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Colorado Minimum Wage 2026

Colorado’s minimum wage is $15.16 an hour in 2026, effective January 1, 2026. Full time at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks that is $31,532 a year before tax.

Tax year 2026 Tables verified 2026-10-09 Free, no signup, runs in your browser

State is Colorado on this page. Change it on the national calculator.

Overtime, tips, and bonus
W-4, benefits, local tax, and year-to-date

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Every two weeks

Net pay $1,032.21

Effective tax rate 14.89% of gross. About $2,236.46 a month over a full year.

  • Net pay $1,032.21
  • Federal income tax $61.69
  • FICA $92.78
  • State and local $26.12
This paycheck
$1,032.21
Full year, net
$26,837.56
Full year, gross
$31,532.80
Hourly equivalent
$15.16
  • Colorado state tax is a statutory estimate from published brackets, not the employer wage table. A real stub can differ.
How we calculated this
Gross pay$1,212.80
  1. This paycheck $1,212.80

Amount entered. Hourly rate times hours, plus overtime, tips, and any bonus on this check.

Federal income tax$61.69
  1. 1a Taxable wages this period $1,212.80
  2. 1b Pay periods in the year 26
  3. 1c Annualized wages (1a × 1b) $31,532.80
  4. 1d Step 4(a) other income $0.00
  5. 1e 1c + 1d $31,532.80
  6. 1f Step 4(b) deductions $0.00
  7. 1g $8,600.00 (any other filing status)
  8. 1i Adjusted annual wages $22,932.80
  9. Table Single or married filing separately, standard (Pub 15-T 2026)
  10. Bracket $19,900.00 up to $57,900.00: $1,240.00 plus 12% of the amount over $19,900.00
  11. 2g Tentative annual tax $1,603.94
  12. 2h Per paycheck (2g ÷ periods) $61.69
  13. 3 Step 3 credits, per paycheck $0.00
  14. 4c Extra withholding $0.00
  15. Federal income tax this paycheck $61.69

IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Worksheet 1A. Percentage method for automated payroll systems.

Social Security$75.19
  1. Rate 6.2% × $1,212.80 of Social Security wages, wage base $184,500.00.
  2. This paycheck $75.19

Social Security Administration, contribution and benefit base. 6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500.00. The annual maximum is $11,439.00.

Medicare$17.59
  1. This paycheck $17.59

IRS Publication 15 (2026). 1.45% of Medicare wages. No wage base.

Colorado income tax$26.12
  1. Standard deduction $16,100.00
  2. Taxable amount used here $15,432.80
  3. Annual tax before dividing $679.04
  4. This paycheck $26.12

Tax Foundation, state income tax rates and brackets, 2026. Colorado statutory brackets as of the Tax Foundation’s January 1, 2026 table. This is not the employer wage-bracket withholding table, which can differ.

Net pay$1,032.21

Colorado minimum wage in 2026

The Colorado basic minimum wage is $15.16 an hour, effective January 1, 2026.

Some localities set a higher rate, and Colorado employers must pay the highest rate that applies. The state announced $15.71 for 2027, and Denver announced $19.84 for 2027.

The tipped cash wage is $12.69 in 2027 (announced).

Next listed change: $15.71 an hour on January 1, 2027.

Rates were checked against Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, 2027 minimum wage announcement and the Department of Labor consolidated table on October 19, 2026.

From hourly to yearly pay

Yearly pay is the hourly rate times hours per week times 52. At $15.16 that is $31,532.80 for a 40-hour week. Part-time hours scale down: 30 hours a week is $23,649.60 a year. The calculator above starts at the minimum wage and shows the take-home after Colorado tax. Change the hours or the rate to test another job.

Other tools: the Colorado hourly to salary calculator, the Colorado paycheck calculator, the overtime calculator, and the minimum wage by state table.

Colorado minimum wage pay at $15.16 an hour, 40 hours a week, before tax
PeriodGross pay
Hourly$15.16
Time and a half (overtime)$22.74
Weekly$606.40
Every two weeks$1,212.80
Twice a month$1,313.87
Monthly$2,627.73
Yearly (2,080 hours)$31,532.80
Take-home at the Colorado minimum wage. 2026, single filer, blank 2020 W-4, paid every two weeks, no benefits.
LinePer year
Gross pay$31,532.80
Federal income tax$1,603.94
Social Security and Medicare$2,412.26
Colorado state tax and payroll programs$679.04
Take-home pay$26,837.56
Colorado compared with neighboring states and the federal rate
PlaceHourlyFull-time year
Colorado minimum wage$15.16$31,532
Utah minimum wage$7.25$15,080
Wyoming minimum wage$7.25$15,080
New Mexico minimum wage$12.00$24,960
Federal minimum wage$7.25$15,080

Watch it worked through

Colorado Minimum Wage 2027: State, Tipped and Denver (3:06)

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Questions

What is the minimum wage in Colorado in 2026?

$15.16 an hour, effective January 1, 2026.

How much is the Colorado minimum wage per year?

At $15.16 an hour, 40 hours a week and 52 weeks (2,080 hours), gross pay is $31,532.80 a year, $2,627.73 a month, or $1,212.80 every two weeks, before tax.

How much is minimum wage take-home pay in Colorado?

For a single filer on a blank 2020 W-4 with no benefits, about $1,032.21 every two weeks, or $26,837 a year after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and Colorado state tax.

Is the Colorado minimum wage going up?

The state source lists $15.71 an hour effective January 1, 2027. Check Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, 2027 minimum wage announcement before relying on a future rate.

Can a city or county set a higher minimum wage?

Yes. Some localities set a higher rate, and Colorado employers must pay the highest rate that applies. The state announced $15.71 for 2027, and Denver announced $19.84 for 2027. Employers owe the highest rate that applies where the work is done.

Who is responsible

Published by PaycheckZip.com. A credentialed reviewer has not signed this page. The review seat is open. Figures are estimates from the tables named in the method, checked 2026-10-09. They are not tax advice.

Case amounts on the public list, such as $216.15 of federal income tax on the single biweekly example, come from the same code as this page.