The minimum wage in Colorado increased again in 2026, affecting workers and employers across the state. The statewide rate is now above $15 per hour, but employees in several Colorado cities and counties are entitled to even higher local minimum wages. Understanding which rate applies matters most for tipped workers, minors, businesses with employees in multiple locations, and anyone checking whether a paycheck meets current wage requirements.
Quick answer: The minimum wage in Colorado is $15.16 per hour in 2026 for most covered employees. The statewide tipped minimum wage is $12.14 per hour when a lawful tip credit applies, while Denver, Edgewater, Boulder, and unincorporated Boulder County have higher local rates.
What Is the Minimum Wage in Colorado in 2026?
Colorado’s statewide minimum wage is $15.16 per hour, effective January 1, 2026. That is an increase from $14.81 in 2025, and employers generally must pay the higher applicable wage when state, federal, or local standards overlap. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, or CDLE, also lists a statewide cash wage of $12.14 per hour for qualifying tipped employees in 2026.
| Colorado wage category | 2026 rate | 2025 rate |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide minimum wage | $15.16/hour | $14.81/hour |
| Statewide tipped minimum wage | $12.14/hour | $11.79/hour |
| Non-emancipated minor rate under state rules | $12.89/hour | Not listed |
| Federal minimum wage | $7.25/hour | $7.25/hour |
The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour, but that does not replace Colorado’s higher state requirement for workers covered by both laws. The U.S. Department of Labor’s state minimum wage guidance explains that when state and federal minimum-wage rules both apply, employees are entitled to the higher applicable standard. For most covered Colorado employees outside a locality with an even higher wage, $15.16 is the relevant 2026 floor.
Colorado Minimum Wage by City and County
The statewide figure is not the correct rate for every worker because Colorado permits local governments to establish higher minimum wages. In 2026, the CDLE identifies higher rates in the City and County of Denver, Edgewater, the City of Boulder, and unincorporated Boulder County. Employees and businesses therefore need to check where the work is actually performed instead of assuming the statewide wage always controls.
| Location | 2026 regular minimum wage | 2026 tipped/base wage |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado statewide, when no higher local rate applies | $15.16 | $12.14 |
| Denver City and County | $19.29 | $16.27 |
| City of Edgewater | $18.17 | $13.50 |
| City of Boulder | $16.82 | $13.80 |
| Unincorporated Boulder County | $16.82 | $13.80 |
These differences can significantly affect payroll. At 40 hours per week, a worker earning the statewide minimum receives $606.40 in gross regular wages before taxes and deductions, while a Denver employee earning the local minimum receives $771.60 for the same number of hours. That is a difference of $165.20 per week before considering overtime or other compensation.
Denver Minimum Wage in 2026
Denver has the highest local minimum wage currently listed by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Beginning January 1, 2026, the City and County of Denver minimum wage is $19.29 per hour, up from $18.81 in 2025. Qualifying tipped food and beverage workers may receive a cash wage of $16.27 per hour when they meet the required conditions for the $3.02 tip credit.
Denver’s local wage is adjusted annually using an inflation measure specified by city law. This means workers performing covered work in Denver should not rely on Colorado’s $15.16 statewide amount when the city requirement applies. Employers operating at multiple Colorado locations should also ensure payroll systems use the correct wage for the location where covered work is performed.
Edgewater Minimum Wage in 2026
Edgewater’s regular minimum wage rose to $18.17 per hour in 2026, making it substantially higher than the statewide rate. Edgewater also changed its tip-credit rules for 2026, raising the local tip credit to $4.67 and producing a $13.50 tipped minimum cash wage for qualifying workers. The city states that employers must still ensure eligible tipped employees ultimately receive at least the full applicable Edgewater minimum wage.
This distinction matters because applying Colorado’s ordinary $3.02 tip credit to Edgewater’s $18.17 minimum would produce a different number. Edgewater adopted its own temporary local tip-credit amount for 2026 under authority granted by state legislation. Employers should therefore use the current Edgewater schedule rather than calculating the tipped rate solely from the statewide credit.
Boulder Minimum Wage in 2026
The City of Boulder minimum wage is $16.82 per hour in 2026, up from $15.57 in 2025. Its base wage for qualifying tipped employees is $13.80 because the city’s listed tip offset is $3.02. Boulder has also scheduled another increase to $18.17 per hour for 2027 before moving to inflation-based annual adjustments beginning in 2028.
Unincorporated Boulder County separately uses a $16.82 minimum wage in 2026, with a $13.80 tipped rate. The county emphasizes that this ordinance applies only in unincorporated areas, so a mailing address that says Boulder or Longmont does not by itself establish which wage applies. Workers and employers should check the actual business location because incorporated cities and towns can fall under different rules.
How Does Colorado’s Tipped Minimum Wage Work?
Colorado’s statewide tipped minimum wage is $12.14 per hour in 2026, which is $3.02 below the full $15.16 minimum. The reduced cash wage does not mean a tipped employee may legally earn only $12.14 after tips are counted. The employer can use the permitted tip credit only to the extent that wages plus qualifying tips bring the employee to at least the applicable full minimum wage.
For example, suppose a covered employee earns $12.14 per hour in direct wages and receives enough qualifying tips to add at least $3.02 per hour. The combined amount reaches the statewide $15.16 minimum, so the basic wage requirement is met, assuming the other legal conditions are met. If the employee’s tips are insufficient, the employer generally must make up the shortfall rather than shifting that loss to the worker.
Local tipped rates must also be checked because they can be considerably higher. Denver’s 2026 tipped minimum is $16.27, Boulder and unincorporated Boulder County use $13.80, and Edgewater uses $13.50 under its 2026 local tip-credit arrangement. The safest approach is to identify both the work location and the current local rule before calculating the required cash wage.
What Is the Minimum Wage for Workers Under 18?
Colorado’s 2026 PAY CALC rules list a minimum wage of $12.89 per hour for non-emancipated minors, representing a 15% reduction from the full statewide minimum. The reduced minor rate is subject to Colorado’s youth-employment rules and should not be assumed to apply in every local jurisdiction. Some local minimum-wage laws can provide different protections, so employers should verify the local requirement before reducing a minor employee’s wage.
Emancipation status also matters under the statewide rule. The Colorado guidance describes the reduced rate as applying to non-emancipated minors, not as a universal lower wage for every employee under 18. Businesses employing younger workers should therefore review both the Youth Employment Standards rules and any applicable municipal minimum-wage ordinance.
Does Colorado Minimum Wage Apply to Salaried or Commission Workers?
Minimum-wage protections are not limited to people whose paychecks are calculated using a simple hourly rate. Colorado guidance says covered employees must receive at least the applicable minimum wage for all compensable time even when they are paid through salary, commissions, piece rates, tasks, or another method. Separate exemptions can apply to particular positions, so a job title or the word “salary” alone does not determine whether minimum-wage rules apply.
This distinction between a wage floor and a professional salary is useful when comparing different types of compensation. Readers researching earnings in particular careers can also see My URL Pro’s patent lawyer salary breakdown for an example of how location, experience, and industry can influence pay far above statutory minimums. Minimum wage establishes a legal floor for covered employment; it is not an estimate of the typical or average salary for a profession.
How Minimum Wage and Overtime Work Together
Colorado wage law also includes overtime requirements that are separate from the minimum-wage floor. For many covered employees, overtime is due at one and one-half times the regular rate after more than 40 hours in a workweek, 12 hours in a workday, or 12 consecutive hours. Exemptions and industry-specific rules can change that result. An employee who receives minimum wage does not lose overtime rights simply because the employer has already paid the correct base hourly rate.
Employers should therefore consider minimum wage and overtime together when estimating labor expenses. Payroll can rise significantly when a business adds longer shifts or extra weekly hours, particularly in cities with higher local wage floors. For a broader example of how staffing expenses fit into a business budget, My URL Pro’s guide to buying a laundromat for business includes wages among the ongoing operating costs owners need to consider.
What Does a Full-Time Minimum-Wage Income Look Like?
A worker earning exactly $15.16 per hour for 40 hours a week would earn $606.40 in regular gross wages per week. Over 52 weeks at 40 hours each, that equals approximately $31,532.80 per year before taxes, deductions, overtime, unpaid time off, or other adjustments. These figures are simple illustrations, not guarantees of take-home pay, because actual schedules and payroll deductions vary.
The same calculation looks different in cities with local wage laws. Forty hours at Denver’s $19.29 rate equals $771.60 per week, while 40 hours at Edgewater’s $18.17 rate equals $726.80 and 40 hours at Boulder’s $16.82 rate equals $672.80. These examples show why you must confirm the employee’s work location before estimating earnings.
Why Does Colorado’s Minimum Wage Change?
Colorado’s minimum wage is indexed so that it can change in response to inflation rather than remaining fixed indefinitely. State labor materials describe the full minimum wage as being adjusted using the applicable Consumer Price Index, and the statewide rate moved from $14.42 in 2024 to $14.81 in 2025 and $15.16 in 2026. The annual adjustment means workers and employers should check the newly published amount each year instead of assuming the previous rate remains valid.
Local governments can follow their own schedules or inflation formulas within Colorado law. Denver’s 2026 adjustment, for example, raised its wage from $18.81 to $19.29, while Boulder followed a scheduled increase to $16.82. This combination of state and local changes explains why searches for an older Colorado wage figure can quickly produce outdated information.
What Should Employers Check in 2026?
Employers should first identify every jurisdiction where their employees work and determine whether a higher local minimum wage applies. They should then verify direct wages, tip credits, time records, overtime calculations, employee classifications, and required workplace notices against current rules. Using a prior-year payroll setting can create underpayments even when the employer previously complied with the law.
Colorado also requires employers to account for compensable working time, not just scheduled shift hours. The state’s wage-and-hour guidance covers paid rest periods, meal-period rules, overtime, deductions, and other requirements beyond the hourly minimum. Payroll compliance therefore involves more than entering $15.16 into an hourly-rate field.
What Can a Worker Do If They Are Paid Below Minimum Wage?
Workers who believe they were underpaid should keep their pay statements, schedules, time records, employment agreements, texts, emails, and other documents showing hours and compensation. They can compare those records with the current state and local wage requirements before contacting the employer about a discrepancy. Accurate records are especially helpful when a dispute involves unpaid work time, tips, overtime, or work performed in more than one jurisdiction.
The Colorado Division of Labor Standards and Statistics accepts complaints involving unpaid wages and other covered labor-standard violations. The agency’s complaint materials state that its process is available to employees regardless of immigration status and identify pay statements, time cards, texts, emails, and agreements as examples of useful supporting documents. Depending on the facts and amount involved, workers may also wish to seek qualified legal advice about their individual situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Colorado right now?
As of 2026, Colorado’s statewide minimum wage is $15.16 per hour for most covered employees. The amount took effect January 1, 2026, replacing the 2025 rate of $14.81. A higher local wage can apply when the employee works in Denver, Edgewater, Boulder, or unincorporated Boulder County.
What is the Colorado tipped minimum wage in 2026?
The statewide tipped minimum wage is $12.14 per hour in 2026 when the employer qualifies to use the $3.02 tip credit. Tips must be sufficient to bring the worker’s compensation to at least the full applicable minimum wage. Local jurisdictions may have different tipped cash wage rates, including Denver’s $16.27 and Edgewater’s $13.50.
What is Denver’s minimum wage in 2026?
Denver’s minimum wage is $19.29 per hour beginning January 1, 2026. The city’s tipped minimum for eligible food and beverage workers is $16.27 when the applicable tip-credit requirements are met. Both figures exceed Colorado’s statewide rates.
Is Colorado’s minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage?
Yes, Colorado’s $15.16 statewide minimum wage is more than double the current $7.25 federal minimum. When an employee is protected by both federal and Colorado minimum-wage requirements, the higher applicable standard controls. A qualifying local Colorado wage may be higher still.
Will Colorado’s minimum wage increase again?
Colorado adjusts its statewide minimum wage annually under its inflation-based framework, so the amount can change from one calendar year to the next. Check the exact applicable rate against the state’s official publication for the relevant year rather than estimating it in advance. Local governments may also make separate annual adjustments under their own ordinances.
Bottom Line
The minimum wage in Colorado is $15.16 per hour in 2026, while the statewide tipped cash wage is $12.14 for qualifying employees. Workers in Denver, Edgewater, Boulder, and unincorporated Boulder County may be entitled to higher local rates, making work location one of the most important facts to verify. Employees and employers should use current Colorado Department of Labor and Employment information whenever checking pay because state and local rates can change each year.
