Guide
Youth, training, and student minimum wages
The federal 90-day youth wage, state training rates, and how the sub-minimum tiers work.
Federal law allows employers to pay workers under 20 a youth minimum wage of $4.25 an hour for their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment; after 90 days, or when the worker turns 20, the full minimum applies. Employers may not displace other workers to hire at the youth rate.
Some states set their own training or youth rates, often as a percentage of the state minimum or for a fixed number of hours, and some allow no sub-minimum at all. The youth wage table lists what each state's page says. Full-time students and student learners have separate federal certificate programs that are not covered here.
Common questions
How long can the youth minimum wage be paid?
Under federal law, the first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment for workers under 20; state rules may be narrower.
Do all states allow a youth or training wage?
No. Several states require the full minimum for all ages; the youth wage table lists each state's rule and source.