Wisconsin minimum wage 2026
The minimum wage in Wisconsin is $7.25 an hour in 2026. Wisconsin sets its own rate by Department of Workforce Development rule, and the same rule fixes an opportunity wage for workers under 20, a tipped wage, and per-round and weekly minimums for golf caddies and camp counselors.
Contents12 sections
At a glance
| Minimum wage now | $7.25 an hour, since July 24, 2009135 |
|---|---|
| Next change | None scheduled. |
| Tipped employees | $2.33 cash wage, tip credit up to $4.9214 |
| Overtime | 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours a week63 · details |
| Full-time pay | $290 a week, $15,080 a year at 40 hours a week before taxes · calculate for your hours |
| Enforced by | Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Equal Rights Division, Labor Standards, 608-266-3131 |
What to know about the Wisconsin minimum wage
Wisconsin's rate is set by the Department of Workforce Development in an administrative rule, chapter DWD 272, under the state's Minimum Wage Law, Wis. Stat. chapter 104. The department's rate table has carried the same figures since July 24, 2009, the day the federal minimum also reached $7.25.1 Because the state law covers most employers on its own terms, a worker whose job falls outside the federal Fair Labor Standards Act is still owed the state rate, and minors are owed the same rate as adults.1
The department's rate table, unchanged since July 24, 2009, goes well beyond the hourly figure. Employers may pay an opportunity wage of $5.90 in 2026 to workers under 20 until 90 consecutive calendar days have passed or the worker turns 20, whichever comes first. Golf caddies are paid per round, at least $5.90 for nine holes and $10.50 for 18 in 2026, and summer camp counselors get a weekly minimum, which in 2026 is $350 with no board or lodging, $265 with board only and $210 with both.1
Tipped employees must receive at least $2.33 an hour in cash in 2026, or $2.13 during the opportunity period, so the largest tip credit an employer may take is $4.92.1 The regular tipped wage is 20 cents above the federal tipped cash wage of $2.13 in 2026.4 Complaints go to the department's Equal Rights Division, online or on paper form LS-119-E. Wis. Stat. 104.001 declares a uniform minimum wage a matter of statewide concern.2
All 2026 rates
Workers under 20 may be paid an opportunity wage, $5.90 in 2026, for their first 90 consecutive days, and golf caddies and camp counselors have their own minimums shown below.
| Rate | Applies to | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| State minimum wage | Most employees in Wisconsin, adults and minors | $7.25135 |
| Opportunity wage (under 20) | For workers under 20, until 90 consecutive calendar days of employment have passed or the worker turns 20, whichever comes first. | $5.901 |
| Tipped opportunity employee | Cash wage for tipped workers during the opportunity period. | $2.131 |
| Golf caddies | In 2026, $5.90 for 9 holes and $10.50 for 18 holes. | See rule1 |
| Camp counselors (weekly) | In 2026, $350 a week with no board or lodging, $265 with board only and $210 with board and lodging. | See rule1 |
Tipped employees
| Tip credit | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Minimum cash wage | $2.33 an hour14 |
| Maximum tip credit | $4.92 an hour |
Tipped employees must be paid at least $2.33 an hour in 2026, or $2.13 during the opportunity period for workers under 20, and tips plus wages are averaged over the pay period.
An employer that takes a tip credit must make up the difference whenever wages plus tips fall short of the full minimum wage for the workweek. See the tipped minimum wage guide.
Overtime and salaried staff
| Weekly overtime | After 40 hours in a workweek, at 1.5 times the regular rate63 |
|---|---|
| Daily overtime | None in state law |
| Exempt salary | The federal level, $684 a week ($35,568 a year) |
Time and a half after 40 hours a week. Exemptions include agricultural employees, certain executive, administrative and professional employees, and most nonprofit organizations, except in establishments such as restaurants and hotels.
Overtime at the minimum wage of $7.25 is $10.875 an hour. Salaried managers, administrators and professionals are exempt from overtime only if they meet the duties tests and are paid at least the exempt salary. See overtime rules in every state or calculate pay with overtime.
How the rate changes
The rate is set by Department of Workforce Development rule under Wis. Stat. chapter 104 and has no automatic inflation adjustment.
Indexed to inflation: no. Not indexed; set by Department of Workforce Development rule at $7.25.3
Rate history
Who is covered
Wisconsin's Minimum Wage Law and rule DWD 272 cover most employers, including many outside federal coverage.
- Golf caddies are paid per round and summer camp counselors per week, not by the hour.
Cities and counties
Wis. Stat. 104.001 declares a uniform statewide minimum wage a matter of statewide concern and states that a city, village, town or county minimum wage ordinance would conflict with the state law.
Largest cities in Wisconsin
- MilwaukeeFederal rate $7.25
Cities of Wisconsin among the 50 most populous in the US (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimates for July 1, 2025). “Local” marks a city with its own minimum wage, “Regional” a state wage region, and “Federal rate” a city where the federal $7.25 is the rate that applies.
Neighboring states
If you live near a state line, the rate that applies is the one where you do the work, not where you live or where the employer is based.
| State | Per hour now |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $15.00 |
| Michigan | $13.73 |
| Minnesota | $11.41 |
| Iowa | $7.25 |
Compare every state on the ranked list and map.
Get help or file a claim
If you are paid less than the minimum wage that applies to your job, you can file a wage claim with the agency below. Federal law prohibits firing or otherwise retaliating against a worker for complaining about federal minimum wage rights.
| Agency | Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Equal Rights Division, Labor Standards |
|---|---|
| Phone | 608-266-3131 |
| The law | Wis. Stat. ch. 104 (Minimum Wage Law), incl. 104.001; Wis. Admin. Code ch. DWD 272 |
| Federal | U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, 1-866-487-9243 |
Sources
- 1 Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Minimum Wage Checked Oct 9, 2026 · Back to text ↑
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- 6 Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Hours of Work and Overtime Checked Oct 28, 2026 · Back to text ↑
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