Maine Minimum Wage 2026: $15.10 Statewide, $16.75 in Portland
Maine minimum wage is $15.10 per hour in 2026, adjusted each January by CPI-W. The service employee cash wage is $7.55. Portland pays $16.75 and Rockland $16.00. Increase history, who is covered, overtime, and an employer checklist.
The Maine minimum wage is $15.10 per hour as of January 1, 2026, up from $14.65 in 2025. Maine adjusts the rate every January based on the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners in the Northeast, a rule voters adopted by referendum in 2016, so the rate moves almost every year without legislative action. Tipped service employees must receive a cash wage of at least $7.55, exactly half the minimum. Two cities go higher: Portland is at $16.75 with scheduled jumps to $17.75 in 2027 and $19.00 in 2028, and Rockland is at $16.00.
Reviewed September 2026
Statewide figures come from the Maine Department of Labor's announcement of the 2026 rate and the US Department of Labor's July 1, 2026 state table. Portland's schedule comes from the November 2025 ballot measure as reported by Fisher Phillips, and Rockland's from the city's 2026 minimum wage notice. The Maine Department of Labor announces the next year's rate each fall; confirm the 2027 figure before January.
Current Maine Minimum Wage
Maine's minimum wage rose to $15.10 per hour on January 1, 2026. The Maine Department of Labor announced the increase from $14.65, explaining that it reflects a 3.1 percent rise in the CPI-W for the Northeast Region between August 2024 and August 2025. The US Department of Labor table lists the same $15.10 and notes that Maine's rate also tracks the federal rate if the federal rate ever moves higher.
The same announcement raised the salary threshold for overtime-exempt salaried workers to $871.16 per week, or $45,300.32 per year, for 2026. That threshold is tied to the minimum wage (it is set at 3,000 times the hourly minimum), so it moves every January too. Maine employers classifying salaried staff as exempt need to check both numbers each year.
Maine Minimum Wage vs Federal Minimum Wage
| Measure | Maine (2026) | Federal (2026) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly minimum wage | $15.10 | $7.25 | $7.85 |
| Tipped cash wage | $7.55 | $2.13 | $5.42 |
| Maximum tip credit | $7.55 | $5.12 | $2.43 |
| Weekly pay at 40 hours | $604.00 | $290.00 | $314.00 |
| Annual pay at 2,080 hours | $31,408 | $15,080 | $16,328 |
| Last increase | January 1, 2026 | July 24, 2009 | |
| Exempt salary threshold | $45,300.32 | $35,568 | $9,732.32 |
Maine's rate is more than double the federal minimum, and its exempt salary threshold is also higher than the federal one, which means a salaried employee can be exempt under federal rules and still owed overtime under Maine law.
Tipped Minimum Wage in Maine
Maine calls tipped workers "service employees" and sets their cash wage at half the minimum: $7.55 in 2026. The Department of Labor requires employers to show that a service employee "receives at least $15.10 combined from wages and tips" for the week. If tips fall short, the employer pays the difference.
Because the cash wage is pegged to half the minimum, it rises automatically each January along with the main rate. Portland and Rockland set their own service employee wages: Rockland requires a direct wage of at least $8.00, and Portland's is reported at $7.75 as of January 2025 with the city's regular rate moving separately. Verify the city figure on the city's current notice, since the two cities do not update on the same basis.
Maine Minimum Wage Increase Schedule
Maine's rate has risen every January since the 2016 referendum phased it to $12.00 in 2020 and then switched to annual CPI-W indexing.
| Effective date | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2021 | $12.15 | CPI-W indexing (first indexed year) |
| January 1, 2022 | $12.75 | CPI-W |
| January 1, 2023 | $13.80 | CPI-W |
| January 1, 2024 | $14.15 | CPI-W |
| January 1, 2025 | $14.65 | CPI-W |
| January 1, 2026 | $15.10 | CPI-W, 3.1 percent increase |
| January 1, 2027 | To be announced (fall 2026) | CPI-W, August 2025 to August 2026 |
The 2021 to 2024 figures are the rates the Department of Labor announced in each of those years; the 2025 and 2026 figures are from the current announcement. The formula rounds to the nearest 5 cents, and the state cannot lower the rate if the index falls.
Local Minimum Wages in Maine
Maine permits municipal minimum wages, and two cities use that authority.
| City | 2026 rate | Service employee wage | What is scheduled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $16.75 (January 1, 2026) | $7.75 (as of January 2025; verify current) | $17.75 on January 1, 2027, $19.00 on January 1, 2028, then annual CPI increases from 2029 |
| Rockland | $16.00 (January 1, 2026) | $8.00 direct wage | Adjusted by CPI-U Northeast under city code section 2-116 |
Portland's schedule was approved by voters in November 2025 with 63 percent support, according to the Fisher Phillips summary. It applies to work performed inside the city, so a business based in South Portland that sends staff into Portland owes the Portland rate for those hours. Rockland's notice is on the city's website.
Who Is Covered and Who Is Exempt
Maine's minimum wage law covers most employees. Exemptions include bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees who meet the duties test and the $871.16 weekly salary threshold, certain agricultural workers, some seasonal and camp employees, and family members working in a family business. Maine does not have a training or youth sub-minimum wage.
The higher state salary threshold is the trap. A manager paid $40,000 a year may be exempt under federal law but is not exempt in Maine in 2026. Read the exempt vs non-exempt employees guide for the duties tests and then apply Maine's higher dollar figure.
Overtime and the Minimum Wage
Maine requires overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. At $15.10 a 45-hour week pays:
| Component | Hours | Rate | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | 40 | $15.10 | $604.00 |
| Overtime | 5 | $22.65 | $113.25 |
| Total | 45 | $717.25 |
Service employees' overtime is calculated on the full $15.10. Maine also caps mandatory overtime at 80 hours in any two-week period for most employees. See overtime pay laws by state and the overtime calculator.
What a Minimum Wage Worker Earns in Maine
| Period | Hours | Statewide ($15.10) | Portland ($16.75) | Rockland ($16.00) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week | 40 | $604.00 | $670.00 | $640.00 |
| Month | 173.33 | $2,617.28 | $2,903.28 | $2,773.28 |
| Year | 2,080 | $31,408 | $34,840 | $33,280 |
Gross pay before deductions. Convert other rates with the salary to hourly calculator; see gross pay for deductions.
Employer Compliance Checklist
- Pay $15.10 statewide and $16.75 or $16.00 for hours worked in Portland or Rockland.
- Watch for the fall announcement of the 2027 rate and update payroll for January 1.
- Re-check exempt classifications against the $871.16 weekly threshold, which is higher than the federal figure.
- Reconcile service employee pay weekly so cash wage plus tips reaches $15.10 (or the city rate) for every hour.
- Budget Portland's 2027 and 2028 steps now; $19.00 is a 26 percent increase over the current state rate.
- Keep hour records with a time card calculator or automated time tracking to support overtime and tip reconciliation.
Rates for every other state are in minimum wage by state.
Stay Ahead of Maine's Annual Increases
HiveDesk tracks hours by location and generates timesheets you can reconcile against the Maine, Portland, or Rockland rate. $5/user/month, 14-day free trial.
Common Minimum Wage Mistakes in Maine
Maine's indexed rate and higher exempt-salary threshold create errors that federal-only payroll templates do not catch:
- Forgetting the January adjustment. The rate has changed every January since 2021. A rate review should be a fixed item in the December payroll calendar.
- Classifying salaried staff as exempt at the federal threshold. Maine's 2026 threshold is $871.16 per week, well above the federal $684. A $40,000-a-year assistant manager is non-exempt in Maine.
- Paying the state service employee wage inside Portland or Rockland. Both cities set their own direct wage for tipped workers, and Portland's regular rate is $16.75, not $15.10.
- Reconciling tips monthly instead of weekly. Maine's test is whether the service employee reached the minimum for the week.
- Assuming a training wage exists. Maine has none. New hires and teenagers are owed the full rate from the first hour.
- Budgeting 2027 on today's Portland rate. Portland moves to $17.75 on January 1, 2027, and $19.00 a year later, on top of whatever the state CPI adjustment produces.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Maine in 2026?
$15.10 per hour, effective January 1, 2026. Portland is $16.75 and Rockland is $16.00.
Will Maine's minimum wage go up in 2027?
Almost certainly. Maine indexes the rate to the Northeast CPI-W each January; the Department of Labor announces the 2027 figure in fall 2026.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Maine?
$7.55 per hour, half the minimum wage. Tips must bring the employee to $15.10 for the week or the employer pays the difference.
What is the Portland, Maine minimum wage?
$16.75 in 2026, rising to $17.75 on January 1, 2027 and $19.00 on January 1, 2028.
Does Maine have a training wage for teenagers?
No. Maine has no youth or training sub-minimum wage; the full rate applies.
What is the salary threshold for exempt employees in Maine?
$871.16 per week, or $45,300.32 per year, in 2026. It is set at 3,000 times the hourly minimum wage and rises each January.
How much is Maine minimum wage per year?
$31,408 before taxes at 2,080 hours.
Can Maine cities set their own minimum wage?
Yes. Portland and Rockland have done so; other municipalities may follow.
Sources
- Maine Department of Labor, minimum wage $15.10 per hour beginning January 1, 2026
- Maine Department of Labor, 2026 minimum wage poster
- US Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws (as of July 1, 2026)
- US Department of Labor, Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees
- Fisher Phillips, Voters pass more wage hikes in Portland, Maine (November 6, 2025)
- City of Rockland, Minimum Wage Notice