Illinois minimum wage: $15.00 an hour
Checked November 8, 2026Source: Illinois Department of Labor
Some cities and counties in Illinois require more. See city and county rates
Short answer
Illinois’s minimum wage is $15.00 an hour, in effect since January 1, 2025, according to the Illinois Department of Labor.
Employers may pay tipped employees $9.00 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring them up to at least $15.00.
Some Illinois cities and counties require more: Chicago $17.05 an hour and Cook County $15.40.
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- Minimum wage today
- $15.00
- Tipped employees, cash wage
- $9.00
- Full-time year at today’s rate (2,080 hours)
- $31,200
Cities and counties can require more. Chicago and Cook County set their own higher minimum wages.
City and county rates in Illinois
Read from each government source on November 8, 2026.
| Place | Rate now | Next rate and date | Who it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $17.05 | Not posted yetfor July 1, 2027 | Employers with 4 or more employees.Source: City of Chicago, Business Affairs and Consumer Protection |
| Cook County | $15.40 | Not posted yetfor July 1, 2027 | Employees 18 and older working in Cook County for at least 2 hours a week. Does not apply in Chicago, in municipalities with their own minimum wage, or in municipalities that opted out; the county says the opt-out list changes often.Some suburbs have opted out, so check with the municipality.Source: Cook County Human Rights Commission |
Illinois minimum wage by date
Other Illinois rates
Workers under 18
Employees under 18 who work fewer than 650 hours for the employer in a calendar year; full rate applies after 650 hours.
Today: $13.00
90-day training wage, 18 and over
Employers may pay employees 18 and over this rate for their first 90 days with the employer. Tipped employees in that period may be paid $9.00 with the 40% tip credit, or $14.50 without it.
Today: $14.50
Other Illinois pay rules
- Paydays
- At least twice a month, within 13 days after the pay period ends. Executive, administrative and professional employees, and commissions, may be paid monthly.
- Overtime
- Time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. The state law covers employers with 4 or more employees, not counting family members.
- Final paycheck
- Fired: At separation if possible, and no later than the next regular payday. Quit: By the next regular payday.
From the Illinois Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables. All Illinois employer rules.
Minimum wage in states next to Illinois
If you hire across a state line, the worker’s state sets the rate.
Questions employers ask
What is the minimum wage in Illinois in 2026?
Illinois’s minimum wage is $15.00 an hour, in effect since January 1, 2025, according to the Illinois Department of Labor.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Illinois?
Employers may pay tipped employees $9.00 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring them up to at least $15.00.
When does the Illinois minimum wage go up next?
No increase is scheduled under current Illinois law. Any change would need new legislation or a ballot measure.
Do cities in Illinois have a higher minimum wage?
Yes. Chicago and Cook County set their own higher minimum wages. Today’s local rates: Chicago $17.05 an hour and Cook County $15.40.
Does Illinois require overtime pay?
Time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. The state law covers employers with 4 or more employees, not counting family members.
Compare every state’s minimum wage · Everything employers in Illinois must do
Sources
- Illinois Department of Labor
- Minimum Wage Rates (historic rates by year), Illinois Department of Labor (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees, historical table (July 1, 2024), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 8, 2026)
- Your Rights workplace poster (2026), Illinois Department of Labor (read Nov 8, 2026)
- Minimum Wage, City of Chicago, Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (read Nov 8, 2026)
- Minimum Wage Ordinance and Regulations, Cook County Human Rights Commission (read Nov 8, 2026)