Virginia Minimum Wage to Reach $15 by 2028

Gov. Spanberger signs bill into law, overcoming previous vetoes

Apr. 10, 2026 at 9:09pm

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A serene, nostalgic painting depicting a lone worker standing outside a small storefront, the building's facade cast in warm, golden light and deep shadows, capturing the quiet tension of the minimum wage debate.The minimum wage increase aims to lift up Virginia's working families, though concerns linger over its potential economic impacts.Hampton Today

Virginia's minimum wage will incrementally increase to $15 an hour by 2028 under a new law signed by Governor Abigail Spanberger. The bill, which passed the Democratic-controlled legislature, faced opposition from some business groups who warned it could lead to job losses and inflation.

Why it matters

The minimum wage increase is a key policy priority for Virginia Democrats, who have pushed for it for several years. The move aligns Virginia with 18 other states and Washington D.C. that have or will soon have a $15 minimum wage, but some fiscal conservatives argue it could negatively impact businesses and the economy.

The details

The new law will raise the current minimum wage of $12.77 an hour to $13.75 in 2027 and then to $15 in 2028. After that, the wage will increase alongside inflation. Democrats argue the increase will help support Virginia families, while the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the conservative think tank Employment Policies Institute warn it could cost the state up to 12,000 jobs, including 6% of the restaurant workforce.

  • The new minimum wage law was signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger on April 10, 2026.
  • The minimum wage will increase to $13.75 an hour in 2027.
  • The minimum wage will reach $15 an hour in 2028.

The players

Gov. Abigail Spanberger

The Democratic governor of Virginia who signed the minimum wage increase into law.

Del. Jeion Ward

A Democratic state delegate from the Hampton area who worked on the minimum wage bill.

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

A business group that opposed the minimum wage increase, urging the governor to veto the bill.

Employment Policies Institute

A fiscally conservative think tank that estimates the wage increase could cost Virginia 12,000 jobs.

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What they’re saying

“We were very, very careful to make sure we were doing things to help Virginians and not hurt businesses.”

— Del. Jeion Ward, Democratic state delegate

“What we have seen in economic research is that sometimes minimum wages can actually contribute to inflation or make it worse, and so our organization is concerned about this only because we don't want to continue to see inflation get worse for the folks we're trying to help.”

— Rebekah Paxton, Research director, Employment Policies Institute

What’s next

The new minimum wage law will take effect in 2027, with the $15 an hour rate being implemented in 2028. The state will continue to monitor the economic impacts of the increase.

The takeaway

The minimum wage increase in Virginia reflects the ongoing debate over the balance between supporting workers' incomes and potential impacts on businesses and the broader economy. As more states adopt $15 minimum wages, the real-world effects will continue to be closely watched.