Minimum wage in Wisconsin in 2026
$7.25 per hour1
per hourGeneral rate since July 24, 2009
Year 2026
Rates in force during 2026
| Applies to | Rate | Effective | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
StandardSource: Wis. Admin. Code DWD 272.03Wisconsin Minimum Wage Rates Effective July 24, 2009 (Wis. Stat. ch. 104) General Minimum Wage Rates Non-Opportunity Employees: Opportunity Employees: $7.25 per Hour $5.90 per Hour
Verified September 26, 2026 | $7.25July 24, 2009 – current | July 24, 2009 | current |
4 rates in force
Rates by worker type, industry and employer size
The highest rate that fits the job applies.
| Applies to | Rate | Cash wage | Max tip credit | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tipped employeesSource: Wis. Admin. Code DWD 272.03Wisconsin Minimum Wage Rates Effective July 24, 2009 (Wis. Stat. ch. 104) General Minimum Wage Rates Non-Opportunity Employees: Opportunity Employees: $7.25 per Hour $5.90 per Hour Minimum Wage Rates for Tipped Employees Non-Opportunity Employees: Opportunity Employees: $2.33 per Hour $2.13 per Hour
Verified September 26, 2026 | $7.25July 24, 2009 | $2.33 | — | July 24, 2009 |
Tipped employees · opportunity employee: under 20, first 90 consecutive calendar days with the employerSource: Wis. Admin. Code DWD 272.03Wisconsin Minimum Wage Rates Effective July 24, 2009 (Wis. Stat. ch. 104) General Minimum Wage Rates Non-Opportunity Employees: Opportunity Employees: $7.25 per Hour $5.90 per Hour Minimum Wage Rates for Tipped Employees Non-Opportunity Employees: Opportunity Employees: $2.33 per Hour $2.13 per Hour Note: “Opportunity employee” means an employee who is not yet 20 years old and who has been in employment status with a particular employer for 90 or fewer consecutive calendar days from the date of initial employment.
Verified September 26, 2026 | $5.90July 24, 2009 | $2.13 | — | July 24, 2009 |
Training / new hires · opportunity employee: under 20, first 90 consecutive calendar days with the employerSource: Wis. Admin. Code DWD 272.03Wisconsin Minimum Wage Rates Effective July 24, 2009 (Wis. Stat. ch. 104) General Minimum Wage Rates Non-Opportunity Employees: Opportunity Employees: $7.25 per Hour $5.90 per Hour Minimum Wage Rates for Tipped Employees Non-Opportunity Employees: Opportunity Employees: $2.33 per Hour $2.13 per Hour Note: “Opportunity employee” means an employee who is not yet 20 years old and who has been in employment status with a particular employer for 90 or fewer consecutive calendar days from the date of initial employment.
Verified September 26, 2026 | $5.90July 24, 2009 | — | — | July 24, 2009 |
Youth · minor (under 18)Source: Wis. Stat. ch. 104; Wis. Admin. Code DWD 272Rate Type | As of 7/24/09 | Adult | $7.25 | Minor | $7.25 |
Verified September 26, 2026 | $7.25July 24, 2009 | — | — | July 24, 2009 |
2006 to 2026
History
Each step is a rate row with its own quoted source.
Show the history as a table
| Applies to | Rate | Effective | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
StandardSourceEffective June 1, 2006, the Department made the following changes to state minimum wage rates: Non-Agricultural Employment | Minors | $5.90 per hour | Opportunity Employees | $5.90 per hour | Non-opportunity Adult Employees | $6.50 per hour |
Verified September 26, 2026 | $6.50June 1, 2006 – July 24, 2009 | June 1, 2006 | July 24, 2009 |
Earlier rules by employer size, worker type and condition (3)
| Applies to | Rate | Cash wage | Max tip credit | Effective | Until |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tipped employees · opportunity employee: under 20, first 90 consecutive calendar days with the employerSourceEffective June 1, 2006, the Department made the following changes to state minimum wage rates: Non-Agricultural Employment | Minors | $5.90 per hour | Opportunity Employees | $5.90 per hour | Non-opportunity Adult Employees | $6.50 per hour | Tipped Employment | Opportunity Employees | $2.13 per hour |
Verified September 26, 2026 | $5.90June 1, 2006 – July 24, 2009 | $2.13 | — | June 1, 2006 | July 24, 2009 |
Training / new hires · opportunity employee: under 20, first 90 consecutive calendar days with the employerSourceEffective June 1, 2006, the Department made the following changes to state minimum wage rates: Non-Agricultural Employment | Minors | $5.90 per hour | Opportunity Employees | $5.90 per hour |
Verified September 26, 2026 | $5.90June 1, 2006 – July 24, 2009 | — | — | June 1, 2006 | July 24, 2009 |
Youth · minor (under 18)SourceEffective June 1, 2006, the Department made the following changes to state minimum wage rates: Non-Agricultural Employment | Minors | $5.90 per hour |
Verified September 26, 2026 | $5.90June 1, 2006 – July 24, 2009 | — | — | June 1, 2006 | July 24, 2009 |
BLS · May 2025
How the minimum compares with typical pay in Wisconsin
30%of the median hourly wage
The median hourly wage across all occupations in Wisconsin is $24.17 and the mean is $30.90 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates). The minimum wage of $7.25 is 30% of the median; the 10th-percentile wage is $14.41, so roughly the lowest-paid tenth of workers earn within $7.16 of the minimum. BLS
| Applies to | Rate |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $7.25 |
| 10th percentile | $14.41 |
| 25th percentile | $18.12 |
| Median | $24.17 |
| Mean | $30.90 |
10 rules · September 27, 2026
Labor law basics in Wisconsin
What the law adds on top of the hourly rate. Follow the citation for exceptions.
Overtime
Unless an exception applies, employers must pay 1.5 times the regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. (non-exempt employees (Wis. Admin. Code DWD 274))
Source: Wis. Admin. Code DWD 274
The state overtime law applies to most Wisconsin employers. Unless an exception applies, overtime wages - time and one-half the employee's regular rate of pay - must be paid for all hours worked in excess of 40 in the workweek.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
- Notes
- DWD: overtime is generally not required on a daily basis, only after 40 hours in a workweek.
Verified September 27, 2026
Meal breaks
Employees under 18 must get a 30-minute duty-free meal period for every six consecutive hours worked; Wisconsin requires no breaks or meal periods for adults. (employees under 18)
Source: Wis. Admin. Code DWD 274.02, 270.12
Yes. If you are under 18 years old, your employer must provide you with a 30-minute duty-free meal period for every six consecutive hours of work. Other breaks, including breaks of shorter duration are not required but may be offered by your employer. Over 18 No. If you are 18 years old or older, your employer is not required to give you breaks or meal periods. We encourage employers to provide lunch breaks of at least 30 minutes at a time reasonably close to the usual meal period, however, the decision to offer breaks or meal periods is determined directly between you and your employer.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
- Notes
- Breaks under 30 consecutive minutes that an employer does give count as paid work time.
Verified September 27, 2026
Other
Employees in factories and retail establishments must get at least 24 consecutive hours off in each calendar week (Sunday through Saturday), unless an exception applies. (factory and retail (mercantile) employees (Wis. Stat. § 103.85))
Source: Wis. Stat. § 103.85
If you work in factory or retail establishments you must receive one day off (24 consecutive hours) per calendar week (Sunday through Saturday), unless an exception applies.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
- Notes
- Day-of-rest rule.
Verified September 27, 2026
Pay frequency
Most employers must pay all wages earned at least monthly, with no more than 31 days between pay periods.
Source: Wis. Stat. § 109.03
Chapter 109, Wis. Stats., requires most Wisconsin employers to pay workers all wages earned at least monthly, with no longer than 31 days between pay periods.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026
Final paycheck
Employees who leave employment for any reason must be paid their final wages in accordance with the employer's regular pay schedule.
Source: Wis. Stat. § 109.03
If you leave employment for any reason, you must be paid in accordance with the employer's regular pay schedule.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026
Recovering unpaid wages
If an employer does not pay wages on the regular payday, the worker should request payment and, if still unpaid after 6 days, can file a wage claim with the Department of Workforce Development, which will seek to resolve it.
Source: Wis. Stat. § 109.03
You have the right to file a wage claim with us if there is a dispute with the employer about the amount of wages owed. If the employer refuses to pay wages earned on the regularly established payday, you should request payment. If you do not receive payment after 6 days, you may file a claim with us. Once a claim is filed, we will seek to resolve the matter with the employer.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026
Young workers' hours
14- and 15-year-olds may work at most 3 hours on a school day, 8 hours on a non-school day, 18 hours in a school week and 40 hours in a non-school week; hours of minors 16 and older are not limited except during required school attendance. (minors aged 14 and 15)
Source: Wis. Stat. § 103.68; Wis. Admin. Code DWD 270
State and federal laws do not limit the hours that minors 16 years of age or over may work, except that they may not be employed or permitted to work during hours of required school attendance under Wis. Stat. § 118.15. State and federal laws also permit minors under 16 to work up to seven days per week in the delivery of newspapers and agriculture. In most other types of labor, minors under 16 may only work six days a week. Most employers must obtain work permits for minors before permitting them to work. Maximum Hours of Work for 14 & 15 year-old minors | After Labor Day through May 31 | June 1 through Labor Day | Daily Hours | | | Non-School Days | 8 hours | 8 hours | School Days | 3 hours | 3 hours | Weekly Hours | | | Non-School Weeks | 40 hours | 40 hours | School Weeks | 18 hours |
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026
Required poster
Employers of minors (other than for domestic or farm work) must display the poster ERD 9212-P, 'Hours and Times of Day Minors May Work in Wisconsin', where minors work. (employers of minors, except domestic service and agriculture)
Source: Wis. Stat. § 103.68; Wis. Admin. Code DWD 270
All employers of minors except those hiring minors for domestic service or agricultural work are required by law to display an informational poster, ERD 9212-P, entitled "Hours and Times of Day Minors May Work in Wisconsin" in places where minors are employed or permitted to work.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026
Overtime-exempt salary threshold
Executive, administrative and professional employees are exempt from minimum wage and overtime only if they meet the duties tests and are paid a salary of at least $684 per week ($35,568 a year). (executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees)
Source: 29 C.F.R. Part 541
To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $684 per week.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
- Notes
- The 2024 rule raising the level to $844/$1,128 was vacated in November 2024; DOL enforces the 2019 level of $684.
Verified September 26, 2026
Tips
An employer may count tips toward the minimum wage only after telling the tipped employee the cash wage, the tip credit claimed, that the credit cannot exceed tips received, that tips belong to the employee except in a valid tip pool, and that the credit requires this notice; employers, managers and supervisors may never keep employees' tips. (tipped employees under the FLSA)
Source
Employers must provide the following information to tipped employees before taking a tip credit under the FLSA: the amount of the direct (or cash) wage the employer is paying a tipped employee, which must be at least $2.13 per hour; the additional amount claimed by the employer as a tip credit, which cannot exceed $5.12 (the difference between the minimum required direct (or cash) wage of $2.13 and the current minimum wage of $7.25); that the tip credit claimed by the employer cannot exceed the amount of tips actually received by the tipped employee; that all tips received by the tipped employee are to be retained by the employee except for a valid tip pooling arrangement limited to employees who customarily and regularly receive tips; and that the tip credit will not apply to any tipped employee unless the employee has been informed of these tip credit provisions.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
Verified September 26, 2026
$7.25 / hour
Calculators
Estimates before tax at this rate. Nothing you type leaves this page.
What this wage pays
| Weekly | $290.00 |
|---|---|
| Monthly52 weeks ÷ 12 | $1,256.67 |
| Annual52 weeks | $15,080.00 |
| Overtime rate1.5× where overtime applies | $10.88 |
5 questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Wisconsin in 2026?
$7.25 per hour since July 24, 2009. For a 40-hour week that is about $290.00 a week or $15,080.00 a year before tax.
Is the minimum wage in Wisconsin increasing?
No increase is scheduled on record as of October 1, 2026. Inflation-indexed jurisdictions announce the next figure a few months before it takes effect.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Wisconsin?
Employers may pay tipped employees a cash wage of $2.33 per hour as long as tips bring them to $7.25.
What is the minimum wage for young or new workers in Wisconsin?
Training / new hires (opportunity employee: under 20, first 90 consecutive calendar days with the employer): $5.90 per hour; Youth (minor (under 18)): $7.25 per hour.
How does Wisconsin compare with other states?
Wisconsin's $7.25 ranks 32 of 51 state general rates, against a federal floor of $7.25.
2 levels of law
How this rate is resolved
The highest minimum that covers the work location applies.
Employers must pay the highest minimum that covers the work location. WageTable checks each level in turn:
- United States
- Wisconsin
Wisconsin sets 5 rules of its own.
Notes on this jurisdiction's rules and sources
Rates set by DWD rule (Wis. Admin. Code DWD 272) under Wis. Stat. ch. 104; unchanged since July 24, 2009. Separate opportunity-employee (under 20, first 90 days) and tipped rates; caddie per-round and camp counselor weekly salary minimums are not hourly and are not recorded as rows.
Wisconsin
Enforcement
Enforced by Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Equal Rights Division, Labor Standards Bureau. Employers must display the official minimum wage poster.
Underpaid?File a wage claim