2026 Colorado Minimum Wage
The 2026 Colorado Minimum Wage is $15.16.
Effective 2026-01-01Source: State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)Verified 2026-08-29
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in Colorado subject to the state minimum wage law. The Department of Labor's entry adds that Colorado's minimum wage rate and overtime provisions are applicable to the retail and service, commercial support service, food and beverage, and health and medical industries, and it lists premium pay after designated daily and weekly hours as a requirement separate from the hourly minimum.
What changed this year, and why
The U.S. Department of Labor's table of state minimum wage laws, updated July 1, 2026, lists Colorado's basic minimum rate as $15.16 per hour. The Colorado entry records no later step inside the year, and no earlier year of this record is published here, so this page states no year-over-year change.
Common questions
- What is the minimum wage in Colorado in 2026?
- It is $15.16 per hour. That is the basic minimum rate the U.S. Department of Labor lists for Colorado in its State Minimum Wage Laws table, in the version updated July 1, 2026. The figure published here is read from that entry alone, so it reflects the state rate as the department recorded it on that date.
- Which industries does the Colorado minimum wage cover?
- The department's Colorado entry names them: the minimum wage rate and overtime provisions are applicable to the retail and service, commercial support service, food and beverage, and health and medical industries. The table does not restate the rest of the state rule, so any coverage question outside those industries is not settled by this source.
- Does Colorado require overtime pay on top of the minimum wage?
- The department's table lists premium pay for Colorado after designated daily and weekly hours, which is a requirement separate from the hourly minimum rate. The entry attaches that premium pay to the same industries it names for the minimum wage. This page publishes the hourly minimum only, so the hour thresholds themselves are not restated here.
- Does the Colorado minimum wage change again during 2026?
- The Department of Labor's table lists no scheduled change for Colorado. Its Colorado entry carries a single basic minimum rate with no dated step attached, unlike the entries the department dates for some other states. A change taking effect after the table's July 1, 2026 update would not appear here until the department republishes the table and this record is verified against it again.
- How is the Colorado minimum wage adjusted each year?
- The same table states an annual adjustment formula inside the entry for several states. The Colorado entry contains no such statement. This page therefore publishes the rate the table listed as of July 1, 2026 and makes no claim about the method or the timing of any recalculation, because the source document does not describe one.
- Is Colorado's minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage?
- Yes. The same Department of Labor table cites the current federal minimum wage in its entries for states with no minimum wage law of their own, and Colorado's basic minimum rate is above that amount. The Colorado entry carries no clause adopting the federal rate by reference or substituting it when the federal rate is higher, which several other states' entries do carry.
- Is there a separate tipped or youth minimum wage for Colorado?
- The department's state table lists one basic minimum rate per hour for Colorado and no separate cash wage for tipped employees, so this page does not publish one. The table states outright that differential provisions are not displayed in it, naming subminimum rates for minors and students, training wages for new hires, and higher local government rates as examples.
- Where does the $15.16 figure on this page come from?
- From the Wage and Hour Division's State Minimum Wage Laws table at dol.gov, in the snapshot captured for this record, where the Colorado entry gives the basic minimum rate per hour as $15.16. The division notes on that page that it tries to keep the information accurate and that individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information.
Every amount on this page is a published figure rather than yours. The Minimum wage pay calculator takes the number you enter and works it out against them, showing which published figure it used.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
The $15.16 hourly rate shown on this page is the general minimum wage, but certain workers may be paid less. Some states have subminimum rates that apply specifically to minors or to students. Other states allow employers to pay a separate, lower training wage to newly hired employees for a limited period. In still other states, minors or students are entirely exempt from the state minimum wage, meaning the state’s standard floor does not apply to them at all. These special provisions exist alongside, but are not listed in, the main state-by-state table on this page. Employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act must still pay at least the federal minimum, but when a state provides a subminimum rate, exemption, or training wage for a defined group of workers, that lower rate may apply to those workers in place of the regular state minimum. Anyone hiring a minor, a student, or a new trainee should check their state’s specific rules to see whether a reduced rate is available and what conditions must be met to use it.
Some states set subminimum rates for minors and/or students or exempt them from coverage or have a training wage for new hires.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
The $15.16 hourly rate on this page reflects state minimum wage laws, but in many places the actual minimum wage an employer must pay is higher. Cities and counties are allowed to set their own minimum wage rates above the state level, and when they do, the local rate controls for employers within that jurisdiction. These locally higher rates are not displayed in the state-by-state table on this page, which shows only the state statutory minimums. As a result, an employer operating in a city or county with its own minimum wage ordinance may owe workers more than the $15.16 state rate. Employees and employers should check with the local government to find out whether a city or county has adopted a higher minimum wage that applies in addition to, or instead of, the statewide floor.
Some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, covered nonexempt employees who work overtime must receive a premium above their regular hourly wage. The standard overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay. For an employee earning the verified 2026 minimum wage of $15.16 per hour, each overtime hour must be paid at a rate that is one and one-half times that base figure. This rule is a footnote to the state minimum wage table on this page and applies unless a state or other provision specifies a different standard. Some states set their own overtime thresholds - for example, daily overtime after a certain number of hours in a day - and those variations are listed in the table for each state under the heading "Premium Pay After Designated Hours." When a state rule is more generous to the worker, the more favorable standard controls. Employers should review both the federal requirement and the rules of the state where their employees work to determine the correct overtime premium.
The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
The Wage and Hour Division, which is the part of the U.S. Department of Labor that publishes this page, tries to keep the information accurate but directs people with questions to their state labor office. Anyone who wants to confirm the $15.16 rate, learn about a local higher minimum wage, find out whether a subminimum rate applies, or report a possible wage violation should consult the relevant state labor office for official information. The state labor office is the authoritative source for state-specific minimum wage rates, overtime rules, exemptions, and enforcement procedures. Contact details for state labor offices are available through the Department of Labor's resources. Wage complaints are handled at the state level for matters arising under state law, while the federal Wage and Hour Division handles complaints involving the federal minimum wage and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The Wage and Hour Division tries to ensure that the information on this page is accurate, but individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
- Hourly
Colorado Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.16
Other years
- 2026
Every Colorado Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state