1. Where the employee works, and which exemption
New York's higher figures apply only to the executive and administrative exemptions — the professional exemption uses the federal figure even in New York. Every other modeled state applies its higher figure to all three EAP categories alike.
2. The salary
Paid a fixed annual salary instead? Divide by 52 to get the weekly figure this tool compares — the result below also shows the annual equivalent of the applicable threshold.
Choose a state and exemption category, enter the weekly salary, then click Check.
Result
What this does not cover
- Not a full exemption determination. This checks only the salary-level threshold — not the salary-basis test (whether pay is actually reduced for partial-day absences or variable work) or the duties test (whether the job's actual responsibilities qualify as executive, administrative, or professional work).
- No computer-employee exemption. The separate federal computer-employee exemption ($27.63/hour as an alternative to the salary test) and any state-specific computer-employee rule are not modeled here.
- Five states only. Other states may set their own thresholds this tool does not track; if the employee's state is not listed, confirm separately whether that state sets its own figure.
- Point-in-time figures. These are the 2026 figures as published; a state's threshold can change again in a future year, and Alaska's figure does not take effect until 2026-07-01.
Common questions
What is the FLSA white-collar exempt salary threshold for 2026?
The federal threshold is $684/week ($35,568/year). The 2024 rule that would have raised it to $1,128/week was vacated by a federal court, and the Department of Labor's May 2026 technical amendment formally confirmed $684 as the operative figure rather than raising it.
Which states have a higher exempt salary threshold than the federal figure?
Five states, all effective 2026: California ($1,352/week), Washington ($1,541.70/week), Maine ($871.16/week), New York ($1,275/week in NYC and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties, or $1,199.10/week elsewhere in the state), and Alaska ($1,120/week, but not effective until July 1, 2026). An employer must meet whichever of the federal or state figure is higher.
Does New York's higher threshold apply to every exemption category?
No. New York's higher figures apply only to the executive and administrative exemptions. New York sets no state-specific threshold for the professional exemption, so the federal $684/week figure governs a professional-exemption classification even in New York — the detail this tool exists to catch, since every other modeled state uses one figure across all three EAP categories.
If a salary meets the threshold, is the employee definitely exempt?
No. Meeting the salary threshold is necessary but not sufficient. The employee must also be paid on a true salary basis (not reduced for partial-day absences or variations in the amount of work) and must actually perform exempt duties under the executive, administrative, or professional duties test. This tool checks only the salary-level test.
Is this legal advice?
No. This tool applies published federal and state salary-threshold figures to the numbers you enter. It does not evaluate job duties, salary basis, or any other element of an exemption determination, and it is not a substitute for reviewing current DOL and state guidance or consulting a qualified employment attorney or HR compliance professional before classifying an employee.