U.S. States with the Highest Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees

What We’re Showing

The U.S. states with the highest minimum cash wage for tipped employees, based on data from Bloomberg Law.

Hawaii Highest Overall

With a tipped minimum wage of $12.75, Hawaii ranks as the highest in the nation.

This rate is only $1.25 lower than its minimum wage of $14 an hour.

Colorado Falls in Second

Tipped employees in Colorado earn $11.40, up from $10.63 in 2023.

Across the state, there are three municipal exceptions, where the tipped wage is $15.27 in Denver, $12.57 in Boulder County, and $12.00 in Edgewater.

New York City’s Delivery Driver Wage Increase

In December 2023, New York City passed a mandate lifting the minimum wage for app-based delivery workers to $17.96.

It was the first regulation of its kind in the country, almost tripling the old minimum wage of $7.09 and impacting an estimated 60,000 independent contractors.

In response to the new policy, Uber and DoorDash added a $2 fee to orders, along with moving the tipping option to after the order has been placed.