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The Mandate Monitor

Louisiana minimum wage: $7.25 an hour (the federal rate)

Checked November 7, 2026Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (no state minimum wage agency)

Short answer

Louisiana has no state minimum wage above the federal one, so most employers there must pay at least $7.25 an hour under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Employers may pay tipped employees $2.13 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring them up to at least $7.25.

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On your payroll in Louisianaper hour
Minimum wage today
$7.25
Tipped employees, cash wage
$2.13
Full-time year at today’s rate (2,080 hours)
$15,080

We found no city or county in Louisiana with its own higher minimum wage.

Louisiana minimum wage by date

EffectiveMinimum wageTipped cash wageNote
July 24, 2009Current$7.25$2.13No state minimum wage law; employers covered by the FLSA pay the federal rate ($2.13 cash wage for tipped workers).source
July 24, 2008$6.55$2.13Federal rate.source

Other Louisiana pay rules

Paydays
No general frequency rule. Manufacturing, mining and oil drilling employers with 10 or more employees, and public service companies, must pay at least twice a month. Employers that don’t set paydays must pay on the 1st and 16th.
Overtime
Follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rule: time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. No separate state overtime rule.
Final paycheck
Fired: By the next regular payday or within 15 days of the discharge, whichever comes first. Quit: By the next regular payday or within 15 days of resigning, whichever comes first.

From the Louisiana Works and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables. All Louisiana employer rules.

Minimum wage in states next to Louisiana

If you hire across a state line, the worker’s state sets the rate.

StateTodayNext change
Louisiana$7.25None scheduled
Arkansas$11.00None scheduled
Mississippi$7.25None scheduled
Texas$7.25None scheduled

Questions employers ask

What is the minimum wage in Louisiana in 2026?

Louisiana has no state minimum wage above the federal one, so most employers there must pay at least $7.25 an hour under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

What is the tipped minimum wage in Louisiana?

Employers may pay tipped employees $2.13 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring them up to at least $7.25.

When does the Louisiana minimum wage go up next?

No increase is scheduled under current Louisiana law. Any change would need new legislation or a ballot measure.

Do cities in Louisiana have a higher minimum wage?

We found no city or county minimum wage in Louisiana.

Does Louisiana require overtime pay?

Follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rule: time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. No separate state overtime rule.

Compare every state’s minimum wage · Everything employers in Louisiana must do

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (no state minimum wage agency)
  2. Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees (November 5, 2026 table), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
  3. Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees, historical table (October 1, 2008), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)