Denver Minimum Wage (2026)
Built & reviewed by Nandu Kannan · Overtime rules cited to primary statutes
Denver's minimum wage is $19.29 an hour in 2026, effective January 1, 2026 — $4.13 above Colorado's $15.16 state minimum. Tipped food-and-beverage workers have a $16.27 cash wage (a $3.02 tip credit) and tips must reach $19.29.
Denver minimum-wage pay calculator
Pre-set to Denver's $19.29 minimum. Change the hours, add overtime, and see weekly, monthly and annual gross pay update instantly.
Gross pay before taxes, at Denver's minimum wage. Overtime at 1.5× the regular rate (federal FLSA); some states add daily overtime — see the state overtime calculator. Not payroll advice.
Denver vs. Colorado vs. federal minimum wage
Denver's local minimum of $19.29 is $4.13 above Colorado's $15.16 and $12.04 above the federal $7.25. When city, state and federal minimum wages differ, employers must pay whichever is highest — so workers in Denver are entitled to the $19.29 local rate.
Minimum-wage pay & overtime in Denver
At $19.29 an hour, overtime (1.5×) is $28.93 per hour. Run your own numbers with the Colorado overtime calculator, see take-home pay with the Colorado paycheck calculator, or convert it to a yearly figure with the salary to hourly calculator.
Employer size & coverage
Tipped food-and-beverage workers have a $16.27 cash wage (a $3.02 tip credit) and tips must reach $19.29.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Denver in 2026?
The minimum wage in Denver is $19.29 per hour in 2026, effective January 1, 2026. Tipped food-and-beverage workers have a $16.27 cash wage (a $3.02 tip credit) and tips must reach $19.29.
How much is Denver's minimum wage per year?
At $19.29 an hour, full-time (40 hours a week, 52 weeks) is about $40,123 a year before taxes, or $772 a week.
Is Denver's minimum wage higher than Colorado's?
Yes. Denver's $19.29 is $4.13 above Colorado's $15.16 minimum. When a city sets a higher local minimum wage, employers in that city must pay the higher local rate.
What is overtime pay on Denver's minimum wage?
Overtime is 1.5× your regular rate, so a minimum-wage worker in Denver at $19.29 earns $28.93 per overtime hour.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Denver?
Denver's tipped food-and-beverage cash wage is $16.27; tips must bring it to $19.29.
Denver rate effective January 1, 2026, as of June 2026. Source: City & County of Denver; GovDocs 2026 — official Denver minimum-wage page, cross-checked against the UC Berkeley Labor Center inventory of local minimum-wage ordinances. Local minimum wages change, can adjust mid-year, and vary by employer size and industry — verify the current figure with your city before relying on it. General information, not legal or payroll advice.
Related
Colorado minimum wage · Cities with their own minimum wage · Minimum wage by state · Colorado paycheck · Salary to Hourly
Other cities with their own minimum wage
Boulder — $16.82 · San Francisco — $19.61 · Berkeley — $19.61 · Mountain View — $19.70