Minimum wage in Wisconsin, 2000–2026
- Minimum wage in 2026
$7.25 an hour (federal and state law)1
The same as the federal rate.
- Tipped employees
$2.33 an hour in cash2
Employers may count up to $4.92 an hour of tips toward the minimum wage.
- Overtime
Premium pay after 40 hours a week3
The Wisconsin state-law minimum wage rose from $5.15 in 2000 to $7.25 in 2010, still the rate in 2026; the federal rate applied where higher
Line chart of the Wisconsin minimum wage against the federal minimum: $5.15 in 2000, $7.25 in 2010, $7.25 in 2020, and $7.25 in 2026. The federal minimum was $5.15 in 2000 and $7.25 in 2026.
What a full-time minimum-wage employee costs in Wisconsin
At $7.25 an hour for 40 hours a week, a new employer with 10 staff pays $15,080 in wages and $1,837 on top (12.2%) in payroll taxes and workers' comp.
- Wages (2,080 paid hours a year)
- $15,080
- Social Security (employer share)6.2%5 of $15,080
- $935
- Medicare (employer share)1.45%6 of $15,080
- $219
- Workers' compensation (benchmark index rate)$1.42 per $100 of payroll10
- $214
- Total a year
- $16,917
If you also offer single health coverage, the average employer here pays about $7,505 more a year: a $9,557 average premium11 less $2,052 paid by the employee11.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage for tipped employees in Wisconsin?
$2.33 an hour in cash, with up to $4.92 of tips counted toward Wisconsin's $7.25.
How much does a minimum-wage employee cost an employer in Wisconsin?
About $16,917 a year full time at $7.25: $15,080 of pay plus $1,837 on top, $1,623 in payroll taxes and $214 in workers' comp, before any health coverage.
More minimum wage and employer cost pages
Employer costs in Wisconsin
States with a similar minimum wage
Data and rules for every state
Sources
The 11 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.
Quotes from the sources
- Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/laborstandards/minimumwage.htm“Wisconsin's Current Minimum Wage Rates Rate Type As of 7/24/09 Adult $7.25”
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped“Definition of Tipped Employee by Minimum Tips received (monthly unless otherwise specified) … State requires employers to pay tipped employees a minimum cash wage above the minimum cash wage required under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act ($2.13/hour) … Wisconsin 9 $7.25 $4.92 $2.33 Not specified”
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state“Wisconsin … Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.25 … Premium Pay After Designated Hours 1 : Weekly - 40 … The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified.”
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division Changes in Basic Minimum Wages in Non-Farm Employment Under State Law: Selected Years 1968 to 2024“Wisconsin 1.25 (b) 1.30 (b) 1.45 (b) 2.10 2.80 3.00 3.25 … Wisconsin 3.35 3.80 3.80 4.25 4.25 4.75 5.15 … Wisconsin 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.70 … Wisconsin 6.50 6.50 6.50 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 … Wisconsin 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 … Wisconsin 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25” “Federal (FLSA) $1.15 & $1.60 $1.30 & $1.60 $1.60 $2.20 & $2.30 $2.90 $3.10 $3.35 … Federal (FLSA) $3.35 $3.80 $4.25 $4.25 $4.25 $4.75 $5.15 … Federal (FLSA) $5.15 $5.15 $5.15 $5.15 $5.15 $5.15 5.15 … Federal (FLSA) 5.15 5.85 6.55 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 … Federal (FLSA) 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 … Federal (FLSA) 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25” “For the years indicated, the laws in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, Utah, and Wisconsin applied only to women and minors.”
- Internal Revenue Service IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide“For 2026, the social security tax rate is 6.2% (amount withheld) each for the employer and employee (12.4% total).”
- Social Security Administration ssa.gov/oact/cola/cbb.html“Tax rates under the HI program are 1.45 percent for employees and employers, each, and 2.90 percent for self-employed persons.”
- Internal Revenue Service irs.gov/taxtopics/tc759“If you're entitled to the maximum 5.4% credit, the FUTA tax rate after credit is 0.6%.” “FUTA tax rate: The FUTA tax rate is 6.0%. The tax applies to the first $7,000 you paid to each employee as wages during the year.”
- Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development dwd.wisconsin.gov/ui/employers/taxrates“New Employer Rates Payroll Under $500,000: 2025 2026 2027 Construction Industry 2.90% 2.50% 2.50% All others 3.05% 3.05% 3.05% Payroll of $500,000 or More: 2025 2026 2027 Construction Industry 3.10% 2.70% 2.70% All others 3.25% 3.25% 3.25%”
- U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/content/sigpros/2020-2029/January2026.pdf“WI … $14,000”
- Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services oregon.gov/dcbs/reports/cost/Pages/premium-index-rates.aspx“Premium index rate: $1.25-$1.50 … State Index rate Percent of study median … 7 8 Wisconsin 1.42 130%”
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (MEPS-IC) meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/summ_tables/insr/state/series_2/2025/ic25_iia_f.pdf“Table II.C.1 Average total single premium (in dollars) per enrolled employee … Division and State Total … Wisconsin 9,557 -- 9,709 9,441 10,061 9,379 9,260 9,618” “Table II.C.2 Average total employee contribution (in dollars) per enrolled employee for single coverage … Division and State Total … Wisconsin 2,052 -- -- 2,439 2,060 2,017 1,809 2,102”