2023 Oregon Minimum Wage
The 2023 Oregon Minimum Wage is $14.20.
Effective 2023-07-01Source: Commissioner Stephenson Announces Oregon Minimum Wage Determination (Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries)Verified 2026-09-01
Who it applies to
Employers and employees covered by Oregon's minimum wage law under ORS 653.025
What changed this year, and why
Oregon's standard minimum wage increased to $14.20 per hour, effective July 1, 2023.
Common questions
- Does Oregon have only one minimum wage?
- No. Oregon has three minimum wage rates: a standard rate, a higher rate for the Portland Metro area, and a lower rate for non-urban counties. The verified standard rate for 2023 is $14.20 per hour, effective July 1, 2023.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
In Oregon, the minimum wage applies equally to all workers regardless of age. Unlike some states, Oregon does not permit employers to pay minors a lower "training wage" or subminimum wage. The law states clearly that the minimum wage is the same for adults and for minors. This means every worker under 18 must earn at least the full applicable minimum wage for their work location—whether that is the Portland metro, standard, or non-urban rate. There is no separate youth rate, no student discount, and no probationary period during which a younger employee can be paid less. Employers who try to pay minors below the published rate are violating state law. Workers of any age who believe they are being underpaid can file a complaint with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), which enforces the state's wage rules.
I am under 18. Can my employer pay me less than minimum wage? No. The minimum wage is the same for adults and for minors.
BOLI: Oregon Minimum Wage (Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
In Oregon, the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) is the state agency responsible for enforcing minimum wage and other employment laws. Workers in Oregon who believe their employer is not paying the correct minimum wage can contact BOLI directly to ask questions or file a complaint. The agency is located at 1800 SW 1st Ave, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97201, and is open from 8:00am to 4:30pm. Workers can reach BOLI by email at BOLI_help@boli.oregon.gov, by phone at 971-245-3844, or through TTY Relay 711. BOLI investigates wage complaints and can help workers recover unpaid wages if their employer has violated Oregon's minimum wage requirements. The verified hourly figure for Oregon's standard minimum wage rate is $14.20.
Bureau of Labor & Industries 1800 SW 1st Ave, Suite 500 Portland, OR 97201 Hours: 8:00am - 4:30pm Email: BOLI_help@boli.oregon.gov 971-245-3844 TTY Relay 711
BOLI: Oregon Minimum Wage (Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
When federal and state minimum wage laws conflict, Oregon employers must apply whichever standard is most beneficial to the employee. Since Oregon's state minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage, Oregon employers must pay the higher state rate. The state rate takes precedence and applies to virtually all workers in Oregon. This principle ensures that workers receive the greater protection—whether that comes from state or federal law. Employers cannot choose to pay the lower federal rate simply because it exists; they must comply with Oregon's higher standard. The verified hourly figure for Oregon's standard rate is $14.20, which is substantially above the federal floor.
When federal and state employment laws conflict, employers must apply whichever standard is most beneficial to the employee. Therefore, Oregon employers must pay the higher state minimum wage.
BOLI: Oregon Minimum Wage (Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
In Oregon, tips are the property of the employee and cannot be counted toward the minimum wage obligation. Oregon law does not allow tip credits, meaning employers cannot pay workers less than minimum wage by claiming that tips will make up the difference. Even if an employee receives generous tips, the employer must still pay at least the full state minimum wage as the base hourly rate. The only tip-related arrangement Oregon permits is tip pooling, where employees share tips with other workers. However, management and the house cannot participate in or share from the tip pool under federal regulations. This is different from some other states where employers may count a portion of tips against their minimum wage obligation. In Oregon, your tips are entirely yours, and they do not reduce what your employer must pay you per hour.
Oregon law does not allow for tip credits.
BOLI: Oregon Minimum Wage (Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries)
What an employer may deduct from your pay
Oregon employers may make authorized deductions from wages for meals and lodging, but only when those items are provided for the private benefit of the employee. If an employer requires an employee to live on-site, or if the employer derives a mutual benefit from the employee living on the premises, the employer cannot count the value of meals and lodging toward the minimum wage obligation. In those situations, the employer must pay the full minimum wage in addition to providing the meals and lodging. Employers also may not require employees to pay amounts—such as by direct charge—that could not have been lawfully deducted from wages under the minimum wage law if doing so would reduce the employee's earnings below minimum wage. This rule protects workers from being charged for necessary expenses that would effectively bring their pay below the legal floor.
Note that employers may not require an employee to pay (e.g., by direct charge) amounts that could not have been lawfully deducted from wages under the minimum wage law, if to do so would reduce that employee's minimum wage earnings.
BOLI: Oregon Minimum Wage (Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
In Oregon, the state minimum wage is adjusted each year based on inflation. The Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) measures the change using the Consumer Price Index and then announces the new rate, which takes effect on July 1 of each year. This means the hourly amount goes up automatically as the cost of living rises—workers do not need to negotiate for the increase and employers do not need to petition for it. For pay periods that straddle the end of June and the beginning of July, the hours worked before the changeover date are paid at the old rate, and the hours worked on or after the new rate's effective date are paid at the new, higher rate. The verified hourly figure for the state standard rate is $14.20.
Oregon's minimum wage is tied to inflation. Annual increases in inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) result in an increase to the minimum wage which becomes effective July 1 of each year.
BOLI: Oregon Minimum Wage (Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries)
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.
Commissioner Stephenson Announces Oregon Minimum Wage Determination (Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries)
- Hourly
Standard Minimum Wage: $14.20 per hour
Other years
Every Oregon Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state