Minimum wage in Denver, Colorado
Denver sets its own minimum wage under its Denver Revised Municipal Code 58-16. The general rate is $19.29 an hour, in effect since ; that is $4.13 above the Colorado rate of $15.16. The next scheduled change the city states is $19.84 on January 1, 2027.
Read from Denver Labor: Denver's Minimum Wage on (page SHA-256 efd82c2bada8…). Every figure on this page was found on that page at that time.
Current rates
| Rate per hour | Applies to | In effect since |
|---|---|---|
| $19.29 | All covered employers |
Scheduled changes
| Effective | New rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| $19.84 | All covered employers |
How the rate is adjusted: Adjusted each January 1 by the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood CPI (D.R.M.C. 58-16); the Department of Finance publishes the figure each year.
Tipped employees
Food and beverage industry: $16.27 with a maximum tip credit of $3.02 (2026).
Against the state and federal rates
| Law | Rate |
|---|---|
| Denver (city ordinance) | $19.29 |
| Colorado (state law) | $15.16 |
| Federal (FLSA) | $7.25 |
Where federal, state and local laws all cover an employer, the highest applicable rate must be paid. Whether a particular job is covered by this ordinance (most apply to hours worked inside the city limits, with a minimum number of hours a week) depends on facts this site does not assess. This page describes published rates and is not legal advice; see FastGuide for how to raise an underpayment.
Related
- Other local rates in Colorado: Boulder, Unincorporated Boulder County.
- All city and county minimum wages and the Colorado minimum wage.
- Colorado wage profile: what occupations actually pay, from BLS data.
- Take-home pay calculator on FastCalc for what $19.29 an hour leaves after withholding; this site computes nothing.