Colorado Minimum Wage 2026: $15.16 Statewide, $19.29 in Denver
Colorado’s minimum wage is $15.16 an hour statewide, effective January 1, 2026, adjusted annually for inflation under a formula voters approved in 2016. Denver sets its own, higher local minimum wage on top of the state floor, and several other Colorado cities and counties do the same.
Colorado at a glance
| Statewide rate | $15.16 / hour |
|---|---|
| Effective | January 1, 2026 |
| Statewide tipped cash wage | $12.14 / hour ($3.02 tip credit) |
| Next scheduled change | Adjusts every January 1 for inflation (CPI) |
Denver and other local rates run well above the state minimum
Denver was the first Colorado city to set its own minimum wage, and it remains the highest in the state:
| Denver citywide rate | $19.29 / hour |
|---|---|
| Denver tipped cash wage | $16.27 / hour (with at least $3.02 in documented tips) |
| Rest of Colorado | $15.16 / hour ($12.14 tipped) |
A handful of other Colorado municipalities, including Boulder and Edgewater, have also adopted their own local minimum wage ordinances above the state floor — always confirm the specific city rate before pricing a role.
What this means for hiring
A role based in Denver has to be priced at the city’s $19.29 floor, not the $15.16 state rate — a gap of more than $4 an hour that a job ad priced off the state minimum would miss entirely. Outside of Denver and the small number of other cities with their own ordinances, the standard $15.16 state rate and $3.02 tip credit apply statewide.
Hiring hourly workers in Colorado?
We can tell you honestly whether your job ads are priced to the current wage floor — before you spend anything.
Book a DemoPart of Boostpoint’s minimum wage by state series, covering the states where Boostpoint runs the most hiring campaigns.