The minimum wage in Illinois is $15.00 an hour for workers aged 18 and over as of October 2026. Tipped workers can be paid $9.00 an hour in cash wages, and workers under 18 who work fewer than 650 hours a year can be paid $13.00.
I've taken this from the Illinois Department of Labor's minimum wage page, the Illinois statute and the U.S. Department of Labor's state tables, all checked in October 2026. The 650-hour rule for young workers is the part most employers get wrong, so it gets its own section below.
Illinois minimum wage rates
| Worker | Hourly rate (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Workers aged 18 and over | $15.00 |
| Tipped workers, cash wage | $9.00 |
| Workers under 18 working fewer than 650 hours a year | $13.00 |
| Workers under 18 who've worked more than 650 hours for the employer that year | $15.00 |
The U.S. Department of Labor notes the state law applies to employers of 4 or more employees, not counting family members.
The 650-hour rule for young workers
Illinois lets employers pay workers under 18 a lower rate, but only up to a point. Under the statute, from 1 January 2020 an employee under 18 who has worked more than 650 hours for the employer during a calendar year must be paid the full adult wage. So a teenager working steady part-time hours can hit that line partway through the year, and from then on the $13.00 rate no longer applies.
- Track hours worked by every employee under 18 from 1 January each year.
- Pay at least $13.00 an hour while they're under 650 hours with you that year.
- Once they pass 650 hours, move them to $15.00 straight away.
- Reset the count on 1 January, because it's per calendar year.
- When they turn 18, the adult rate applies regardless of hours.
Tipped pay in Illinois
The Illinois Department of Labor says an employer where gratuities are paid can pay 60% of the minimum wage to those employees. That's the $9.00 cash wage. The U.S. Department of Labor describes the same rule from the other side: a maximum tip credit of 40% of the minimum wage, or $6.00. The cash wage plus tips still has to reach $15.00 an hour.
If you share tips across a team, my tip pooling guide covers the basics.
Overtime in Illinois
Overtime must be paid after 40 hours of work in a week at time and a half of the regular rate. That's the state law, and it matches the weekly 40-hour line in the U.S. Department of Labor's table. My overtime laws guide explains who's exempt.
How Illinois reached $15
| Year | Illinois minimum wage |
|---|---|
| 2014 to 2018 | $8.25 |
| 2019 | $9.25 |
| 2020 | $10.00 |
| 2021 | $11.00 |
| 2022 | $12.00 |
| 2023 | $13.00 |
| 2024 | $14.00 |
| As of October 2026 | $15.00 |
The state climbed a dollar a year from 2020 to 2024 and now sits at $15.00. The U.S. Department of Labor's table doesn't show local rates, and it notes some local governments set rates above their state's, so if you employ people in a city with its own ordinance, check that rate too.
How Illinois compares with its neighbours
| State | Basic minimum wage (as of October 2026) | Tipped cash wage |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $15.00 | $9.00 |
| Missouri | $15.00 | $7.50 |
| Iowa | $7.25 | $4.35 |
| Indiana | $7.25 | $2.13 |
| Kentucky | $7.25 | $2.13 |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | $2.33 |
Illinois and Missouri both sit at $15.00, but Illinois pays tipped staff more in cash. Cross into Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky or Wisconsin and the floor drops to the federal $7.25. If you employ people in more than one state, each person gets the rate where they work, not where your head office is.
Exempt and salaried staff
Minimum wage and overtime rules don't apply to every role. The Illinois Department of Labor publishes guidance on exempt versus non-exempt status under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act as it applies in Illinois, alongside its list of overtime exemptions. Before you treat anyone as exempt, check they meet the tests. My exempt vs non-exempt guide walks through them.
Sub-minimum wage licences
Employers can apply for licences to pay sub-minimum rates to learners and to certain workers with physical and mental limitations. That's changing. On 31 December 2029 the Illinois Department of Labor will stop issuing and recognising licences to pay disabled workers less than the full minimum wage, known as 14(c) certificates under the federal law. The multi-year phase out is meant to give employers time and support to move to competitive, integrated employment.
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Where the rules live
The law is the Illinois Minimum Wage Law, 820 ILCS 105, with administrative rules at 56 Ill. Adm. Code 210. The Illinois Department of Labor publishes required posters, a rates history and a complaint route for unpaid minimum wage or overtime.
My verdict
Illinois is straightforward at the headline, $15.00 an hour, and fiddly underneath. The two traps are the 650-hour youth rule and tipped staff who don't reach $15.00 once tips are counted. Track teenage hours carefully and check tipped pay every pay period, and you'll stay on the right side of it. If you're also hiring in other states, my federal minimum wage guide explains the baseline everywhere else.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Illinois?
It's $15.00 an hour for workers aged 18 and over as of October 2026.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Illinois?
Employers can pay tipped workers 60% of the minimum wage, which is $9.00 an hour, as long as wages plus tips reach $15.00.
What is the minimum wage for under 18s in Illinois?
It's $13.00 an hour for workers under 18 who work fewer than 650 hours a year for that employer.
What happens after a teenager works 650 hours in Illinois?
Once a worker under 18 has worked more than 650 hours for the employer in a calendar year, they must get the full adult wage.
Does Illinois minimum wage apply to small businesses?
The U.S. Department of Labor notes the Illinois law applies to employers of 4 or more employees, not counting family members.
Can Illinois employers pay disabled workers less than minimum wage?
Only under a licence, and Illinois will stop issuing and recognising those licences on 31 December 2029.
When is overtime due in Illinois?
After 40 hours of work in a week, at time and a half of the regular rate.
