Colorado Minimum Wage 2026: $15.16 an Hour, Local Rates and Take-Home Pay
The Colorado minimum wage is $15.16 an hour since January 1, 2026 (source). It rises to $15.71 on January 1, 2027 (source). Full time, that is $31,533 a year before tax and $26,838 after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare and Colorado income tax for a single filer.
Rates checked against official sources on November 4, 2026
Colorado minimum wage by year
| Effective | Hourly rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2024 | $14.42 | source |
| January 1, 2025 | $14.81 | source |
| January 1, 2026 | $15.16 | source |
| January 1, 2027 (scheduled) | $15.71 | source |
Tipped workers: a cash wage of at least $12.14 an hour, with tips making up the rest of the minimum (a tip credit of up to $3.02). tip credit allowed; 2027 tipped cash wage $12.69 (source).
The state rate is adjusted each year for inflation (CPI-U). Local rates are published by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
City and county minimum wages in Colorado
Some local governments set a higher minimum for work done within their limits. The rates below are the ones published by the state or the local government (retrieved November 4, 2026).
| Place | 2026 rate | Since | Announced next | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver (City and County) (tipped: $16.27 (2026), $16.82 (2027)) | $19.29 | January 1, 2026 | $19.84 | source |
| Edgewater (tipped 2026: $13.50; 2027 tipped TBD) | $18.17 | January 1, 2026 | $19.84 | source |
| Boulder (City) (tipped: $13.80 (2026), $15.15 (2027)) | $16.82 | January 1, 2026 | $18.17 | source |
| Boulder County (unincorporated) (tipped: $13.80 (2026), $14.41 (2027)) | $16.82 | January 1, 2026 | $17.43 | source |
Take-home pay on the Colorado minimum wage
| Pay before tax, a year | $31,533 |
| Federal income tax | $1,603 |
| Social Security and Medicare (7.65%) | $2,412 |
| Colorado income tax | $680 |
| Take-home pay, a year | $26,838 |
| … a month | $2,236 |
| … an hour | $12.90 |
Your pay at $15.16 an hour, after tax
Tax figures: QuantCalc’s tax engine (federal 2.6.0, state 1.26.0), 2026 tax year, a single filer aged 30 with wages from one job, no dependents and the standard deduction. Local income taxes are not taken off, except the county income tax in Indiana and Maryland, which the state engine adds at a typical county rate; state payroll taxes (disability or paid-leave insurance) are not taken off either. Not tax or legal advice: an employer’s size, industry or location can set a different minimum, so check with the state labor department. How each tax line is computed, with its source: federal, state.
Overtime and salaried workers
Hours over 40 in a workweek are paid at one and a half times the regular rate under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor); for 2026 the federal return deducts the premium half of that pay (no tax on overtime calculator).
Federal law: an exempt executive, administrative or professional employee must be paid at least $684 a week ($35,568 a year) on a salary basis (U.S. Department of Labor). Colorado sets a higher floor for exempt employees: $1,111.23 a week, $57,784 a year (2026 PAY CALC Order executive/administrative/professional salary level) (source).
Common questions
- What is the minimum wage in Colorado in 2026?
- The Colorado minimum wage is $15.16 an hour since January 1, 2026 (source).
- Will the Colorado minimum wage go up in 2027?
- Yes: $15.71 an hour from January 1, 2027 (source).
- How much is the Colorado minimum wage a year?
- At $15.16 an hour for 40 hours a week and 52 weeks, $31,533 before tax. After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare and Colorado income tax, a single filer keeps $26,838, $2,236 a month.
- What is the tipped minimum wage in Colorado?
- $12.14 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring the total to at least the minimum wage; otherwise the employer makes up the difference (source).