Bakersfield Minimum Wage Rises to $17.40 in 2027: What Changes Jan. 1

Published: September 26, 2026 | By LocalJobPage Team

BAKERSFIELD, CA — California's minimum wage climbs to $17.40 an hour on Friday, January 1, 2027, up 50 cents from today's $16.90. In Bakersfield and across Kern County there is no local ordinance layered on top, so that state number is the floor for most hourly jobs from Delano down to Tehachapi, and it arrives right after the holiday hiring rush at warehouses, stores and restaurants.

A 50-cent raise for minimum wage workers, a higher salary bar for exempt jobs, and one simple rule: the address where you work sets your floor.

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New state minimum	$17.40 per hour
Current minimum	$16.90 per hour
Effective	Friday, January 1, 2027
Applies to	All employers, regardless of size
Local ordinance in Kern County	None; the state rate applies
Exempt salary minimum	$72,384 a year
Wage questions	Labor Commissioner, 833-526-4636

💵 What the Bakersfield Minimum Wage Increase Means for Your Paycheck

The raise is automatic. State law ties California's minimum wage to inflation, and the Department of Finance certified the new figure on July 31. The Department of Industrial Relations confirmed the $17.40 rate in August.

For someone working 40 hours a week at the floor, 50 cents more an hour works out to about $1,040 a year before taxes.

Keep the floor in perspective, though. It is the legal minimum, not the going rate. Employers competing for the same workers, from distribution centers along the Highway 99 and Interstate 5 corridors to hospitals downtown, often post starting pay above it, so compare listings rather than assuming the minimum. Use $17.40 as the number nobody can go below, not the number to expect.

🗺️ One Number From Delano to Tehachapi

Unlike the Bay Area or Los Angeles, Kern County has no city or county minimum wage of its own. Bakersfield, Shafter, Wasco, Arvin, Taft, Ridgecrest and the rest of the county all follow the statewide rate. Whether the job is on Rosedale Highway or out in Lamont, the floor is the same.

It gets more complicated for commuters. Some Southern California cities, including Los Angeles, set their own higher minimums. The rule is the same everywhere: the address where the work is performed decides the floor, not where you live and not where the company is headquartered. A Bakersfield resident working a shift in a city with its own ordinance is owed that city's rate for those hours.

⚠️ Fast Food, Health Care and Salaried Workers

Two industries already run on separate, higher floors. Covered fast food restaurant employees must be paid at least $20 an hour under state law, and a state council has the authority to adjust that rate. Health care workers have their own minimum wage schedule, with rates that depend on the type of facility and step up on a set timeline. Health care staff should check the state's minimum wage page for the tier that applies to them.

The change also reaches salaried office jobs. To be classified as exempt from overtime in California, most employees must earn at least twice the state minimum wage for full-time work. On January 1 that threshold rises to $72,384 a year, up from $70,304. If you are salaried below that line and your duties have not changed, it is worth asking HR how your role will be handled in 2027.

🔎 Where Bakersfield Is Hiring Right Now

Hourly hiring in Kern County runs through warehousing, retail, food service and health care, and the busiest stretch of the year is here.

Start here:

Bakersfield Minimum Wage FAQ

What will the minimum wage be in Bakersfield in 2027?

$17.40 an hour starting January 1, 2027. Bakersfield has no local minimum wage, so the California rate applies.

Does the new rate apply to small businesses?

Yes. California uses one statewide rate for all employers, regardless of how many people they employ.

Do fast food workers in Kern County get $17.40?

No. Covered fast food restaurant employees are already owed at least $20 an hour, which is higher than the general minimum.

What if I live in Bakersfield but work somewhere else?

Your pay floor is set by the location where you do the work. If that city has a higher local minimum wage, you are owed it for hours worked there.

What should I do if my January paycheck is short?

Your pay stub must list your hourly rate. If it shows less than the legal minimum, contact the state Labor Commissioner's Office at 833-526-4636 to ask about filing a wage claim.

Line Up Your Next Job Before January

A higher floor is good news, but a better job is better news. Create a free LocalJobPage account to save searches and get new Bakersfield openings as they post, or browse every job in Kern County right now.

Employers: Updating pay bands for 2027? Post your openings on LocalJobPage and reach Bakersfield job seekers directly.