Montana Minimum Wage 2026
Current year
The 2026 Montana Minimum Wage is $10.85.
Effective 2026-01-01Source: State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2025
| Item | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $10.55 | $10.85 | +$0.30 (+2.8%) |
Who it applies to
Employers and employees in Montana covered by the state minimum wage law. The entry divides employers by gross annual sales rather than by headcount: businesses above a stated sales threshold, for which $10.85 per hour is the basic minimum rate, and businesses not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act at or below that threshold, for which the entry states a lower rate. The table does not display subminimum rates for minors, students or trainees, training wages for new hires, 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 Montana's basic minimum rate as $10.85 per hour for businesses with gross annual sales above the threshold the entry states. The entry also gives a lower rate for businesses not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act at or below that sales threshold, and it states that the minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula. The table records no later step inside 2026.
Common questions
- What is the minimum wage in Montana in 2026?
- It is $10.85 per hour for businesses with gross annual sales above the threshold stated in the entry. That is the basic minimum rate the U.S. Department of Labor lists for Montana in its State Minimum Wage Laws table, in the version updated July 1, 2026. The same entry states a lower rate for a narrower group of businesses, described in the entry itself.
- Does Montana have a lower minimum wage for small businesses?
- The entry states a second, lower rate for a business not covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act whose gross annual sales are at or below a stated threshold. It is a sales test rather than a headcount test. This page publishes the basic minimum rate for businesses above that threshold; the lower rate and the sales threshold are both stated in the source entry.
- Which Montana employees must be paid the higher rate?
- The entry states that if an individual employee is producing or moving goods between states, or is otherwise covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, that employee must be paid the greater of either the federal minimum wage or Montana's minimum wage. So the lower rate depends on the business being outside federal coverage as well as at or below the sales threshold.
- How is the Montana minimum wage adjusted each year?
- The entry states that the minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a set formula. It names no index, no calculation and no date on which a recalculated rate takes effect; that sentence is all the table gives. The rate here is the one the table listed as of July 1, 2026, and it would change on this page only when the department republishes the table.
- When do Montana employers owe overtime pay?
- Both of the entry's rate blocks carry a premium-pay line stating a weekly threshold of hours after which premium pay is due, and neither states a daily threshold. The table's footnote adds that the overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate unless otherwise specified. The hour count itself is stated in the source entry.
- Is there a separate tipped minimum wage in Montana?
- The Department of Labor's state table lists one basic minimum rate per hour for Montana 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 examples, so a tipped provision would sit outside what this source records.
- Is Montana's minimum wage above the federal minimum wage?
- The basic minimum rate the entry lists for businesses above its sales threshold is above the federal minimum wage the same table cites in its entries for states that have no minimum wage law of their own. The entry also states that an employee covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act must be paid the greater of either the federal minimum wage or Montana's minimum wage.
- Where does the $10.85 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 Montana entry gives the basic minimum rate per hour as $10.85 for businesses above its stated sales threshold. The division notes on the same page 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 rate of $10.85 per hour is the standard minimum wage, but it does not apply to every worker in every situation. Some states set subminimum rates for minors and/or students or exempt them from coverage or have a training wage for new hires. This means that young workers, student employees, or newly hired trainees may legally be paid less than the full minimum wage in certain jurisdictions. Employers need to check whether their state offers a lower rate for these categories of workers before relying on the general figure. The table on this page does not display these differential provisions, so the standard rate shown here may not reflect what a minor, student, or trainee is entitled to or may be paid in a particular state. Workers and employers should look to their state's labor law for the exact subminimum rate or training wage that applies.
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 minimum wage of $10.85 per hour shown on this page reflects the state-level rate, but it may not be the highest wage floor that applies to a particular worker. Some local governments set minimum wage rates higher than their respective state minimum wage. Cities and counties can establish their own wage floors that exceed the state figure, and employers in those jurisdictions must pay the higher local rate. This page does not display those local differential provisions. A worker employed in a city or county with its own minimum wage law may be entitled to more than the state rate. Employers operating in multiple locations within a state should verify whether any municipality where they have employees has enacted a higher minimum wage. The local rate, when it exceeds the state rate, is the one that must be paid.
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
When an employee works more than the designated weekly hours, the overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified. This means that for every hour worked beyond the standard weekly threshold, the worker must receive at least one and one-half times their normal hourly pay. For a worker earning the minimum wage of $10.85 per hour, the overtime premium means each extra hour is paid at a higher rate than the standard figure shown on this page. The exact overtime threshold and any exceptions depend on state law and whether the employee is covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Some states calculate overtime on a daily basis rather than weekly. Employers must track hours carefully and apply the premium to all qualifying overtime hours. Workers who believe they have not received proper overtime pay can file a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division.
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
Although the Wage and Hour Division tries to ensure that the information on this page is accurate, the page itself is not the authoritative source for wage rates. Individuals should consult the relevant state labor office for official information. State labor offices maintain the definitive records of current minimum wage rates, subminimum provisions, training wages, and any local wage ordinances. Workers who have questions about whether their employer is paying the correct rate, or who want to verify the figure of $10.85 per hour shown here, should contact their state labor office directly. Employers seeking to confirm their obligations should do the same. The state labor office can also provide guidance on overtime rules, exemption categories, and record-keeping requirements that go beyond the figures displayed on this page.
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)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
In Montana, employers with gross annual sales above $110,000 must pay at least $10.85 per hour. Employers not covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act with gross annual sales of $110,000 or less may pay as little as $4.00 per hour. However, if a worker at one of those smaller businesses is producing goods that cross state lines or is otherwise covered by federal law, the employer must pay whichever is higher: the federal minimum wage or Montana's rate. Workers in Montana should therefore look at both their employer's sales total and whether their own job is federally covered to know which floor applies to them.
Montana Businesses with gross annual sales of more than $110,000 Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $10.85 Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Weekly - 40 Businesses not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act with gross annual sales of $110,000 or less Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $4.00
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
A small Montana employer whose gross annual sales are $110,000 or less and that is not covered by federal law may pay as little as $4.00 per hour. But that $4.00 floor is lower than the federal minimum wage, so if a worker at that business produces goods for interstate commerce or otherwise falls under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, the employer must pay the higher federal rate instead. The $4.00 state rate therefore only applies to workers whose jobs have no federal coverage; everyone else at the same small business must receive the federal floor.
Businesses not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act with gross annual sales of $110,000 or less Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $4.00
State Minimum Wage Laws (DOL)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
Montana's minimum wage is adjusted each year based on a set formula. The state's law ties the annual change to changes in the cost of living so the floor keeps pace with inflation without needing a new act of the legislature. After each adjustment, employers in Montana covered by the state wage law must pay the newly announced rate. For 2026, that adjusted rate is $10.85 per hour. Workers can expect the minimum wage to change on an annual cycle rather than remaining fixed until lawmakers choose to act again.
However, if an individual employee is producing or moving goods between states or otherwise covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, that employee must be paid the greater of either the federal minimum wage or Montana's 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
Montana Businesses with gross annual sales of more than $110,000 Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $10.85