Maine minimum wage: $15.10 an hour, rising to $15.70 on January 1, 2027
Checked November 7, 2026Source: Maine Department of Labor
Some cities in Maine require more. See city rates
Short answer
Maine’s minimum wage is $15.10 an hour, in effect since January 1, 2026, according to the Maine Department of Labor.
Employers may pay tipped employees $7.55 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring them up to at least $15.10.
It rises to $15.70 on January 1, 2027, with a tipped cash wage of $7.85.
Some Maine cities require more: Portland $16.75 an hour and Rockland $16.00.
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- Minimum wage today
- $15.10
- Tipped employees, cash wage
- $7.55
- From January 1, 2027
- $15.70
- Full-time year at today’s rate (2,080 hours)
- $31,408
Cities and counties can require more. Portland and Rockland have their own minimum wage ordinances.
City rates in Maine
Read from each government source on November 8, 2026.
| Place | Rate now | Next rate and date | Who it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $16.75 | $17.75on January 1, 2027 | Employers with a place of business within Portland, for each hour worked within city limits (City Code Chapter 33). Excludes those exempted under Title 26, Section 663(3), of the Maine Revised Statutes.Sources: City of Portland, City of Portland |
| Rockland | $16.00 | Not posted yetfor January 1, 2027 | Employers with more than 25 employees, for each hour worked within Rockland city limits (City Code Sec. 2-116).Source: City of Rockland |
What the January 1, 2027 raise costs you
The raise is $0.60 an hour for anyone paid less than the new rate on January 1, 2027.
- Added wages a year
- $936
- Employer Social Security and Medicare (FICA), 7.65%
- $72
- Total added cost a year
- $1,008
Counts only the raise for workers below the new rate, over 52 weeks. It leaves out raises you give others to keep pay gaps, and state unemployment tax, which usually stops at a wage cap.
Maine minimum wage by date
| Effective | Minimum wage | Tipped cash wage | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2027Upcoming | $15.70 | $7.85 | Announced September 18, 2026 (4.1% CPI-W increase). Tip threshold rises to $199 a month.source |
| January 1, 2026Current | $15.10 | $7.55 | Service employees (more than $191 a month in tips) get at least half the minimum as a direct wage.source |
| January 1, 2025 | $14.65 | $7.33 | source |
Adjusted every January 1 by the change in CPI-W (the Consumer Price Index) for the Northeast (August to August); the Maine Department of Labor announces it in September.
Before January 1, 2027
- Update every hourly rate below $15.70 in payroll so the first paycheck on or after that date is right.
- Update tipped employees’ cash wage to $7.85.
- Replace the minimum wage poster with the new year’s version from the Maine Department of Labor.
Other Maine pay rules
- Paydays
- At regular intervals of no more than 16 days, covering wages earned up to 8 days before payday. Salaried employees and family members are excluded.
- Overtime
- State law requires time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek in most employment situations.
- Final paycheck
- Fired: By the next regular payday. Quit: By the next regular payday.
From the Maine Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables. All Maine employer rules.
Minimum wage in states next to Maine
If you hire across a state line, the worker’s state sets the rate.
| State | Today | Next change |
|---|---|---|
| Maine | $15.10 | $15.70 on January 1, 2027 |
| New Hampshire | $7.25 | None scheduled |
Questions employers ask
What is the minimum wage in Maine in 2026?
Maine’s minimum wage is $15.10 an hour, in effect since January 1, 2026, according to the Maine Department of Labor.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Maine?
Employers may pay tipped employees $7.55 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring them up to at least $15.10.
When does the Maine minimum wage go up next?
On January 1, 2027, to $15.70 an hour. Adjusted every January 1 by the change in CPI-W (the Consumer Price Index) for the Northeast (August to August); the Maine Department of Labor announces it in September.
Do cities in Maine have a higher minimum wage?
Yes. Portland and Rockland have their own minimum wage ordinances. Today’s local rates: Portland $16.75 an hour and Rockland $16.00.
Does Maine require overtime pay?
State law requires time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek in most employment situations.
Compare every state’s minimum wage · Everything employers in Maine must do
Sources
- Maine Department of Labor
- Maine’s Minimum Wage to Increase to $15.70 Per Hour in 2027, Maine Department of Labor (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Maine’s Minimum Wage to Increase to $15.10 Per Hour in 2026, Maine Department of Labor (read Nov 7, 2026)
- Minimum Wage, City of Portland (read Nov 8, 2026)
- Chapter 33 Minimum Wage, Revised 1-1-2026, City of Portland (read Nov 8, 2026)
- Minimum Wage Notice (2026), City of Rockland (read Nov 8, 2026)
- City Code Chapter 2, Section 2-116 Local Minimum Wage, City of Rockland (read Nov 8, 2026)