Iowa Minimum Wage 2026
Current year
The 2026 Iowa Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2026-01-01Source: State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2025
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2025.
| Item | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in Iowa covered by the state minimum wage law. The Department of Labor's entry attaches no employer-size condition to the rate, unlike its entries for several other states, and it names no exclusion from coverage. It adds one clause of its own: the Iowa minimum wage equals the federal minimum wage rate if it is set below the federal rate. The table does not display subminimum rates for minors, students or trainees, or any higher rate set by a local government.
What changed this year, and why
The U.S. Department of Labor's table of state minimum wage laws, updated July 1, 2026, lists Iowa's basic minimum rate as $7.25 per hour. The Iowa entry records no dated step later in the year and no annual adjustment formula, 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 Iowa in 2026?
- It is $7.25 per hour. That is the basic minimum rate the U.S. Department of Labor lists for Iowa in its State Minimum Wage Laws table, in the version updated July 1, 2026. The figure published here is read from that entry and from nothing else, so it reflects the state rate as the department recorded it on that date.
- Does Iowa follow the federal minimum wage rate?
- Iowa has a minimum wage law of its own, and the department's entry attaches a clause to it: the Iowa minimum wage equals the federal minimum wage rate if it is set below the federal rate. The rate the table lists for Iowa, $7.25 per hour, is the same amount the same table gives as the current federal minimum wage in its entries for states with no minimum wage law of their own.
- Does the Iowa minimum wage change again during 2026?
- The Department of Labor's table lists no scheduled change for Iowa. The entry carries a single basic minimum rate with no dated step attached, unlike the entries the department dates for some other jurisdictions. 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.
- Is the Iowa minimum wage adjusted for inflation each year?
- The table states an annual adjustment inside the entry itself for the states that have one, naming a formula or an index. The Iowa entry contains no such statement. This page therefore publishes the rate the table listed as of July 1, 2026 and makes no claim about how or when the Iowa rate is recalculated, because the source document does not say.
- Is there a separate tipped minimum wage in Iowa?
- The Department of Labor's state table lists one basic minimum rate per hour for Iowa and no separate cash wage for tipped employees, so this page does not publish one. The same table states plainly that differential provisions are not displayed in it, naming subminimum rates for minors and students and training wages for new hires as its own examples.
- Does Iowa require overtime pay after a set number of hours?
- The table carries a premium pay after designated hours line for the jurisdictions that have one, giving a daily threshold, a weekly threshold or both. The Iowa entry carries no such line, so this page publishes no state overtime threshold for Iowa. The table records what the state laws it surveys provide; it does not set out the federal overtime rules that reach Iowa employers separately.
- Can a city or county in Iowa set a higher minimum wage?
- The Department of Labor's table does not answer that. It notes that some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage, and that such differential provisions are not displayed in the table. The $7.25 per hour figure on this page is the state-level basic rate only, so a local ordinance would sit outside what this source records.
- Where does the $7.25 figure for Iowa 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 Iowa entry gives the basic minimum rate per hour as $7.25. The division notes on the same page that it tries to ensure the information is 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
While the federal minimum wage applies broadly, certain categories of workers may be paid less than the standard rate under specific circumstances. Some states authorize subminimum wages for minors and students, recognizing that younger or less experienced workers may have different employment arrangements. Additionally, some states provide exemptions from minimum wage coverage entirely for certain workers, or they establish a separate training wage for new hires during an initial employment period. These special provisions are determined at the state level and are not reflected in the federal minimum wage table. Workers who are minors, full-time students, or new employees in a training program should verify whether a lower wage rate applies in their state. Employers must still comply with the federal minimum wage unless a specific exemption applies. For detailed information on these exceptions, individuals should check with their state's labor office, as rules vary significantly by jurisdiction.
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 federal minimum wage sets a baseline, but many cities and counties establish their own minimum wage rates that exceed the federal or state level. When a local government sets a higher minimum wage, employers within that jurisdiction must pay the higher local rate to their workers. This creates a patchwork of different minimum wage requirements across the country, where workers in neighboring cities may be entitled to different hourly wages based on local ordinances. These local wage laws operate independently of state and federal minimum wage requirements. Employers with operations in multiple locations must track and comply with the minimum wage requirements applicable to each specific city or county where they have employees. The local minimum wage provisions are not displayed in the federal minimum wage table, so workers and employers need to research the specific requirements in their local area to determine the correct wage rate that applies.
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
Workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act are entitled to overtime pay when they work beyond their designated weekly hours. The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay. This means an employee earning the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour would receive a premium rate of one and one-half times that hourly amount for every overtime hour worked. The exact threshold for when overtime begins varies by state, and the footnote on the DOL page notes this rate applies unless otherwise specified. Some states have their own overtime rules or higher premium requirements. Workers should check with their state labor office to understand the overtime rules that apply in their specific jurisdiction. Employers must track hours worked and calculate overtime pay correctly to comply with both federal and applicable state requirements.
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
When workers have questions about minimum wage rates or need to file a wage complaint, they should contact the appropriate labor authorities. For official information about minimum wage requirements, individuals should consult the relevant state labor office in their jurisdiction. The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor tries to ensure that the information on the federal minimum wage page is accurate, but state labor offices provide authoritative guidance on state-specific minimum wage laws and requirements. Workers who believe their employer has failed to pay the correct minimum wage, or who need clarification about whether certain exemptions apply to their situation, should reach out to their state labor office. These offices can provide information about filing wage complaints, understanding applicable minimum wage rates, and learning about worker rights under both federal and state law. Contact information for the Wage and Hour Division is also available for federal minimum wage questions and concerns.
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)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
Iowa does not keep its minimum wage independent of the federal one: state law takes the federal figure by reference where the federal rate is the higher of the two. The rate on this page is $7.25 an hour, and it moves when the federal minimum moves rather than when Iowa legislates. That is worth knowing for two reasons. It means no Iowa bill is needed for your rate to rise - a federal increase reaches you automatically. And it means an employer cannot pay less by pointing at a lower state figure, because there is no lower state figure to point at. Where a state rate is the higher one, the state rate is what applies; that is simply not the position in Iowa today.
The Iowa minimum wage equals the federal minimum wage rate if it is set below the federal rate.
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
Iowa Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.25
By year
Every published year
11 years on record, 2026 back to 2016. Each year links to its own page, its own document and its own verification date.