Chicago minimum wage
Minimum wage in Chicago, Illinois, in effect since July 1, 2026
$17.05 an hour
Chicago sets its own minimum wage, $2.05 above the Illinois rate of $15.00. Employers in Chicago pay the higher local rate.
Next increase: none announced as of October 9, 2026. Adjusted each July 1 by the CPI or 2.5%, whichever is lower.
Tipped employees
Employers in Chicago can pay tipped employees a cash wage of $12.96 an hour, taking a tip credit of up to $4.09, as long as tips bring the employee to at least $17.05 for every hour worked. If they don't, the employer makes up the difference.
How future increases are set
Adjusted each July 1 by the CPI or 2.5%, whichever is lower.
Exceptions and details
- Applies to employers with 4 or more employees. Smaller employers follow the Illinois state minimum.
- Tipped workers: $12.96 an hour; if wages plus tips fall short of $17.05, the employer must make up the difference. (The One Fair Wage tipped phase-out has been frozen by ordinance.)
- Minimum under city contracts and concessionaire agreements: $18.50 from July 1, 2026.
Other local minimum wages in Illinois
- Cook County $15.40
Running payroll in Chicago?
Recent changes
Last verified against the official source on October 9, 2026.
No changes recorded since we started tracking this page.
Sources
- City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (Office of Labor Standards) · data as of July 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.