New Hampshire Minimum Wage 2026: $7.25, Tipped $3.27, No Increase Planned
New Hampshire minimum wage is $7.25 per hour in 2026 because state law adopts the federal rate. Tipped employees get at least 45 percent, or $3.27. Workers 16 and under and new employees may be paid 75 percent. Coverage, overtime, and an employer checklist.
The New Hampshire minimum wage is $7.25 per hour in 2026. New Hampshire repealed its own dollar figure in 2011 and RSA 279:21 now simply prohibits paying "an hourly rate lower than that set forth in the federal minimum wage law," so the state rate is whatever the federal rate is. Tipped employees in restaurants, hotels, and similar businesses must receive a base rate of at least 45 percent of the minimum wage, which is $3.27, and the statute sets $3.27 as an absolute floor. Employees 16 or under, and new employees with less than six months of experience, may be paid 75 percent of the minimum in limited cases. New Hampshire is the only New England state at the federal rate.
Reviewed September 2026
Figures come from RSA 279:21 as published by the New Hampshire General Court and the US Department of Labor's July 1, 2026 state and tipped wage tables. New Hampshire's rate changes only if the federal rate changes. Confirm the youth and inexperienced-worker rules with the New Hampshire Department of Labor before applying them.
Current New Hampshire Minimum Wage
New Hampshire's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. RSA 279:21 states that "no person, firm, or corporation shall employ any employee at an hourly rate lower than that set forth in the federal minimum wage law, as amended," which makes the state rate equal to the federal $7.25. The US Department of Labor table lists New Hampshire at $7.25 and notes that the state tracks the federal rate.
New Hampshire's neighbors are far higher: Maine is at $15.10, Vermont at $14.42, and Massachusetts at $15.00 in 2026. In practice, market wages in most of southern New Hampshire are well above $7.25 because employers compete with Massachusetts, but the legal floor remains the federal figure, and it applies to every New Hampshire employer covered by the statute.
New Hampshire Minimum Wage vs Federal Minimum Wage
| Measure | New Hampshire (2026) | Federal (2026) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly minimum wage | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 |
| Tipped cash wage | $3.27 (45 percent) | $2.13 | $1.14 |
| Maximum tip credit | $3.98 | $5.12 | $1.14 less |
| Youth rate | 75 percent for workers 16 and under | $4.25 for under 20, 90 days | Different structure |
| Weekly pay at 40 hours | $290.00 | $290.00 | $0.00 |
| Annual pay at 2,080 hours | $15,080 | $15,080 | $0.00 |
| Last increase | July 24, 2009 | July 24, 2009 |
The headline rates match, so the state-specific numbers are the $3.27 tipped floor and the 75 percent youth and inexperienced-worker rates.
Tipped Minimum Wage in New Hampshire
RSA 279:21 provides that tipped employees "of a restaurant, cigar bar, hotel, motel, inn or cabin, or ballroom who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips directly from the customers will receive a base rate from the employer of not less than the minimum direct wage as set forth in the federal minimum wage law, as amended, but in no case less than $3.27 per hour." The DOL tipped table lists the $3.27 cash wage and a $3.98 maximum credit.
Note the limited list of business types. The tip credit is available to restaurants, hotels, and the other named establishments; employers outside that list should not assume they can take it. If tips do not bring the employee to $7.25 for all hours worked in the pay period, the statute requires the employer to "pay the employee the difference to guarantee the applicable minimum wage."
New Hampshire Minimum Wage Increase Schedule
New Hampshire has no scheduled increase and no indexing. The state rate follows the federal schedule.
| Effective date | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2007 | $6.50 | State law |
| September 1, 2008 | $7.25 | State law (ahead of federal) |
| July 24, 2009 | $7.25 | Federal matched New Hampshire |
| 2011 | $7.25 | State figure repealed; rate tied to federal |
| 2012 to 2026 | $7.25 | No change |
Bills to set a state rate above the federal minimum are introduced in most sessions and have not passed as of September 2026. An employer planning payroll for 2027 should assume $7.25 unless Congress acts.
Local Minimum Wages in New Hampshire
None. New Hampshire municipalities do not have authority to set a local minimum wage, so Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and Portsmouth all use $7.25. Employers with staff in Massachusetts pay $15.00 for hours worked there, and those with staff in Maine pay $15.10 or the Portland rate of $16.75.
Who Is Covered and Who Is Exempt
RSA 279 covers most employees, with these exceptions and special rates drawn from the statute:
- Employees 16 years of age or under may be paid not less than 75 percent of the minimum wage ($5.44)
- Employees with less than six months' experience in an occupation may be paid 75 percent if the employer files an application with the labor commissioner within 10 days of hire
- Household labor, domestic labor, farm labor, outside sales, newsboys, golf caddies, ski patrol, and certain employees of seasonal or nonprofit establishments are outside the rate
- Bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees who meet the duties tests
The inexperienced-worker rate is unusual and procedural: the employer must file with the Department of Labor within 10 days, or the full rate applies. For classification, see exempt vs non-exempt employees. A full-time minimum wage worker earns $15,080, far below the $35,568 federal salary threshold, so no minimum wage worker can be exempt.
Overtime and the Minimum Wage
New Hampshire requires overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek, in line with federal law. A 45-hour week at $7.25 pays:
| Component | Hours | Rate | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | 40 | $7.25 | $290.00 |
| Overtime | 5 | $10.88 | $54.38 |
| Total | 45 | $344.38 |
Tipped employees' overtime is based on $7.25, not the $3.27 base rate. See overtime pay laws by state and the overtime calculator.
What a Minimum Wage Worker Earns in New Hampshire
| Period | Hours | At $7.25 | At $5.44 (75 percent rate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week | 40 | $290.00 | $217.60 |
| Month | 173.33 | $1,256.64 | $942.92 |
| Year | 2,080 | $15,080 | $11,315 |
Gross figures before deductions. Use the salary to hourly calculator for other rates and see gross pay for withholdings.
Employer Compliance Checklist
- Pay $7.25 to every non-exempt employee and at least $3.27 to tipped employees in the covered business types.
- Confirm the tip credit applies to your business type before using it; the statute names restaurants, hotels, and similar establishments only.
- File with the Department of Labor within 10 days of hire if you intend to use the 75 percent inexperienced-worker rate.
- Apply the 75 percent youth rate only to employees 16 and under.
- Pay overtime after 40 hours with the premium based on $7.25.
- Keep hour records with a time card calculator or automated tracking so tip reconciliation and overtime are provable.
For rates in other states, see minimum wage by state.
Accurate Hours for Every Rate
HiveDesk tracks time automatically so tipped reconciliation, youth-rate limits, and overtime are based on real hours, not estimates. $5/user/month, 14-day free trial.
Common Minimum Wage Mistakes in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's rate is federal, but its tipped and reduced-rate rules are its own:
- Paying tipped employees $2.13. The state floor is $3.27, regardless of what the federal direct wage says.
- Taking a tip credit outside the listed business types. RSA 279:21 names restaurants, cigar bars, hotels, motels, inns, cabins, and ballrooms. Other employers should not assume the credit is available.
- Using the 75 percent inexperienced-worker rate without filing. The employer must apply to the labor commissioner within 10 days of hire. Without the filing, the full rate is owed from day one.
- Applying the 75 percent youth rate to 17-year-olds. It covers employees 16 and under only.
- Assuming the market rate is the legal rate. Many southern New Hampshire employers pay well above $7.25 to compete with Massachusetts, but $7.25 remains the enforceable floor, and the tipped and overtime calculations key off it.
- Calculating tipped overtime on $3.27. Overtime is 1.5 times $7.25 for tipped employees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in New Hampshire in 2026?
$7.25 per hour. State law adopts the federal minimum wage.
Is New Hampshire raising the minimum wage?
No. The rate changes only if the federal rate changes or the legislature sets a state figure, which it has not done.
What is the tipped minimum wage in New Hampshire?
45 percent of the minimum wage, or $3.27 per hour, for tipped employees of restaurants, hotels, and similar businesses who receive more than $30 a month in tips.
Can New Hampshire employers pay teenagers less?
Employees 16 and under may be paid not less than 75 percent of the minimum, $5.44 per hour.
What is the inexperienced-worker rate?
Employees with less than six months of experience may be paid 75 percent if the employer files an application with the labor commissioner within 10 days of hire.
Does Manchester or Nashua have its own minimum wage?
No. New Hampshire has no local minimum wages.
How much is New Hampshire minimum wage per year?
$15,080 before taxes at 2,080 hours.
Why is New Hampshire's minimum wage lower than Maine's and Vermont's?
New Hampshire repealed its state figure in 2011 and ties its rate to federal law, while Maine and Vermont set and index their own rates.