At least nine health systems have raised their minimum wages so far in 2026. Most of the new floors fall between $15 and $20 an hour, as systems try to hold on to entry-level and support staff while labor costs keep rising.
Labor costs per calendar day rose 5% from 2024 to 2025, while 1 in 4 healthcare workers is thinking about leaving the industry. Most systems described the raises as recognition of their frontline and support staff. Several also pointed to competitive pay, retention and benchmarking against the market, and a few are adjusting pay for workers just above the new floors to limit wage compression.
Here are the minimum wage increases Becker’s has reported this year:
1. Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare will raise its minimum wage to $20 an hour on Dec. 27. The raise covers about 4,000 employees, and another 4,000 will get compression adjustments. The new rate came out of the system’s annual wage analysis, finished in summer 2026. Connecticut’s minimum wage is $16.94 an hour now and will rise to $17.48 on Jan. 1, 2027. Employees covered by union contracts will keep the pay their contracts set.
2. Durham, N.C.-based Duke University and Duke University Health System raised their minimum wage to $20 an hour on July 1. More than 4,000 employees got direct raises, and about 9,000 more got adjustments. Duke said the goal was to support workers’ economic stability, recognize frontline staff and stay competitive as a regional employer.
3. New Orleans-based Ochsner Health raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour on May 31. The change covers more than 3,000 full-time, part-time and per diem workers. “We are committed to recognizing the value of our entire team fairly and equitably and will continue to review roles over time to ensure differences across pay grades remain meaningful,” President and CEO Pete November and Chief People and Culture Officer Tracey Schiro said in a letter to staff.
4. Shreveport, La.-based Ochsner LSU Health raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour on May 31. The system framed the raise as part of its investment in workers’ financial wellness. “Our workforce is the heart of our organization, and we are deeply committed to ensuring they feel supported, valued and empowered to grow,” CEO David Callecod said.
5. Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Health raised its minimum wage from $17 to $18 an hour in May. More than 4,200 workers were affected, and employees earning under $23 an hour also got pay adjustments. “This investment reflects our ongoing commitment to attracting, supporting, and retaining exceptional talent as we continue building a future-ready workplace,” Chief People and Culture Officer Michelle Adamolekun said.
6. Little Rock-based University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences raised its minimum wage from $15 to $16 an hour on April 12. About 1,800 employees in 75 positions were affected. Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, MD, called it “the first of what I hope will be many pay increases” and noted that finances limit wider salary raises.
7. New Orleans-based LCMC Health raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour on April 5. It was a 30% raise for more than 400 employees, about 2% of its workforce, most of them in essential support roles.
8. Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health set one minimum wage of $18.85 an hour across its six-state footprint. It showed up on paychecks starting Jan. 30 and is part of $776 million the system is putting into compensation for 2026. The system said a single rate keeps entry-level pay consistent and competitive for roles such as environmental services technicians and patient transporters.
9. Baton Rouge, La.-based FMOL Health raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour in all markets in January. It also made a market compensation adjustment across the system. The changes followed employee feedback and an analysis of thousands of roles benchmarked against national and regional pay data.
