Ohio Minimum Wage 2026: $11.00 per Hour, $5.50 for Tipped Workers
Ohio minimum wage is $11.00 per hour in 2026 for employers with $405,000 or more in annual gross receipts, $5.50 for tipped employees, and $7.25 for smaller employers and 14- and 15-year-olds; the rate adjusts for inflation every January 1.
The Ohio minimum wage is $11.00 per hour for non-tipped employees and $5.50 per hour for tipped employees, effective January 1, 2026. The state rate applies to employers with annual gross receipts of $405,000 or more; smaller employers and 14- and 15-year-old workers fall back to the federal $7.25. Ohio's rate rises every January 1 with inflation under a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2006, and the 2027 figure will be published by the Ohio Department of Commerce in late September 2026. Ohio has no local minimum wage ordinances. See how Ohio compares in our minimum wage by state guide.
Current Ohio Minimum Wage
The Ohio Department of Commerce, Bureau of Wage and Hour Administration, publishes the rate each fall. For 2026 the US Department of Labor's state table lists Ohio at $11.00 per hour, up from $10.70 in 2025, for employers with at least $405,000 in annual gross receipts. The Department of Commerce announced the increase in September 2025 as a 2.8 percent inflation adjustment.
Two groups are paid the federal rate instead:
- Employees of businesses with annual gross receipts below $405,000.
- Employees aged 14 and 15, regardless of employer size.
The gross receipts threshold itself is indexed and rises most years, so a business that was under the line in 2025 should recheck for 2026. Employers that are covered by the FLSA must still pay at least $7.25 even when they are below the Ohio threshold.
Ohio Minimum Wage vs Federal Minimum Wage
| Rate | Amount | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Federal minimum wage | $7.25 | FLSA-covered workers; Ohio employers under $405,000 in receipts; 14- and 15-year-olds |
| Ohio minimum wage | $11.00 | Employers with $405,000 or more in annual gross receipts |
| Ohio tipped cash wage | $5.50 | Tipped employees of covered employers |
| Local rates | None | Ohio preempts local minimum wages |
Ohio sits in the middle of its neighbors: Michigan pays $13.73, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Kentucky pay $7.25, and West Virginia pays $8.75.
Tipped Minimum Wage in Ohio
Ohio's tipped cash wage is set at half the standard minimum wage, so it is $5.50 per hour in 2026 with a maximum tip credit of $5.50. A tipped employee is anyone who customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. Employers may take the credit only if:
- The employee's cash wage plus tips equals at least $11.00 for every hour worked in the workweek; any shortfall is owed by the employer.
- The employee keeps all tips, apart from a valid tip pool among tipped staff.
- The employer keeps records showing tips received and the credit taken.
Because the cash wage is a fixed 50 percent of the minimum, it rises automatically each January 1 alongside the standard rate. Employers with fewer than $405,000 in receipts use the federal cash wage of $2.13 instead.
Ohio Minimum Wage Increase Schedule
Article II, Section 34a of the Ohio Constitution requires the rate to increase each January 1 by the change in the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W) over the prior 12 months ending in August. The Department of Commerce publishes the new figure by September 30.
| Effective date | Minimum wage | Tipped cash wage |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2021 | $8.80 | $4.40 |
| January 1, 2022 | $9.30 | $4.65 |
| January 1, 2023 | $10.10 | $5.05 |
| January 1, 2024 | $10.45 | $5.25 |
| January 1, 2025 | $10.70 | $5.35 |
| January 1, 2026 | $11.00 | $5.50 |
| January 1, 2027 | CPI adjustment, announced by September 30, 2026 | Half of the new rate |
A ballot initiative to raise the rate to $15.00 was proposed in 2024 but did not qualify for the ballot, so the inflation formula remains the only scheduled mechanism. Expect the 2027 rate to be announced at roughly $11.25 to $11.35, depending on inflation.
Local Minimum Wages in Ohio
Ohio has no city or county minimum wages. Ohio Revised Code section 4111.02 and a 2016 state law bar political subdivisions from setting a minimum wage that differs from the state rate, which blocked a proposed Cleveland ordinance. Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Toledo all use the statewide figure. Cities may set wage floors for their own employees and for contractors on city projects.
Who Is Covered and Who Is Exempt
The Ohio Minimum Fair Wage Standards Act covers most employees of businesses over the receipts threshold. Exclusions include:
- Exempt executive, administrative and professional employees under the federal duties tests and the $684 weekly salary floor; Ohio has no higher state threshold. See exempt vs non-exempt employees.
- Employees of small businesses under $405,000 in gross receipts (paid the federal rate).
- Workers aged 14 and 15 (paid the federal rate).
- Outside salespeople, family members employed in a family business, certain agricultural workers, and employees of solely charitable camps and recreational programs for minors.
- Live-in babysitters and companions for the elderly or ill.
Ohio allows the federal youth opportunity wage of $4.25 for the first 90 days for workers under 20 only where the employee is not covered by the higher Ohio rate.
Minors are a common source of confusion. Employees aged 14 and 15 may be paid $7.25 even by a large employer, but 16- and 17-year-olds are owed the full $11.00. Ohio's minor labor law also limits hours: 14- and 15-year-olds may not work during school hours, more than three hours on a school day or more than 18 hours in a school week, and they must receive a 30-minute break after five consecutive hours. Employers that hire students for summer or after-school shifts should keep age documentation on file and track hours against those limits, since the Department of Commerce enforces both the wage and the hours rules.
Overtime and the Minimum Wage
Ohio requires 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek for employees of businesses with $150,000 or more in gross receipts; smaller employers follow the FLSA. There is no daily overtime. See overtime pay laws in the US.
A minimum wage employee working 45 hours earns:
| Hours | Rate | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 40 regular hours | $11.00 | $440.00 |
| 5 overtime hours | $16.50 | $82.50 |
| Weekly gross pay | $522.50 |
For a tipped employee, overtime is calculated on the full $11.00 rate, so the cash owed for an overtime hour is $16.50 minus the $5.50 credit, or $11.00. The overtime calculator handles both cases.
What a Minimum Wage Worker Earns in Ohio
| Period | Hours | Gross pay at $11.00 |
|---|---|---|
| Week | 40 | $440.00 |
| Month (average) | 173.33 | $1,906.63 |
| Year | 2,080 | $22,880.00 |
Ohio has a state income tax and many cities levy a municipal income tax, so take-home pay is lower than in no-tax states. See gross pay vs net pay for the deductions, and the salary to hourly calculator to compare a salary offer.
Employer Compliance Checklist
- Post the official 2026 Ohio minimum wage poster from the Department of Commerce; a new poster is required every year.
- Check whether annual gross receipts are at or above $405,000 to know which rate applies, and recheck each year because the threshold moves.
- Pay $11.00 for every hour worked and $5.50 in cash to tipped staff, with a weekly tip reconciliation.
- Pay 14- and 15-year-olds at least $7.25 and follow Ohio's minor work-hour limits.
- Keep payroll and time records for at least three years, including tips; a time card calculator makes weekly audits quick.
- Calendar September 30 for the 2027 announcement and update payroll before January 1.
- Review the Ohio labor law guide for pay frequency, breaks for minors and final pay rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Ohio in 2026?
$11.00 per hour for non-tipped employees and $5.50 per hour for tipped employees at businesses with $405,000 or more in annual gross receipts. Smaller employers and workers aged 14 and 15 are paid the federal $7.25.
Is Ohio minimum wage going up in 2027?
Yes. The Ohio Constitution requires an inflation adjustment every January 1. The 2027 rate is announced by the Department of Commerce by September 30, 2026.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Ohio?
$5.50 per hour in 2026, which is half the standard minimum wage. Tips must bring the employee to $11.00 for every hour worked.
Does Columbus or Cleveland have a higher minimum wage?
No. Ohio law prohibits local minimum wages, so every city uses the state rate.
Is Ohio minimum wage $15?
No. The 2026 rate is $11.00. A proposed $15 ballot measure did not qualify in 2024.
Do small businesses in Ohio have to pay $11.00?
Businesses with annual gross receipts under $405,000 may pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25 instead of the Ohio rate.
How is the Ohio minimum wage calculated each year?
The Department of Commerce multiplies the current rate by the change in the CPI-W for the 12 months ending in August, rounds to the nearest five cents, and publishes the new figure by September 30.
Does the Ohio minimum wage apply to part-time employees?
Yes. Any employee of a covered employer is owed at least $11.00 for every hour worked, regardless of schedule.
Sources
- Ohio Department of Commerce: Minimum Wage
- Ohio Department of Commerce: 2026 Minimum Wage Poster
- US Department of Labor: State Minimum Wage Laws
- US Department of Labor: Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees
Reviewed September 2026
Ohio adjusts its rate and its gross receipts threshold every January 1. Confirm the current figures with the Ohio Department of Commerce before setting pay rates.
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