2026 Maine Minimum Wage
The 2026 Maine Minimum Wage is $15.10.
Effective 2026-01-01Source: State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2025
| Item | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $14.65 | $15.10 | +$0.45 (+3.1%) |
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in Maine covered by the state minimum wage law. The Department of Labor attaches no employer-size condition to the rate and names no exclusion from coverage. The entry records a weekly premium pay threshold, an annual adjustment based on a set formula, and a catch-up clause: if the highest federal minimum wage is increased in excess of the State minimum wage in effect, the State minimum wage will increase to the same amount, effective on the same date. 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 Maine's basic minimum rate as $15.10 per hour. The entry states that the minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula, so the listed rate is the standing result of that adjustment as the department recorded it. The table gives neither the formula nor any prior rate, 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 Maine in 2026?
- It is $15.10 per hour. That is the basic minimum rate the U.S. Department of Labor lists for Maine 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.
- How is the Maine minimum wage adjusted each year?
- The department's Maine entry states that the minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula. That sentence is the whole of what the table says about the mechanism: it does not name the index, the measurement period or the date the recalculated rate takes effect. This page therefore reports that an annual formula adjustment exists without describing how it is computed.
- What happens to Maine's minimum wage if the federal rate goes up?
- The entry answers that directly. If the highest federal minimum wage is increased in excess of the State minimum wage in effect, then the State minimum wage will increase to the same amount, effective on the same date as the increase in the federal minimum wage. The state rate follows the federal one upward and on the federal effective date, rather than waiting for the annual adjustment.
- Is Maine's minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage?
- Yes. The same Department of Labor table gives the current federal minimum wage in its entries for states that have no minimum wage law of their own, and Maine's basic minimum rate of $15.10 per hour is above that amount. That is also why the entry's federal clause is written as a catch-up: it operates only if a federal increase exceeds the state rate in effect.
- Does Maine require overtime pay after designated hours?
- The table's Maine entry carries a premium pay after designated hours line, and what it names there is a weekly threshold. It states no daily threshold, which the same table does state for some other jurisdictions. The hour count itself is part of the table's own wording rather than the verified figure published on this page.
- Is there a separate tipped minimum wage in Maine?
- The Department of Labor's state table lists one basic minimum rate per hour for Maine 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.
- Can a city or town in Maine 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 $15.10 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 $15.10 figure for Maine 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 Maine entry gives the basic minimum rate per hour as $15.10. 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
In Maine, the state minimum wage for 2026 is $15.10 per hour. However, not every worker is entitled to the full rate. Maine law allows employers to pay certain categories of workers less than the standard minimum. These include minors, students, and employees who are new hires in a training program. The exact subminimum amounts, eligibility criteria, and durations for these lower rates are set by state rules and are not shown on this page. Workers in those categories — for example, a teenager in their first job or a student employed part-time — may lawfully receive an hourly wage below $15.10. Employers in Maine should check with the Maine Department of Labor to confirm which employees qualify and what the applicable subminimum rate is for each situation. This page lists only the general minimum wage that applies to covered workers who do not fall into one of those special categories.
Some states set subminimum rates for minors and/or students or exempt them from coverage or have a training wage for new hires. Some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage. Such differential provisions are not displayed in this table.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
Maine’s state minimum wage for 2026 is $15.10 per hour. However, that figure does not tell the whole story for workers in Maine’s cities and towns. Some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage. When a Maine municipality adopts a local minimum wage that exceeds the state rate, covered employers in that locality must pay the higher local rate instead. The state figure on this page reflects Maine’s baseline, not any municipal premium. Workers in cities such as Portland, which has its own local minimum wage schedule, may be entitled to an hourly rate greater than $15.10. Employers operating in multiple Maine locations must track which rate applies in each jurisdiction and pay the highest applicable minimum to employees working there. The Wage and Hour Division does not display local differential provisions on this table, so employers and workers should consult the relevant local ordinance for the rate in their specific city or town.
Some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage. Such differential provisions are not displayed in this table.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate
In Maine, covered employees who work beyond the state’s designated weekly hours must receive overtime premium pay. Maine designates weekly hours as the trigger for overtime, so premium pay is calculated on a workweek basis rather than a daily basis. The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee’s regular rate, unless otherwise specified. For a worker earning Maine’s minimum wage of $15.10 per hour, overtime hours must be paid at one and one-half times that regular rate. This means that an employer in Maine does not owe a premium simply because an employee worked a long single day; the premium applies only once total hours worked in the workweek pass the designated threshold. The one and one-half multiplier applies to each employee’s own regular rate of pay, so workers earning more than the minimum wage receive a correspondingly higher overtime rate. Employers in Maine must track total weekly hours and apply the premium to all hours that exceed the designated weekly limit. Workers should review their pay stubs each week to confirm that any excess hours were compensated at the required overtime rate rather than the straight-time rate.
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
Individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information about minimum wage rates and requirements. While the Wage and Hour Division tries to ensure that the information on this page is accurate, state labor offices are the authoritative source for official guidance on wage laws. If you have questions about whether your employer is paying the correct minimum wage of $15.10 per hour, or if you need to file a wage complaint, your state labor office can provide assistance. They can clarify specific requirements for your situation and help resolve wage disputes. Contact information for state labor offices is typically available through your state government's website or the U.S. Department of Labor's resources.
individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
Maine pays $15.10 an hour and its law is written to stay above the federal minimum rather than merely to sit above it today. Where federal and state minimum wage law both cover a job - and for most jobs both do - the employer owes the higher of the two rates, so the Maine figure is the one that governs. The federal rate has no effect on your pay while the state rate exceeds it. What the state provision adds is that the gap cannot close by accident: a federal increase pulls the Maine minimum up with it rather than overtaking it. So the number to watch for a job in Maine is the state number, and a local ordinance where one applies, not the federal one.
If the highest federal minimum wage is increased in excess of the State minimum wage in effect, then the State minimum wage will increase to the same amount, effective on the same date as the increase in the
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
Maine’s 2026 state minimum wage is $15.10 per hour, which is above the current federal floor. Under Maine law, if the highest federal minimum wage is increased in excess of the State minimum wage in effect, then the State minimum wage will increase to the same amount, effective on the same date as the increase in the federal minimum wage. This means that if Congress raises the federal minimum wage above $15.10 in the future, Maine’s rate will automatically rise to match it on the same effective date, rather than staying at the lower state level. Until that happens, the higher state rate of $15.10 applies to covered workers in Maine. The reverse situation — where a state rate falls below the federal rate — is handled by federal law: covered employers must pay at least the federal minimum wage. For now, Maine workers benefit from a state rate that exceeds the federal floor, and the state’s automatic escalation clause ensures it will never drop below whatever the federal government requires.
If the highest federal minimum wage is increased in excess of the State minimum wage in effect, then the State minimum wage will increase to the same amount, effective on the same date as the increase in the federal minimum wage.
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
Maine’s minimum wage is not a static number — it is recalculated each year to reflect changes in the cost of living. Under Maine law, the minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula. For 2026, the resulting rate is $15.10 per hour. The state also ties its floor to the federal rate: if the highest federal minimum wage is increased in excess of the State minimum wage in effect, then the State minimum wage will increase to the same amount, effective on the same date as the increase in the federal minimum wage. Each year, the Maine Department of Labor calculates the new rate using the statutory formula and announces it before the new rate takes effect. Employers in Maine must apply the updated rate on its effective date and post the required wage notice. Workers can expect the minimum wage to rise each year in line with inflation, though the exact dollar amount of the increase varies depending on economic conditions. The published rate of $15.10 reflects the most recent annual adjustment.
Maine Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.10 Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Weekly - 40 If the highest federal minimum wage is increased in excess of the State minimum wage in effect, then the State minimum wage will increase to the same amount, effective on the same date as the increase in the federal minimum wage. The minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula.
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
Maine Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.10
Other years
Every Maine Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state