Minimum Wage/Illinois
Illinois Minimum Wage 2026
The statewide rate, tipped rules, the exempt salary threshold, and the local minimums that exceed it. Every figure below is checked against primary sources.
| Tipped minimum | $9.00 / hour (60% of minimum; employer makes up the difference) |
|---|---|
| Exempt salary threshold | Federal FLSA threshold applies: $35,568 / year ($684/wk) |
How Illinois’s exempt salary threshold compares across all six states
Local rates above the state minimum
Hourly minimums compared
Hourly minimum wage as verified August 18, 2026. Bars start at $0.
Deep dive: Chicago
Rate record
What has taken effect and what we have checked.
January 1, 2026 (state rate unchanged)
State minimum in effect: $15.00 / hour (reached its scheduled cap Jan 1, 2025; unchanged for 2026)
August 18, 2026
Every figure on this page re-verified against the primary sources below.Latest check
Questions employers ask
What is the Illinois minimum wage in 2026?
$15.00 per hour statewide; the final step of the 2019 schedule, reached January 1, 2025 and unchanged for 2026. The tipped minimum is $9.00 (60% of the full rate).
What is the minimum wage in Chicago in 2026?
$17.05 per hour as of July 1, 2026; a single rate for employers with 4 or more employees. The tipped rate is $12.96.
Is Chicago's tipped minimum wage frozen?
It rose to $12.96 on July 1, 2026 and is now frozen at that level under the paused tipped-wage phaseout, with the next scheduled increase on July 1, 2028.
Does the Cook County minimum wage apply in every suburb?
No. The $15.40 rate (tipped $9.25, effective July 1, 2026) applies in suburban Cook County municipalities that haven't opted out of the county ordinance. Chicago has its own, higher ordinance.
Sources and caveats
Get notified when Illinois changes its rate
State employment law changes, in plain English, with what to do about them.
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