2026 wage guide · 50 states + D.C.
Tipped minimum wage by state.
Know the hourly wage behind your tips. Compare the minimum your employer pays before tips, the regular minimum wage, and the rules that connect them.
Start with where you work.
Or choose your state in the table below.
2026 tipped wages at a glance
Cash wage is what the employer pays before tips. Where a tip credit is allowed, cash wages plus eligible tips must reach the applicable minimum. These are general rates; choose a state for coverage and exceptions.
| Work state | Regular minimum | Tipped cash wage | Before using the rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Alaska | $14.00 | $14.00 | Full wage before tips |
| Arizona | $15.15 | $12.15 | Check local rules |
| Arkansas | $11.00 | $2.63 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| California | $16.90 | $16.90 | Full wage before tips |
| Colorado | $15.16 | $12.14 | Check local rules |
| Connecticut | $16.94 | $6.38–$8.23See category breakdown | Role or region matters |
| Delaware | $15.00 | $2.23 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| District of Columbia | $18.40 | $10.30 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Florida | $15.00 | $11.98 | Increased Sept. 30, 2026 |
| Georgia | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Hawaii | $16.00 | $14.75–$16.00See category breakdown | Special earnings condition |
| Idaho | $7.25 | $3.35 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Illinois | $15.00 | $9.00 | Check local rules |
| Indiana | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Iowa | $7.25 | $4.35 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Kansas | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Kentucky | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Louisiana | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Maine | $15.10 | $7.55 | Check local rules |
| Maryland | $15.00 | $3.63 | Check local rules |
| Massachusetts | $15.00 | $6.75 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Michigan | $13.73 | $5.49 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Minnesota | $11.41 | $11.41 | Full wage before tips |
| Mississippi | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Missouri | $15.00 | $7.50 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Montana | $10.85 | $10.85 | Full wage before tips |
| Nebraska | $15.00 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Nevada | $12.00 | $12.00 | Full wage before tips |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | $3.27 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| New Jersey | $15.92 | $6.05 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| New Mexico | $12.00 | $3.00 | Check local rules |
| New York | $16.00–$17.00 | $10.70–$14.15See category breakdown | Role or region matters |
| North Carolina | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| North Dakota | $7.25 | $4.86 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Ohio | $11.00 | $5.50 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Oklahoma | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Oregon | $14.55–$16.80 | $14.55–$16.80See category breakdown | Full wage before tips |
| Pennsylvania | $7.25 | $2.83 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Rhode Island | $16.00 | $3.89 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| South Carolina | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| South Dakota | $11.85 | $5.93 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Tennessee | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Texas | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Utah | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Vermont | $14.42 | $7.21 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Virginia | $12.77 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Washington | $17.13 | $17.13 | Full wage before tips |
| West Virginia | $8.75 | $2.62 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | $2.33 | Tip credit conditions apply |
| Wyoming | $7.25 | $2.13 | Tip credit conditions apply |
City rules can change the answer. This table covers state baselines and state regional categories. A workplace in a city with its own wage law may require higher pay. It does not replace a local wage lookup.
Three numbers. Three different meanings.
Regular minimum wage
The minimum hourly wage that applies to the covered work. Where a valid tip credit is allowed, employer-paid cash wages plus eligible tips must reach this amount.
Tipped cash wage
The hourly wage paid directly by the employer before tips, subject to the applicable tip-credit conditions. “Cash wage” means employer-paid wages, even when paid by check or direct deposit.
Maximum tip credit
The part of the minimum wage an eligible employer may count qualifying tips toward. It is not a fee, a tip-out, or money the employer may keep.
Under the federal rules, if employer-paid wages plus tips do not reach the required minimum over the workweek, the employer must make up the shortfall. State rules may require a different or more frequent reconciliation. Read the U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet 15, Tipped Employees for eligibility, notice, tip retention and tip-pooling requirements.
A barista, delivery driver, salon worker or hotel worker may have different coverage from a restaurant server. Receiving tips alone does not establish eligibility for a lower cash wage.
Questions about tipped minimum wage
Is $2.13 the minimum wage for every server and bartender?
No. $2.13 is the federal minimum cash wage for an eligible tipped employee when all federal tip-credit conditions are met. Many states require more cash pay, and some require the full minimum wage before tips. Local rules and industry categories can change the rate.
Can my employer pay less if I make a lot in tips?
An employer may count tips toward minimum wage only where a tip credit is allowed and the applicable conditions are met. High tips do not remove the required employer-paid cash minimum. Hawaii also has a specific earnings threshold for using its credit.
Should I choose the state where I live or where I work?
Start with the location where you perform the work. A city or county ordinance, or a state regional schedule, may apply in addition to state and federal rules. For work across jurisdictions, check each work location.
Are these rates the amount I take home after taxes?
No. These are gross hourly wage requirements, before payroll taxes and other lawful deductions. Your take-home pay, your tips and your effective hourly earnings are different figures.
Does this tool decide whether I was underpaid?
No. It is a dated wage reference, not a determination about your job. Keep your hours, pay stubs, tips and tip-out records, and check your coverage and wage category with the relevant labor agency.
Sources & methodology
TipsCoach compiles this reference from the U.S. Department of Labor’s tipped-employee table, using state sources to resolve identified differences and dated increases. EPI’s tracker provides a cross-check and examples of local ordinances. TipsCoach is an independent publisher, not a labor agency.
Rates are a snapshot reviewed on . A review date records when we checked the references; it is not a wage’s legal effective date. Confirmed effective dates are shown separately. The next editorial review is due December 1, 2026. Rates are not updated automatically.
General rates for covered adult employees, in U.S. dollars per hour. Your work location, industry, age and employer coverage can change the applicable rate. This guide does not calculate overtime or determine whether a particular employer may claim a tip credit. Local examples identify places to check; this guide is not a complete city and county rate database.
- U.S. Department of Labor: Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees — accessed October 17, 2026
- U.S. Department of Labor: State Minimum Wage Laws — accessed October 17, 2026
- U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet 15, Tipped Employees — accessed October 17, 2026
- Economic Policy Institute: Minimum Wage Tracker — accessed October 17, 2026
- New York Department of Labor: Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers — accessed October 17, 2026
- New Hampshire law: RSA 279:21 — accessed October 17, 2026
- West Virginia Division of Labor: Minimum Wage FAQ — accessed October 17, 2026
- FloridaCommerce: Florida Minimum Wage — accessed October 17, 2026
- Connecticut Department of Labor: Wage and Workplace Standards — accessed October 17, 2026
- Alaska Department of Labor: Scheduled Minimum Wage Increases — accessed October 17, 2026
- Oregon BOLI: Oregon Minimum Wage — accessed October 17, 2026
- Massachusetts: Minimum Wage Program — accessed October 17, 2026
Found a discrepancy? Send a source correction. Include the work location, wage category, effective date and official source.
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