Minimum wage in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's basic minimum wage is $16.00 an hour. That is $8.75 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Employers may pay tipped employees a cash wage of $3.89 and count tips toward the rest, with a tip credit of up to $12.11. Against Rhode Island's $16.00 floor for FLSA-covered employers, among its 2 neighbors Connecticut ($16.94) is higher and Massachusetts ($15.00) is lower.
Verified against the U.S. Department of Labor on (DOL's state table updated ). Source: State Minimum Wage Laws, Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees.
At a glance
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| State minimum wage | $16.00 |
| Against the federal $7.25 | $8.75 above federal |
| Floor for FLSA-covered employers | $16.00 (the higher of the state and federal rates) |
| Scheduled change | None listed by DOL |
| Overtime threshold in state law | Weekly - 40 |
| Tipped cash wage | $3.89 |
| Maximum tip credit | $12.11 |
Rates as DOL lists them
| Rate per hour | Applies to |
|---|---|
| $16.00 | No condition stated by DOL |
Premium pay after designated hours: Weekly - 40. DOL footnote 1: The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate, unless otherwise specified.
Scheduled increases
DOL lists no scheduled increase and no indexing formula for Rhode Island. A change would require new legislation or a ballot measure.
Tipped employees
Rhode Island requires a cash wage above the federal tipped minimum of $2.13; the employer may count tips toward the rest, up to the tip credit shown.
| Row | Combined cash and tip minimum | Maximum tip credit | Minimum cash wage | Tipped employee defined by monthly tips of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $16.00 | $12.11 | $3.89 | More than $30 |
A dash means DOL left the cell blank. DOL's general footnote 1: Other additional deductions are permitted, for example for meals and lodging.
What DOL also notes
- Time and one-half premium pay for work on Sundays and holidays in retail and certain other businesses is required under two laws that are separate from the minimum wage law.
Neighbors and the federal floor
| State | State rate | Floor for FLSA-covered employers |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Connecticut | $16.94 | $16.94 |
| Massachusetts | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Federal (FLSA) | $7.25 | $7.25 |
More than one law can apply
DOL states that where federal, state and local minimum wage laws all cover an employer, the employer must pay the highest applicable rate. Whether a particular job is covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, by Rhode Island's law, or by a city or county ordinance depends on facts this site does not assess. City and county rates are not in DOL's table and are not shown here. This page describes published rates and is not legal advice; for how to raise an underpayment, see FastGuide.
Take-home pay and benefits calculators for Rhode Island
FastCalc, a sister site, has these calculators for Rhode Island. Each takes your own figures; this site computes nothing.
Related
- Rhode Island wage profile: what occupations actually pay in Rhode Island, from BLS data.
- Minimum wage by state and the federal minimum wage.
- Federal versus state minimum wage and tipped wages and tip credits.
- Take-home pay calculator on FastCalc for what $16.00 an hour leaves after withholding; this site computes nothing.