Boulder minimum wage
Minimum wage in Boulder, Colorado, in effect since January 1, 2026
$16.82 an hour
Boulder sets its own minimum wage, $1.66 above the Colorado rate of $15.16. Employers in Boulder pay the higher local rate.
Next increase: $18.17 on January 1, 2027.
Standard rate
$16.82
since January 1, 2026
Tipped cash wage
—
Max tip credit $3.02
Next change
$18.17
January 1, 2027
Federal minimum
$7.25
unchanged since 2009
Tipped employees
The source doesn't set a separate cash wage for tipped employees in Boulder.
Scheduled increases
| Effective date | Standard rate | Tipped cash wage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 (current) | $16.82 | — | In effect |
| January 1, 2027 | $18.17 | — | Set in law Fixed in Ordinance 8664. Tipped cash wage not printed; with the $3.02 credit it would be $15.15 (computed). |
How future increases are set
Fixed schedule through 2027; from January 1, 2028, adjusted each year by CPI-U (Denver-Aurora-Lakewood).
Exceptions and details
- Applies within City of Boulder limits, including to workers under 18.
- Tipped cash wage is not printed; with the $3.02 maximum tip credit it is $13.80 (computed).
Other local minimum wages in Colorado
- Boulder County (unincorporated) $16.82
- Denver $19.29
- Edgewater $18.17
Running payroll in Boulder?
Recent changes
Last verified against the official source on October 9, 2026.
No changes recorded since we started tracking this page.
Sources
- City of Boulder · data as of January 1, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
We copy figures from official sources and re-check them against the source before every update. See our methodology. This is general information, not legal advice.