivalent | $1,352 |
Official sources: California DIR — 2026 minimum wage and exempt salary · California Labor Code § 515.
California Minimum Salary Threshold in 2027
California announced that the statewide minimum wage will rise to $17.40/hour on January 1, 2027. Applying the same general statutory formula gives:
$17.40 × 2 × 40 × 52 = $72,384/year
This is the general statewide calculation for 2027. Special industry and occupation exemptions can use different formulas or independently adjusted rates, so do not automatically apply $72,384 to every California exemption.
Official announcement: Governor of California — 2027 statewide minimum wage.
Special California Salary and Pay Thresholds
The $70,304 figure is not a universal exemption threshold for every occupation or industry. The checker includes selected categories where current California law uses a different wage-linked salary test.
Covered fast-food employees
California DIR lists a $20/hour minimum for covered fast-food restaurant employees and states that an exempt fast-food employee must receive at least $83,200 under the salary test, in addition to meeting the other exemption requirements.
Covered health-care employees
For covered health-care employees, the salary threshold is at least 1.5 times the applicable health-care minimum wage or two times the statewide minimum wage, whichever is greater. With the 2026 wage tiers currently represented in the site's California minimum-wage checker, that produces these salary thresholds:
| Applicable health-care wage | 1.5× wage annualized | 2026 salary threshold used |
|---|---|---|
| $25.00/hr | $78,000 | $78,000 |
| $23.00/hr | $71,760 | $71,760 |
| $22.00/hr | $68,640 | $70,304 (state formula is higher) |
| $19.28/hr | $60,153.60 | $70,304 (state formula is higher) |
Health-care coverage is facility-specific and can involve waivers or other special rules. Use California Minimum Wage 2026 to identify the wage tier before using a health-care salary option here.
Official sources: California DIR — Fast Food Minimum Wage FAQ · California DIR — Health Care Worker Minimum Wage FAQ.
Computer software employees
California has a separate computer software overtime exemption. For 2026, DIR lists compensation thresholds of $58.85/hour, $10,214.44/month, or $122,573.13/year, together with additional statutory criteria. The checker above does not model that exemption.
Official source: California DIR — Computer Software Employee Exemption.
Licensed physicians and surgeons
California also publishes a separately adjusted hourly compensation threshold for certain licensed physicians and surgeons. DIR lists $107.17/hour for 2026. That exemption has its own criteria and is not modeled by this salary checker.
Official source: California DIR — Licensed Physicians and Surgeons Exemption.
Meeting the Minimum Salary Does Not Automatically Make You Exempt
A salary at or above the applicable threshold is only one element. California's executive, administrative, and professional exemptions also depend on the employee's actual duties and other requirements. A job title such as “manager,” “administrator,” or “professional” is not enough by itself.
- Below the applicable salary threshold: the employee generally cannot satisfy that salary component of the exemption being tested.
- At or above the threshold: continue to the duties and other requirements; do not conclude that overtime is automatically unavailable.
- Special occupations or industries: verify whether a separate exemption or wage-linked formula applies.
For California-specific daily and weekly overtime, use the California Overtime Calculator after identifying the correct regular rate.
If the employee is nonexempt and worked overtime, the Overtime Pay Calculator can estimate a simple overtime component after the correct regular rate and threshold are known.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the California minimum salary for exempt employees in 2026?
For the general California executive, administrative, and professional exemption salary test, the 2026 minimum is $70,304 per year, based on twice the $16.90 statewide minimum wage for full-time employment. Other exemption requirements must also be met.
What is the California exempt salary threshold per week in 2026?
The general 2026 annual threshold of $70,304 is equivalent to $1,352 per week and about $5,858.67 per month. The salary test is only one part of an exemption analysis.
Will the California minimum salary increase in 2027?
California has announced a statewide minimum wage of $17.40 per hour beginning January 1, 2027. Using the general two-times-minimum-wage formula, that corresponds to $72,384 per year for the general salary threshold, assuming the statutory formula remains applicable.
Is $70,304 enough to make an employee exempt from overtime in California?
No. Reaching the salary threshold does not by itself make an employee exempt. The applicable executive, administrative, or professional duties and other exemption requirements must also be satisfied.
Do California fast-food managers have a different salary threshold?
Covered fast-food employees are subject to a $20 hourly minimum wage. California DIR guidance states that an exempt fast-food employee must meet a salary requirement of at least $83,200 and also satisfy the other exemption requirements.
Do covered California health-care employees have a different exempt salary threshold?
They can. For covered health-care employees, the salary threshold is at least 1.5 times the applicable health-care minimum wage or two times the statewide minimum wage, whichever is greater, plus the applicable duties requirements.
Does this checker cover the California computer software exemption?
No. California has a separate computer software exemption with independently adjusted compensation thresholds. For 2026, DIR lists $58.85 per hour, $10,214.44 per month, or $122,573.13 per year, along with other statutory criteria.
Looking for other employment-law topics? Browse wage and employment law guides.