- The Illinois minimum wage is $15.00 an hour, set by state law effective .
- No increase is currently scheduled in Illinois.
- Tipped employees must be paid at least $9.00 in cash, with a tip credit of up to $6.00.
- A youth or training wage of $13.00 applies: Youth under 18 working fewer than 650 hours per calendar year: $13.00/hr (since 2025-01-01); once over 650 hours in a year the adult rate applies. Separately, an employee 18+ may be paid up to 50....
- At $15.00 an hour, full-time work (2,080 hours) pays $31,200 a year before taxes.
- 2 local rates in Illinois are higher than the state rate; the highest is $17.05 for Chicago.
Tipped cash wage
Youth / training
Next change
Local rates
Local minimum wages in Illinois
Where a city or county rate is higher, it governs inside that jurisdiction.
Scheduled increases in Illinois
Rate tiers
| Tier | Rate | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| New employee (18+) first 90 days | $14.50 | Not more than 50 cents below the applicable minimum wage for the first 90 consecutive calendar days after initial hire. |
Coverage, exemptions, and history
Who is covered. Workers 18 and older employed by an employer with 4 or more employees (exclusive of the employer's parent, spouse, child or other immediate family), per 820....
Tipped employees. Employers may take a gratuity allowance of up to 40% of the applicable minimum wage (820 ILCS 105/4(c)); IDOL states tipped employees may be paid 60% of minimum wage ($9.00) provided tips bring them...
Recent history. 2019 legislation (SB 1) phased the rate from $8.25 to $15.00: $9.25 (2020-01-01), $10.00 (2020-07-01), $11 (2021), $12 (2022), $13 (2023), $14 (2024), $15 (2025-01-01). No further statutory increases.
IDOL notes sub-minimum wage licenses for workers with disabilities phase out by 2029-12-31.
Statute. Illinois Minimum Wage Law, 820 ILCS 105/1-15 (rate schedule at 105/4); rules at 56 Ill.
Common questions
What is the minimum wage in Illinois?
$15.00 an hour as of September 2, 2026, under state law effective January 1, 2025.
When does the Illinois minimum wage go up next?
No increase is scheduled.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Illinois?
$9.00 in cash plus tips; the employer must make up any shortfall to $15.00.
Do any cities in Illinois have a higher minimum wage?
Yes: Chicago $17.05, Cook County (municipalities that have not opted out; unincorporated areas) $15.40.
Sources
- https://labor.illinois.gov/laws-rules/fls/minimum-wage-law.html official
- https://www.ilga.gov/Documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/082001050K4.htm official
- https://www.ilga.gov/Documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/082001050K3.htm official
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state official
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped official
- https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/
Checked 2026-09-02 against Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL); researcher confidence 0.93.