Connecticut Minimum Wage 2026: $16.94 an Hour, $17.48 on January 1, 2027
Connecticut minimum wage is $16.94 an hour in 2026 and rises to $17.48 on January 1, 2027 under the state employment cost index formula. Tipped servers get $6.38 in cash and bartenders $8.23. No local rates are allowed.
The Connecticut minimum wage is $16.94 per hour in 2026, and it will rise to $17.48 on January 1, 2027. Connecticut adjusts its rate every January using the federal employment cost index rather than the Consumer Price Index, and the Department of Labor announces the new figure each August. Tipped employees have fixed cash wages that do not change: $6.38 per hour for hotel and restaurant servers and $8.23 for bartenders, with tips making up the difference to the full minimum. Connecticut does not permit local minimum wages.
Reviewed September 2026
Rates on this page were checked against the Connecticut Department of Labor, the Governor's office announcements for 2026 and 2027, and the US Department of Labor state minimum wage tables as of July 1, 2026. See our labor law compliance guides for other Connecticut rules.
Current Connecticut Minimum Wage
Connecticut's rate increased from $16.35 to $16.94 on January 1, 2026, a 3.6 percent rise that matched the change in the employment cost index for the twelve months ending June 30, 2025. The 2027 increase to $17.48 reflects a 3.2 percent index change for the year ending June 30, 2026, which the Governor's office and the Department of Labor confirmed in August 2026.
The indexing mechanism comes from Public Act 19-4, the 2019 law that stepped the minimum wage from $10.10 to $15.00 by June 2023 and then tied future increases to the employment cost index for wages and salaries of all civilian workers, as published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each year the Connecticut Labor Commissioner calculates the change and announces the new rate in August, giving employers more than four months to prepare. The statute also allows the Governor to pause an increase during a recession, a provision that has not been used.
Connecticut's minimum wage is among the highest statewide rates in the country, above Massachusetts and Rhode Island and close to Washington.
Connecticut Minimum Wage vs Federal Minimum Wage
| Connecticut 2026 | Connecticut 2027 | Federal (FLSA) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard hourly minimum | $16.94 | $17.48 | $7.25 |
| Tipped cash wage (servers) | $6.38 | $6.38 | $2.13 |
| Tipped cash wage (bartenders) | $8.23 | $8.23 | $2.13 |
| Maximum tip credit (servers) | $10.56 | $11.10 | $5.12 |
| Maximum tip credit (bartenders) | $8.71 | $9.25 | $5.12 |
| Annual adjustment | Employment cost index, January 1 | Same | None |
| Local rates allowed | No | No | Not applicable |
Tipped Minimum Wage in Connecticut
Connecticut freezes the tipped cash wage in dollars rather than as a percentage. The 2019 law fixed the cash wage at $6.38 for employees in the hotel and restaurant industry who customarily receive tips, and at $8.23 for bartenders. Because those figures do not move, the tip credit grows each year with the minimum wage: $10.56 for servers in 2026 and $11.10 in 2027, and $8.71 for bartenders in 2026 and $9.25 in 2027. The Connecticut Department of Labor publishes an updated tip statement form each January.
The tip credit is only available for hours spent in tipped work. Connecticut regulations require employers to keep records that separate tipped duties from non-tipped duties such as cleaning or stocking, and to pay the full minimum wage for time spent primarily on non-tipped work. A 2019 law also requires a signed weekly tip statement from the employee. Employers that cannot show the split, or that lack the statements, lose the credit and owe the full $16.94 for those hours.
Connecticut Minimum Wage Increase Schedule
| Effective date | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| August 1, 2021 | $13.00 | Public Act 19-4 step |
| July 1, 2022 | $14.00 | Public Act 19-4 step |
| June 1, 2023 | $15.00 | Public Act 19-4 final step |
| January 1, 2024 | $15.69 | Employment cost index, 4.6 percent |
| January 1, 2025 | $16.35 | Employment cost index, 4.2 percent |
| January 1, 2026 | $16.94 | Employment cost index, 3.6 percent |
| January 1, 2027 | $17.48 | Employment cost index, 3.2 percent |
The index formula means the rate tracks wage growth across the economy rather than prices. In a year when wages fall nationally the rate would hold rather than decrease.
Local Minimum Wages in Connecticut
None. Connecticut does not allow municipalities to set a minimum wage above the state figure, so Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, and Bridgeport all use $16.94. Some towns have living wage requirements for their own contractors, which do not affect private employers generally.
Who Is Covered and Who Is Exempt
Connecticut's minimum wage law covers nearly all employees. The main exceptions and special rates are:
- Employees under 18 may be paid 85 percent of the minimum wage for their first 90 days of employment, which is $14.40 in 2026; after 90 days, or for employers that choose not to use the training rate, the full rate applies
- Bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees who meet the federal duties tests and Connecticut's salary requirements, who are exempt from overtime
- Certain agricultural workers and some camp and seasonal recreation employees
- Outside salespeople
Connecticut also has strict rules on wage deductions, pay frequency (weekly unless the Labor Commissioner approves otherwise), and final pay. Job titles do not determine exemption; see exempt vs non-exempt employees for the tests.
Overtime and the Minimum Wage
Connecticut requires 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. There is no daily overtime, though some restaurant employees are owed premium pay for a seventh consecutive day of work under state regulations.
For a minimum wage employee working 45 hours:
- 40 hours at $16.94 = $677.60
- 5 overtime hours at $25.41 = $127.05
- Weekly gross pay = $804.65
For tipped employees, overtime is calculated on the full $16.94, so the overtime rate is $25.41, and the tip credit for the employee's category applies to each overtime hour. Use the overtime calculator for other rates, and see overtime pay laws by state.
What a Minimum Wage Worker Earns in Connecticut
| Schedule | 2026 at $16.94 | 2027 at $17.48 |
|---|---|---|
| 40-hour week | $677.60 | $699.20 |
| Month (173.33 hours) | $2,936.21 | $3,029.81 |
| Year (2,080 hours) | $35,235.20 | $36,358.40 |
Gross figures before taxes. Convert any rate with the salary to hourly calculator, and see what gross pay includes.
Common Minimum Wage Mistakes in Connecticut
Connecticut's tipped wage rules are more detailed than most states', and they account for a large share of wage complaints:
- Applying the tip credit to non-tipped hours. Time spent on set-up, cleaning, or other non-service work must be paid at the full $16.94 and recorded separately from service hours.
- Missing weekly tip statements. Without a signed statement from the employee each week, the credit is unavailable for that week.
- Using the wrong category rate. A bartender who is paid the $6.38 server rate rather than $8.23 is underpaid $1.85 an hour.
- Forgetting the January update. Because the cash wage stays fixed, some employers assume nothing changes; in fact the tip credit and the full rate both change every January 1.
- Paying biweekly without a waiver. Connecticut requires weekly pay unless the Labor Commissioner has approved a longer pay period in writing.
- Keeping minors on the 85 percent rate past 90 days. The training rate ends after the first 90 days of employment.
Employer Compliance Checklist
- Pay at least $16.94 now and schedule the change to $17.48 for the first pay period of January 2027.
- Keep the tipped cash wage at $6.38 for servers and $8.23 for bartenders, and update the tip credit figures each January.
- Collect signed weekly tip statements and keep records that separate tipped from non-tipped hours.
- Apply the 85 percent training rate to minors only for the first 90 days, then move them to the full rate.
- Pay employees weekly unless you hold a Labor Commissioner waiver for a longer pay period.
- Record hours to the minute with a time card calculator or time tracking software; Connecticut requires payroll records to be kept for three years.
- Post the current Connecticut Department of Labor minimum wage notice, and watch for the August announcement of the 2028 rate.
Separate Tipped and Non-Tipped Hours Automatically
HiveDesk tracks time by task and project as well as by clock-in and clock-out, so Connecticut employers can show which hours qualified for the tip credit and pay the full rate for the rest. $5/user/month, 14-day free trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Connecticut in 2026?
$16.94 per hour, effective January 1, 2026.
What will Connecticut minimum wage be in 2027?
$17.48 per hour, effective January 1, 2027, a 3.2 percent increase based on the employment cost index.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Connecticut?
$6.38 per hour for hotel and restaurant servers and $8.23 for bartenders. Tips must bring the employee to at least $16.94 in 2026.
How is Connecticut minimum wage calculated each year?
The Labor Commissioner applies the percentage change in the federal employment cost index for wages and salaries over the twelve months ending June 30 and announces the new rate by August 15.
Does Connecticut have a training wage?
Yes. Employees under 18 may be paid 85 percent of the minimum wage, $14.40 in 2026, for their first 90 days.
Can Hartford or New Haven set a higher minimum wage?
No. Connecticut does not allow local minimum wage ordinances.
How much is Connecticut minimum wage per year?
$35,235.20 for a full-time employee working 2,080 hours at $16.94, before taxes. At the 2027 rate it is $36,358.40.
Is Connecticut minimum wage higher than Massachusetts?
Yes. Connecticut's $16.94 is above Massachusetts' $15.00 and Rhode Island's $16.00, and it will widen the gap in 2027.
For a comparison with every other state, see minimum wage by state.