San José raises the floor for Silicon Valley workers. In 2012, a San José State University undergraduate class project turned into a successful ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage in the city to $10/hour, pegged to inflation. Local labor unions, community organizations, and business partners supported the effort, and the campaign helped build support for a statewide $10/hour minimum wage that passed the next year. Currently, the city’s minimum wage is $15.45/hour. San José also has one of the highest living wages in the state, at $24.07/hour (with health benefits), that adjusts annually based on increases in the cost of living in the city, and applies to all businesses that contract with the city. Learn more.