Colorado Minimum Wage and Exempt Salary Increases for 2026 - HR ALERTS
- Regina Dyerly, SHRBP, PHR
- Dec 30, 2025
- 1 min read
Colorado Minimum Wage and Exempt Salary Increases for 2026
Effective: January 1, 2026
Colorado has announced updated state and local minimum wage rates as well as increases to the salary thresholds for exempt employees beginning January 1, 2026.
Employers should review pay practices now to ensure compliance.
Statewide Minimum Wage Changes for 2026
Standard minimum wage:
Increasing from $14.81 to $15.16 per hour
Tipped minimum wage:
Increasing from $11.79 to $12.14 per hour
Colorado Exempt Salary Thresholds for 2026
Standard Exempt Employees
Increasing from $56,485 per year to $57,784 per year
Weekly requirement: $1,111.23
Highly Compensated Employees
Increasing from $127,091 per year to $130,014 per year
Highly Technical Computer Employees
Hourly threshold increasing from $34.07 to $34.85 per hour
Local Minimum Wage Increases for 2026
Denver (City and County)
Standard minimum wage: $18.81 to $19.29
Tipped minimum wage: $15.79 to $16.27
City of Edgewater
Standard minimum wage: $16.52 to $18.17
Tipped minimum wage: $13.50 to $15.15
Boulder City
Standard minimum wage: $15.57 to $16.82
Tipped minimum wage: $12.55 to $13.80
Boulder County
Standard minimum wage: $16.57 to $16.82
Tipped minimum wage: $13.55 to $13.80
Get day-to-day updates on Colorado Minimum Wage and Exempt Salary Increases for 2026 visit the Vida HR Knowledge Center (Vida HR Clients Exclusive).
Comments