Minimum wage in Illinois in 2026
The minimum wage in Illinois is $15.00 an hour in 2026, and up to $17.05 in Chicago. No increase is scheduled in state law.
Checked against official sources.
Illinois minimum wage at a glance
- An hour
- $15.00
- A week, 40 hours
- $600.00
- A year, 2,080 hours
- $31,200
- Tipped cash wage
- $9.00before tips
In effect since . A year means 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, before taxes.
Local minimum wages in Illinois
These places set their own, higher minimum wage. If you work there, your employer must pay the local rate.
| Place | Minimum wage | Since | Next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $17.05 | July 1, 2026 | None set yet |
| Cook County | $15.40 | July 1, 2026 | None set yet |
Tipped workers
Employers in Illinois can pay tipped workers as little as $9.00 an hour in cash and count up to $6.00 an hour in tips toward the $15.00 minimum wage. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must. Illinois lets tips count for up to 40% of the minimum wage.
Who gets a different rate
Illinois's minimum wage covers employers with 4 or more employees, not counting the owner's family. Domestic workers are always covered.
- Workers under 18: $13.00 an hour. Until they have worked 650 hours for the employer in a calendar year
- New workers 18 and older who do not get tips: $14.50 an hour. For their first 90 days
Illinois minimum wage by year
| Year | Rate on January 1 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $12.00 |
| 2023 | $13.00 |
| 2024 | $14.00 |
| 2025 | $15.00 |
| 2026 | $15.00 |
Illinois law raised the rate in steps to $15.00 on January 1, 2025. It is not indexed and no raise is scheduled.
Common questions
What is the minimum wage in Illinois in 2026?
The minimum wage in Illinois is $15.00 an hour in 2026, and up to $17.05 in Chicago. No increase is scheduled in state law.
How much is minimum wage a year in Illinois?
At $15.00 an hour, a full-time worker on 40 hours a week earns $600.00 a week and $31,200 a year before taxes.
What is the minimum wage for tipped workers in Illinois?
Employers in Illinois can pay tipped workers as little as $9.00 an hour in cash and count up to $6.00 an hour in tips toward the $15.00 minimum wage. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must. Illinois lets tips count for up to 40% of the minimum wage.
When does the minimum wage go up in Illinois?
No increase is scheduled in state law. Illinois law raised the rate in steps to $15.00 on January 1, 2025. It is not indexed and no raise is scheduled.
Which cities in Illinois have a higher minimum wage?
Chicago ($17.05) and Cook County ($15.40) have their own minimum wages above the state rate. Workers there get the local rate.
Is there a different minimum wage for some workers in Illinois?
Workers under 18: $13.00 an hour (until they have worked 650 hours for the employer in a calendar year). New workers 18 and older who do not get tips: $14.50 an hour (for their first 90 days).
Minimum wage in other Midwestern states
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the official pages below. Checked .
- Minimum Wage Law, Illinois Department of Labor
- Minimum Wage/Overtime FAQ, Illinois Department of Labor
- Minimum Wage, City of Chicago, Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection
- Minimum wage increase and workers' rights ordinances, City of Chicago, Mayor's Press Office, updated
- 2026 Chicago labor laws public notice, City of Chicago, Office of Labor Standards
- 2026 minimum wage flyer, City of Chicago, Office of Labor Standards
- Cook County issues notice to Minimum Wage Ordinance, Cook County, updated
- Minimum Wage Ordinance and Regulations, Cook County Commission on Human Rights
- State Minimum Wage Laws, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, updated
- Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, updated
- Changes in Basic Minimum Wages in Non-Farm Employment Under State Law, 1968 to 2024, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Laws change. If your pay is below these rates, contact your state labor department or the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243.