Boulder Minimum Wage 2026 and 2027
As of October 30, 2026, the minimum wage in Boulder is $16.82 per hour, in effect since January 1, 2026. It is set by the local ordinance and is $1.66 above the Colorado statewide minimum of $15.16 and $9.57 above the federal minimum of $7.25.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Rates and sources checked October 30, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Current rate (October 30, 2026)
$16.82
In effect since January 1, 2026
2027 status: Scheduled
$18.17
Effective January 1, 2027
Compared with Colorado
$1.66 higher
Colorado statewide rate $15.16; federal $7.25
Boulder minimum wage rates
| Group | Rate on October 30, 2026 | Since | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All employees | $16.82 | January 1, 2026 | $18.17 |
| Tipped workers in food and beverage establishments (base wage) | $13.80 | January 1, 2026 | $15.15 on January 1, 2027 |
Set by Boulder Ordinance 8664 (local minimum wage, passed November 7, 2024). Administered by the City of Boulder Office of Human Rights, with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
Boulder minimum wage in 2027: Scheduled
The city's schedule lists $18.17 per hour from January 1, 2027, up from $16.82. City Council voted in 2024 to raise the rate 8 percent each year in 2025, 2026 and 2027; from January 1, 2028 it rises each January 1 by the prior year's increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Denver-Aurora-Lakewood.
Beginning January 1, 2028, and on January 1 of each subsequent year, the rate rises by the prior year's increase in the CPI-U for Denver-Aurora-Lakewood.
Tipped workers
Only food and beverage workers have a tip offset. Tips regularly and actually received by a food and beverage worker may count toward the minimum wage, but no more than $3.02 per hour, so the base wage for those workers is $13.80 in 2026 and $15.15 in 2027. Tipped workers must still earn the full minimum wage; if tips do not make up the difference, the employer pays it.
A 2025 Colorado law (HB25-1208) let cities with a higher minimum wage raise the tip offset. Boulder City Council considered Proposed Ordinance 8754 and chose on July 30, 2026 not to modify the local tip offset, so the $3.02 offset stays.
Who is covered
The city's frequently asked questions say the local minimum wage applies to minors under 18, and the page does not list an hours threshold. The city's Office of Human Rights handles unpaid wage claims for hours worked within city limits under its Failure to Pay Wages Ordinance, and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment also investigates.
Tiers and exceptions
- The Boulder pages list no youth rate, training wage or small employer exception. This page does not summarize the full text of Ordinance 8664, so confirm any other exemption with the city.
- Employers must post the current Boulder rate in letters at least one inch high in English and Spanish, and keep payroll records for three years.
Boulder compared with Colorado and the federal minimum
| Minimum wage | October 30, 2026 | January 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $16.82 | $18.17 |
| Colorado (statewide) | $15.16 | $15.71 |
| Federal | $7.25 | $7.25 |
Employers must pay the highest rate that applies. See the Colorado minimum wage page for the statewide rules.
Boulder rate history
| Effective | All employees |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | $16.82 |
| January 1, 2025 | $15.57 |
| January 1, 2027 (scheduled) | $18.17 |
Tipped workers in food and beverage establishments (base wage)
- 2026$13.80
- 2025$12.55
- January 1, 2027 (scheduled)$15.15
Boulder minimum wage pay calculator
| Gross pay | Boulder ($16.82) | Colorado ($15.16) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly pay | $672.80 | $606.40 | $66.40 |
| Yearly pay | $34,985.60 | $31,532.80 | $3,452.80 |
Gross pay before taxes, paid straight time for every hour entered. The Boulder rate is the general rate for the group named above; tipped, youth and other groups follow the rules listed on this page.
What the official sources say
“Tips regularly and actually received by a food and beverage worker may be applied to an employer’s obligation to pay the food and beverage worker the local minimum wage (i.e. tip offset). However, no more than $3.02 per hour in tip income, or tip credit, may be used to partially offset payment of this wage.”
“The increase is a result of Boulder City Council’s adoption of Ordinance 8664 that passed on Nov. 7 to be competitive and responsive to community needs.”
“In 2024, City Council voted to increase the minimum wage in the City of Boulder by 8% each year in 2025, 2026, and 2027.”
“The second reading and public hearing were held on July 30, at which Council chose not to modify the local tip offset.”
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Boulder in 2026?
As of October 30, 2026, the minimum wage in Boulder is $16.82 per hour, in effect since January 1, 2026. It is set by Boulder Ordinance 8664 (local minimum wage, passed November 7, 2024) and administered by the City of Boulder Office of Human Rights, with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
Will the Boulder minimum wage go up in 2027?
The city's schedule lists $18.17 per hour from January 1, 2027, up from $16.82. City Council voted in 2024 to raise the rate 8 percent each year in 2025, 2026 and 2027; from January 1, 2028 it rises each January 1 by the prior year's increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for Denver-Aurora-Lakewood.
How does the Boulder minimum wage compare with the Colorado and federal minimums?
The Colorado statewide minimum is $15.16, so Boulder is $1.66 higher. The federal minimum is $7.25. An employer must pay the highest rate that applies.
Who is covered by the Boulder minimum wage?
The city's frequently asked questions say the local minimum wage applies to minors under 18, and the page does not list an hours threshold. The city's Office of Human Rights handles unpaid wage claims for hours worked within city limits under its Failure to Pay Wages Ordinance, and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment also investigates.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Boulder?
Only food and beverage workers have a tip offset. Tips regularly and actually received by a food and beverage worker may count toward the minimum wage, but no more than $3.02 per hour, so the base wage for those workers is $13.80 in 2026 and $15.15 in 2027. Tipped workers must still earn the full minimum wage; if tips do not make up the difference, the employer pays it. A 2025 Colorado law (HB25-1208) let cities with a higher minimum wage raise the tip offset. Boulder City Council considered Proposed Ordinance 8754 and chose on July 30, 2026 not to modify the local tip offset, so the $3.02 offset stays.
Are there different rates or exceptions in Boulder?
Tipped workers in food and beverage establishments (base wage): $13.80. The Boulder pages list no youth rate, training wage or small employer exception. This page does not summarize the full text of Ordinance 8664, so confirm any other exemption with the city.
Sources for Boulder
- City of Boulder: Local Minimum Wage
- City of Boulder: Exploring the City's New Authority to Modify the Tip Offset
Sources checked October 30, 2026.
The top banner of the city page still describes the January 2025 increase; the schedule on the same page lists the 2026 and 2027 rates used here.