Colorado

Standard Minimum Wage
$15.16 / hour

The minimum wage is the entry-level hourly wage paid to employees by their employer.

Tipped Minimum Wage
$12.14 / hour

The tipped wage is the base wage for employees who earn tips (such as servers and bartenders). Tipped employees are guaranteed to earn the minimum wage when tips are included.

Local Exceptions

Minimum Wage Tipped Wage
  Boulder County $16.82 $13.80
  Boulder City $16.82 $13.80
  Edgewater $18.17 $15.15
  Denver $19.29 $16.27

Related Blog Posts

August 14, 2026

Denver’s Mile High Minimum Wage Problem

Many states and localities are beginning to announce their minimum wage increases for 2027. And if last week’s announcement from California seemed bad, take a look at Denver. The…
April 17, 2026

Boulder, CO Latest Battleground over Tipped Wage Consequences

Colorado may be known for its cold winters, but when it comes to wage mandates, the state has become one of the hottest debates in the country. Boulder is the…
October 10, 2025

As CO Soars Past A $15 Minimum Wage, Small Businesses See Outsized Share of Impacts

Colorado’s minimum wage is on a fast climb. Since voters approved the creation of a statewide minimum wage in 2007, the rate has risen each year, pushing Colorado toward some…
August 18, 2023

Denver’s Skyrocketing Minimum Wage Is Stunting COVID Recovery

Denver’s recently-announced hike will put its minimum wage among some of the highest in the nation: the standard rate will reach $18.29 per hour in January, and the tipped minimum…

External Links

Minimum Wage

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment