Maine’s minimum hourly wage will increase by 60 cents next year to $15.70, under a state law requiring annual inflation adjustments.
The current rate, which took effect at the start of 2026, is $15.10.
The Maine Department of Labor said an estimated 28,000 hourly workers earned less than $15 an hour in 2025, based on Current Population Survey data for 2025.
Those workers represent about 4% of all wage and salary workers and about 8% of those paid hourly. The survey is conducted jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Under a 2016 voter-approved referendum, Maine’s minimum wage is adjusted annually based on the cost-of-living index for the Northeast. The index climbed 4.1% from August 2025 to August 2026.
Agricultural workers are also covered by the state minimum wage under a law in place since 2025.
Service workers
The “tip wage,” or service employee minimum wage, will rise from $7.55 an hour to $7.85 an hour at the start of 2027.
That means that employers must pay service employees at least $7.85 an hour directly and ensure that their combined wages and tips equal at least $15.70 an hour at the end of the week.
In addition, the monthly tip threshold for qualifying as a service employee will increase from $191 to $199.
More information
Employers can find more information about minimum wage and download a free poster on the website of the Maine Department of Labor.
