Short answer. City of San Mateo: employers must pay no less than $19.25 an hour from January 1, 2027.
$19.25
San Mateo minimum wage from January 1, 2027 (+$0.65, 3.5%)
San Mateo minimum wage at a glance
- 2027 rate
- $19.25 an hour from January 1, 2027
- 2026 rate
- $18.60 an hour from January 1, 2026
- Change
- +$0.65 an hour (3.5%)
- California rate, 2027
- $17.40 an hour
- San Mateo above California
- $1.85 an hour (10.6%) in 2027
- Kind of rate
- City ordinance
- Official page
- City of San Mateo: Minimum Wage Ordinance
San Mateo rate history: 2026 to 2027
City of San Mateo: $18.60 an hour for all employees from January 1, 2026. City of San Mateo: employers must pay no less than $19.25 an hour from January 1, 2027. That is $0.65 more an hour, a 3.5% increase, for hours worked in San Mateo on or after January 1, 2027.
Who the San Mateo rate covers
The City of San Mateo's page applies the rate to all employees working in the city, with no lower rate for small employers.
San Mateo compared with the California minimum wage
The California general rate is $16.90 in 2026 and $17.40 in 2027. San Mateo's $19.25 is $1.85 an hour, or 10.6%, above the state's 2027 rate; in 2026 the gap was $1.70. Over a 2,080-hour year that's $3,848 more than the state minimum for one full-time employee. See the California 2027 minimum wage page for the state rules.
What the San Mateo rate means for pay
Weekly gross pay at the San Mateo minimum, before taxes. Hours over 40 are paid at time and a half under federal overtime rules. A full-time year of 2,080 hours comes to about $40,040 at the 2027 rate, against $38,688 at the 2026 rate and $36,192 at the California 2027 rate.
| Schedule | San Mateo 2026 | San Mateo 2027 | Difference | California 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full time, 40 hours | $744.00 | $770.00 | +$26.00 | $696.00 |
| Part time, 24 hours | $446.40 | $462.00 | +$15.60 | $417.60 |
| 44 hours (4 at time and a half) | $855.60 | $885.50 | +$29.90 | $800.40 |
For a staff list, the payroll change calculator works out raises against the California rate; compare its results with San Mateo's $19.25 for anyone who works in San Mateo.
Updating payroll for San Mateo
- List everyone who works in San Mateo and is paid under $19.25 an hour, including part-time and seasonal staff and anyone who works there only some of the week.
- Set the new rate in payroll with an effective date of January 1, 2027, and split any pay period that crosses it so hours before the date stay at $18.60.
- Replace the San Mateo minimum wage notice with the 2027 version from the official page.
For the California rules beyond the local minimum wage (new hire reporting, unemployment tax, final pay and more), the California Employer Compliance Kit 2027 ($19) has a checklist, a deadline calendar and an Excel tracker.
Other local rates in California
- Cupertino: $19.25 from January 1, 2027
- Daly City: $18.10 from January 1, 2027
- Foster City: $18.36 from January 1, 2027
- Half Moon Bay: $18.52 from January 1, 2027
- Hayward: $18.39 from January 1, 2027
- Palo Alto: $19.25 from January 1, 2027
- San Diego: $18.35 from January 1, 2027
- San Mateo County (unincorporated): $18.58 from January 1, 2027
- 23 more with 2027 not yet announced, in the local minimum wage table
Official sources for San Mateo
- City of San Mateo: Minimum Wage Ordinance (checked November 2026)
- County of San Mateo Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement: 2026 minimum wage chart for the county and its cities (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal or payroll advice; we are not lawyers or payroll advisers. Checked November 2026 against the official San Mateo pages above. A city or county can change a rate after we check, and coverage, employer-size rules and exemptions differ from place to place. Before you change payroll, confirm the rate with the local labor standards office, your payroll provider or an employment attorney. MCC Solutions isn't affiliated with any government agency.
San Mateo minimum wage questions
What is the San Mateo minimum wage in 2027?
$19.25 an hour from January 1, 2027, up from $18.60. City of San Mateo: employers must pay no less than $19.25 an hour from January 1, 2027.
How does the San Mateo minimum wage compare with the California rate?
In 2027, San Mateo is $1.85 an hour (10.6%) above the California rate of $17.40. In 2026 the gap was $1.70. Employers pay the San Mateo rate for work done there.
How much is a full-time San Mateo minimum wage job in 2027?
$770.00 a week for 40 hours, or about $40,040 a year at 2,080 hours, before taxes. That is $26.00 a week more than at the 2026 rate.
Who does the San Mateo minimum wage cover?
The City of San Mateo's page applies the rate to all employees working in the city, with no lower rate for small employers.
All localities: local minimum wage 2027 · California minimum wage 2027 · Minimum wage by state