Wisconsin Minimum Wage 2026: $7.25, With a $5.90 Opportunity Wage
Wisconsin's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, the same as the federal rate and unchanged since July 24, 2009. Employers can pay an opportunity wage of $5.90 to employees under 20 during their first 90 consecutive days, and tipped employees can be paid $2.33 an hour if tips bring them to $7.25. No increase is scheduled: the rate is written into Wis. Stat. 104.035, and state law bars cities and counties from setting their own.
Wisconsin at a glance
| Current rate | $7.25 / hour |
|---|---|
| Effective | July 24, 2009 |
| Tipped cash wage | $2.33 / hour ($2.13 for tipped opportunity employees) |
| Opportunity wage | $5.90 / hour, under 20, first 90 consecutive days |
| Next scheduled change | None; rate fixed in statute, no inflation index |
| Local rates | None; local minimum wages barred (Wis. Stat. 104.001) |
How Wisconsin sets its minimum wage
Wisconsin writes its rates directly into statute. Wis. Stat. 104.035 says "the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour," with separate rates for opportunity employees and tipped employees. There is no inflation index, so the rate changes only if the legislature amends the statute or the federal minimum wage rises above it. DWD's minimum wage page lists the current rates "as of 7/24/09."
| Employee | Hourly minimum | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $7.25 | 104.035(1) |
| Minor | $7.25 | 104.035(2) |
| Opportunity employee (under 20, first 90 days) | $5.90 | 104.035(2m) |
| Tipped employee | $2.33 | 104.035(3) |
| Tipped opportunity employee | $2.13 | 104.035(3) |
The opportunity wage
An "opportunity employee" is "a person under 20 years of age who is in the first 90 consecutive days of employment with his or her employer" (Wis. Stat. 104.01(5m)). For those 90 days, the minimum is $5.90. After day 90, or once the employee turns 20, the regular $7.25 applies.
Tipped employees
If payroll records show that wages plus tips received in a week reach at least the applicable minimum wage, the employer can pay a tipped employee $2.33 an hour, or $2.13 for a tipped opportunity employee (Wis. Stat. 104.035(3)). If tips fall short, the employer makes up the difference. Wisconsin's $2.33 tipped cash wage is 20 cents above the federal $2.13.
Local rates and other exceptions
- No city or county minimums. Wis. Stat. 104.001 says a city, village, town or county "may not enact and administer an ordinance establishing a minimum wage," and voided those in effect on June 16, 2005.
- Meals and lodging. Employers that furnish meals or lodging under DWD rules can credit set amounts against wages, for example $58 a week for lodging and $87 a week for meals for adults (Wis. Stat. 104.035(1)(b)).
- Special categories. DWD publishes separate rates for golf caddies and camp counselors, and special minimum wage licenses for workers with disabilities.
What this means for hiring
$7.25 is a legal floor, not a market wage for most Wisconsin frontline jobs, and the $5.90 opportunity wage is even further from what applicants compare you against. Because the statute won't move on its own, the number that matters is what nearby employers are paying for the same shift. Put your actual rate in the first line of the ad. To see what a Wisconsin hire costs at that wage, use our employee cost calculator; for breaks, overtime, final pay and hiring rules, see Wisconsin labor laws. Our minimum wage by state page compares other states, including neighbors Illinois and Michigan.
For setting the number itself, our guide to how much to pay hourly employees walks through market data, and job ad copywriting shows how to put the rate in the first line. Wisconsin doesn't require pay ranges in postings; if you also hire in Illinois, check pay transparency laws by state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Wisconsin in 2026?
$7.25 an hour for adults and minors, unchanged since July 24, 2009 (DWD). Employers can pay $5.90 to employees under 20 during their first 90 consecutive days, and $2.33 to tipped employees ($2.13 to tipped opportunity employees) as long as tips bring total pay to at least the minimum wage.
Is Wisconsin raising its minimum wage?
No increase is scheduled. Wisconsin's rates are fixed in Wis. Stat. 104.035 with no inflation index, so the rate changes only if the legislature amends the law or the federal minimum wage rises above $7.25. Cities and counties can't set a higher local rate under Wis. Stat. 104.001.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Wisconsin?
$2.33 an hour, or $2.13 for a tipped employee who is also an opportunity employee (under 20 and in the first 90 days). The employer can pay the tipped rate only if payroll records show that wages plus tips for the week reach at least the regular minimum wage, and must make up any shortfall.
What is the opportunity wage in Wisconsin?
$5.90 an hour, payable to an employee under 20 during the first 90 consecutive days with that employer (Wis. Stat. 104.01(5m)). After 90 days, or once the employee turns 20, the regular $7.25 minimum applies. It's legal, but a $5.90 starting rate is well below what most frontline employers advertise.
Does Milwaukee or Madison have a higher minimum wage?
No, not for private employers. Wis. Stat. 104.001 prohibits any Wisconsin city, village, town or county from enacting a minimum wage ordinance and voided those in effect on June 16, 2005. Private employers in Milwaukee, Madison and everywhere else follow the statewide $7.25 minimum.
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