What factors might explain why states pass minimum wages higher than the federal level?  There are many correct answers, including economic and noneconomic reasons

A national minimum wage is founded on the premise that every worker has an equal right to the same wage protection and has only one rate that is applicable to all of the workers in a nation. The concept of a single minimum wage is also connected to the idea of meeting the requirements of employees and their families, which will be the same regardless of the industry they work in or the size of the business where they are employed.

However, prices for goods and services can significantly vary between regions of the same nation. Some nations may also see regional variations in the job market, with thriving economies and low unemployment in some regions and less thriving regions and higher unemployment in others.