Denver minimum wage
Minimum wage in Denver, Colorado, in effect since January 1, 2026
$19.29 an hour
Denver sets its own minimum wage, $4.13 above the Colorado rate of $15.16. Employers in Denver pay the higher local rate.
Next increase: $19.84 on January 1, 2027.
Tipped employees
Employers in Denver can pay tipped employees a cash wage of $16.27 an hour, taking a tip credit of up to $3.02, as long as tips bring the employee to at least $19.29 for every hour worked. If they don't, the employer makes up the difference. An employee counts as tipped if they get food and beverage workers who receive at least $3.02 an hour in tips.
Scheduled increases
| Effective date | Standard rate | Tipped cash wage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 (current) | $19.29 | $16.27 | In effect |
| January 1, 2027 | $19.84 | — | Announced The 2027 tipped cash wage is not printed. With the $3.02 tip credit it would be $16.82 (computed, not official). |
How future increases are set
Adjusted each January 1 by the CPI, calculated by the Denver Department of Finance.
Exceptions and details
- Applies to all employees working within the City and County of Denver.
- Tip credit of up to $3.02 an hour applies only in the food and beverage industry.
- The city page's rate history has a typo: "$17.29 per hour in 2024, $18.29 per hour in 2024" (the first should be 2023).
Other local minimum wages in Colorado
- Boulder $16.82
- Boulder County (unincorporated) $16.82
- Edgewater $18.17
Running payroll in Denver?
Recent changes
Last verified against the official source on October 9, 2026.
No changes recorded since we started tracking this page.
Sources
- Denver Auditor's Office, Denver Labor · 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.