Maine Minimum Wage 2027: $15.70 an Hour From January 1
Quick answer: The Maine minimum wage 2027 is $15.70 per hour, up from $15.10, starting January 1, 2027. The Maine Department of Labor set the 60-cent raise using a 4.1% rise in the Northeast CPI-W. Tipped workers must get at least $7.85 an hour in cash wages, and the overtime-exempt salary floor rises to $905.79 a week.
Key Takeaways
Maine's statewide minimum wage will rise from $15.10 to $15.70 per hour on January 1, 2027.
The increase follows a 4.1% rise in the Northeast Region CPI-W between August 2025 and August 2026, as Maine law requires.
The cash wage for tipped service employees rises from $7.55 to $7.85 per hour, and tips plus wages must still reach $15.70.
Salaried workers generally need at least $905.79 a week ($47,101.08 a year) to be treated as exempt from overtime.
Agricultural workers in Maine are now covered by the state minimum wage under a 2025 law.
Last updated: October 9, 2026. The Maine minimum wage 2027 rate is set: from January 1, 2027, employers across Maine must pay most workers at least $15.70 per hour. The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) announced the figure on September 18, 2026. It replaces the current $15.10 rate and also moves the tipped wage and the overtime salary threshold.
Below, you will find what the new rate means in weekly and yearly pay, how tipped and salaried workers are affected, and what to do if your January paycheck does not match.
What is the Maine minimum wage 2027 rate?
The statewide minimum wage in Maine will be $15.70 per hour from January 1, 2027. That is a 60-cent raise over the 2026 rate of $15.10.
MDOL did not choose the number freely. Since Maine voters amended the law by referendum in 2016, the department must adjust the wage every January 1 in line with the cost of living. The formula is written into Title 26, section 664 of the Maine Revised Statutes.
2026 rate: $15.10 per hour
2027 rate: $15.70 per hour
Effective date: January 1, 2027
Who announced it: Maine Department of Labor, September 18, 2026
Why is Maine's minimum wage going up by 60 cents?
The raise tracks inflation. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the Northeast Region rose 4.1% between August 2025 and August 2026, according to MDOL.
Under the statute, the wage in effect is increased by the percentage change in that index from one August to the next, and the result is rounded to the nearest 5 cents. The data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The law also says that if the federal minimum wage were ever raised above Maine's rate, Maine's rate would rise to match it on the same date.
Because the formula is automatic, the Legislature does not need to vote each year. That makes the January raise predictable for both employers and workers.
How much will a full-time minimum wage job pay in Maine in 2027?
A full-time worker earning the Maine minimum wage 2027 rate will make about $628 a week before taxes, or roughly $32,656 a year. These are simple estimates based on 40 hours a week for 52 weeks.
Per hour: $15.70 (was $15.10)
Per 40-hour week: about $628 (was about $604)
Per year (2,080 hours): about $32,656 (was about $31,408)
Yearly gain for a full-time worker: about $1,248 before taxes
Part-time workers gain 60 cents for every hour worked. Someone working 25 hours a week, for example, would see about $15 more per week before taxes.
Overtime also goes up. Maine law requires 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a week, so a worker on the minimum wage would earn at least $23.55 per overtime hour in 2027.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Maine for 2027?
Tipped service employees in Maine must receive a direct cash wage of at least $7.85 per hour from January 1, 2027, up from $7.55. Their cash wage plus tips must still add up to at least $15.70 an hour.
Direct cash wage: $7.85 per hour minimum
Total with tips: must reach $15.70 per hour, checked at the end of each week
Who counts as a service employee: a worker who receives more than $199 a month in tips (up from $191)
If tips fall short in a given week, the employer must make up the difference. State law also says tips belong to the employee, cannot be shared with the employer, and tips charged to a credit card must be paid out by the next regular payday without deductions for card fees.
What is the overtime salary threshold in Maine for 2027?
From January 1, 2027, a salaried worker in Maine generally must be paid more than $905.79 per week, or $47,101.08 per year, to be classed as exempt from overtime.
Maine sets this floor at 3,000 times the state minimum wage, or the federal threshold if that is higher. When the hourly minimum rises, the salary floor rises with it.
Salary is only one test. MDOL stresses that a worker can earn more than the threshold and still qualify for overtime, because the actual duties of the job must also be considered. If you are salaried, paid below $905.79 a week in 2027 and not getting overtime, ask your employer or MDOL to review your classification.
Who is covered by the 2027 Maine minimum wage?
Most private-sector workers in Maine are covered, and since 2025 that includes agricultural workers. A law signed by Governor Mills, "An Act to Establish a State Minimum Hourly Wage for Agricultural Workers," brought farmworkers under the state minimum wage.
The raise matters most for lower-paid hourly staff. MDOL, citing BLS Current Population Survey data for 2025, says about 28,000 hourly workers in Maine were paid less than $15.00 an hour. That is roughly 4% of all wage and salary workers and about 8% of those paid by the hour.
Some cities can set their own, higher rules. Portland, for example, has its own minimum wage ordinance (Chapter 33 of the city code). If you work in a city with a local ordinance, check the city's own posted rate as well as the state rate.
What should workers and employers do before January 1, 2027?
Workers should check their first paycheck of 2027, and employers should update payroll and posters before the new year. A short checklist helps on both sides.
For workers
Confirm your hourly rate on the first pay stub that covers work after January 1, 2027.
If you earn tips, track your weekly cash wage plus tips to make sure the total reaches $15.70 an hour.
If you are salaried, compare your weekly pay with $905.79 and ask about overtime if you are below it.
Keep copies of schedules and pay stubs in case you need to raise a wage question.
For employers
Update payroll rates for all hourly staff, including tipped and agricultural workers.
Review salaried roles that fall below $47,101.08 a year.
Download and display the updated minimum wage poster, which MDOL provides free on its website.
Recheck pay bands just above the minimum, since a raise at the bottom can compress pay for more experienced staff.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common errors come from small details that are easy to miss in January.
Applying the raise late: the new rate is effective January 1, 2027, so payroll must be updated before the first January shift.
Forgetting the tipped wage: the cash wage changes too, not just the full minimum.
Treating salary as automatic exemption: pay above the threshold does not remove the duties test.
Ignoring local rules: a city ordinance, such as Portland's, can add its own requirements.
What this means for you
If you work at or near the minimum wage in Maine, your pay should rise on January 1, 2027, by 60 cents an hour, or about $24 a week for a full-time schedule. Tipped and salaried workers have new floors as well.
If your employer does not apply the new rates, you can contact the Maine Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Standards. Keep your records, ask questions early, and use only official MDOL channels for guidance.
Compare rates in other states in our guide to the minimum wage 2027 by state, or see the New Jersey minimum wage 2027 and Ohio minimum wage 2027 updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will Maine's minimum wage be in 2027?
Maine's minimum wage will be $15.70 per hour starting January 1, 2027. That is up from $15.10 in 2026. The Maine Department of Labor announced the rate on September 18, 2026.
When does the Maine minimum wage increase take effect?
The increase takes effect on January 1, 2027. Check the first pay stub that covers work done in January 2027.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Maine for 2027?
Tipped service employees must receive a direct cash wage of at least $7.85 per hour, up from $7.55. Their wages plus tips must equal at least $15.70 per hour each week, or the employer must cover the gap.
How is Maine's minimum wage calculated each year?
It is adjusted every January 1 by the change in the Northeast Region CPI-W from August to August, rounded to the nearest 5 cents. For 2027, the index rose 4.1%, according to the Maine Department of Labor.
How much is $15.70 an hour per year in Maine?
At 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, $15.70 an hour comes to about $32,656 a year before taxes. That is about $1,248 more than at the 2026 rate of $15.10.
What is the overtime exemption salary in Maine for 2027?
From January 1, 2027, salaried workers generally must earn more than $905.79 a week, or $47,101.08 a year, to be exempt from overtime. Job duties also count, so earning more does not automatically remove overtime rights.
Sources
Maine Legislature: Title 26, §664, Minimum wage; overtime rate
WABI/WAGM: Maine's minimum wage to increase Jan. 1 (September 21, 2026)
City of Portland Code of Ordinances, Chapter 33: Minimum Wage
This article was compiled from the official and news sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking by the Jobsiz editorial system. It is general information, not legal advice.