Minnesota’s minimum wage depends on where you work. The statewide floor is $11.41 per hour as of January 1, 2026, and it applies to every employer in the state regardless of size.1Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Minimum Wage in Minnesota Minneapolis and St. Paul set their own higher rates by local ordinance, with the top rate in both cities reaching $16.37 per hour in 2026. Here is the Minnesota minimum wage by city for 2026 and what each rate covers.
Statewide Rate: $11.41 Per Hour
If you work anywhere in Minnesota outside Minneapolis or St. Paul, your employer must pay at least $11.41 per hour.1Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Minimum Wage in Minnesota The same rate applies to part-time shifts and to employers of every size. Minnesota used to split the floor between large and small employers based on $500,000 in annual gross revenue, but years of inflation adjustments have brought both tiers to the same number.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes Section 177.24 – Payment of Minimum Wages
The Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry recalculates the rate each year using inflation data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Annual increases are capped at 5 percent, the rate can never decrease, and new rates take effect every January 1.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes Section 177.24 – Payment of Minimum Wages The federal minimum wage of $7.25 has not changed since 2009, so Minnesota’s higher rate controls for workers covered by both laws.3U.S. Department of Labor. State Minimum Wage Laws
Minneapolis: $16.37 Per Hour
Minneapolis set a single minimum wage of $16.37 per hour effective January 1, 2026. It applies to all employers regardless of size and to all employees regardless of age.4City of Minneapolis. Minimum Wage – City of Minneapolis Earlier versions of the ordinance phased in different rates for large and small employers, but that split ended in 2024.
Coverage follows the work, not the employer’s address. Any employee who physically performs work within Minneapolis city limits is entitled to the city rate for those hours.5City of Minneapolis. Minneapolis Minimum Wage Increases to $16.37 for All Employers
St. Paul: Rate Depends on Employer Size
St. Paul still uses a tiered system based on how many people an employer has on payroll, and the smaller tiers get a mid-year bump. As of January 1, 2026, large employers with more than 100 employees pay at least $16.37 per hour.6City of Saint Paul. Saint Paul Businesses Notified of 2026 Minimum Wage Increases The smaller tiers come in lower, then rise on July 1:
- Small businesses with 6 to 100 employees pay $15.00 per hour through June 30, 2026, then $16.37 starting July 1, 2026.
- Micro businesses with 5 or fewer employees pay $13.25 per hour through June 30, 2026, then $14.25 starting July 1, 2026.
Employer size counts total headcount across all locations, including part-time, temporary, and jointly employed workers.6City of Saint Paul. Saint Paul Businesses Notified of 2026 Minimum Wage Increases The small and micro tiers are on a schedule to reach the citywide rate over the next few years, after which all St. Paul employers will follow the same inflation-indexed figure.7Saint Paul Minnesota. Minimum Wage
Training Wage for Workers Under 20
One exception runs underneath every rate above. Employers can pay a reduced training wage of $9.31 per hour to workers under 20 during their first 90 consecutive calendar days on the job.1Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Minimum Wage in Minnesota The 90 days run on the calendar, not on days actually worked, so weekends and days off count. Once that window closes or the worker turns 20, whichever comes first, the full state rate kicks in.
An employer cannot cut an existing worker’s hours, pay, or benefits to make room for a training-wage hire.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes Section 177.24 – Payment of Minimum Wages Separate wage categories still exist in the statute for workers under 18 and for J-1 visa holders at hotels and lodging establishments, but inflation adjustments have brought both to the same $11.41 the rest of the state’s workers earn.1Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Minimum Wage in Minnesota
Tips Don’t Count Toward the Minimum Wage
Minnesota is one of the few states that completely prohibits tip credits. Your employer cannot count any portion of your tips toward the minimum wage obligation.8MN.gov. Tip Credit, Tip Sharing, Tip Pooling A server working in Minneapolis earns $16.37 per hour in base pay, and every tip is on top of that.
Tips belong to the employee who earned them. Employers cannot force workers into a tip pool. The only exceptions are narrow: when multiple servers jointly handle a banquet or similar event, or when workers on the same shift voluntarily split a shared tip jar.8MN.gov. Tip Credit, Tip Sharing, Tip Pooling Management can never participate in a tip pool, and an employer who withholds tips is liable for the full amount.
If You’re Being Paid Less Than the Minimum Wage
File a wage claim with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry by calling 651-284-5075 or emailing dli.laborstandards@state.mn.us. An investigator will follow up within two business days.9Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Wage Claim Have your employer’s name and contact information ready, along with your rate of pay and the hours or wages in dispute.
If the department finds a violation, it can order the employer to pay back wages. Civil penalties for recordkeeping and notice violations can reach $1,000 per violation and $5,000 for repeated failures, and serious cases can be charged as a misdemeanor.10Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Wage Theft Q&A State law also protects you from being fired or disciplined for filing a complaint. If you were terminated, your employer generally must pay all final wages within 24 hours of your demand; if you quit, final wages are due by the next regular payday.9Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Wage Claim