Massachusetts Minimum Wage for 2023, 2024

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Massachusetts' state minimum wage rate is $15.00 per hour. This is greater than the Federal Minimum Wage of $7.25. You are entitled to be paid the higher state minimum wage. The minimum wage applies to most employees in Massachusetts, with limited exceptions including tipped employees, some student workers, and other exempt occupations.^†

The Massachusetts minimum wage was last changed in 2008, when it was raised $7.00 from $8.00 to $15.00.

The current minimum wage in Massachusetts is $15.00 per hour. Tipped employees must be paid a minimum of $6.75 per hour provided that their tips bring them up to at least $15 per hour. If the total hourly rate for the employee including tips does not equal $15 at the end of the shift, the employer must make up the difference.

Massachusetts exempts external salesmen, employees being trained or rehabilitated in educational, charitable, or religious institutions, and professional service employees from Massachusetts' minimum wage law.

Massachusetts employers may not pay you under $15.00 per hour unless you or your occupation are specifically exempt from the minimum wage under state or federal law.

If you have questions about the Massachusetts minimum wage, please ask us and someone will respond to you as soon as possible. Looking for a new job? Use the free Massachusetts job search utility to find local job openings hiring now.

All Massachusetts employers must display an approved Massachusetts minimum wage poster in a prominent place to inform employees about the minimum wage and their worker's rights under Massachusetts labor law.

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Massachusetts Minimum Wage & Labor Law Posters

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Massachusetts labor law requires all employers in Massachusetts to visibly display an approved Massachusetts minimum wage poster, and other Massachusetts and federal labor law posters, to ensure that all employees are aware of federal and Massachusetts labor law and overtime regulations. Failure to display a Massachusetts labor law poster in the workplace can result in severe fines.

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The Massachusetts minimum wage poster, and additional required Massachusetts labor law posters, are also available on the Massachusetts labor law posters download page.

Massachusetts Overtime Minimum Wage

All workers who put in over 40 weekly hours are entitled to a minimum wage of at least 1.5 times the regular applicable minimum wage (learn more about Massachusetts overtime pay). Some states require workers who work over a certain number of daily hours to be eligible for this overtime rate as well (Massachusetts law does not specify a daily overtime limit).

The FLSA guarantees all MA employees adequate overtime compensation for all qualifying overtime hours worked. If your employer does not pay adequate overtime wages, you can file an unpaid overtime claim with the Massachusetts Department of Labor.

Massachusetts Minimum Wage Exemptions

In addition to any Massachusetts-specific minimum wage exemptions described above, the Federal Fair Labor Standards act defines special minimum wage rates applicable to certain types of workers. You may be paid under the Massachusetts minimum wage if you fit into one of the following categories:

• Massachusetts Under 20 Minimum Wage - $4.25 - Federal law allows any employer in Massachusetts to pay a new employee who is under 20 years of age a training wage of $4.25 per hour for the first 90 days of employment.
• Massachusetts Student Minimum Wage - $12.75 - Full-time high school or college students who work part-time may be paid 85% of the Massachusetts minimum wage (as little as $12.75 per hour) for up to 20 hours of work per week at certain employers (such as work-study programs at universities).
• Massachusetts Tipped Minimum Wage - See Here - Employees who earn a certain amount of tips every month may be paid a lower cash minimum wage, but must earn at least $15.00 including tips every hour. For more details, read about the Massachusetts tipped minimum wage.

Frequently Asked Questions - Massachusetts Minimum Wage & Labor Law

What is the Massachusetts minimum wage?

The current Massachusetts minimum wage of $15.00 per hour is the lowest amount a non-exempt employee in Massachusetts can legally be paid for hourly work. Special minimum wage rates, such as the "Massachusetts waitress minimum wage" for tipped employees, may apply to certain workers.^[1]

How much will I earn working a minimum wage jobin Massachusetts?

A full time minimum wage worker in Massachusetts working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, will earn $120.00 per day, $600.00 per week, and $31,200.00 per year¹. The national poverty line for a family unit consisting of two people is $16,020.00 per year.

What is the Massachusetts under 18 minimum wage?

Massachusetts employers may pay 18 year olds and minors the youth minimum wage of $4.25 for the first 90 days of employment. Other labor law exemptions for minors in Massachusetts may exist.

I still can't find the answer to my question about the Massachusetts minimum wage!

If you have read the FAQ and still cannot find the information you need, please contact us with your question.

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¹ These earnings estimates do not account for the Massachusetts income tax , federal income tax, or local/municipal income taxes.
² Poverty line for a family of two in the lower 48 published 2016 by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

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Labor Law Footnotes, Sources & Citations:

1. The weekly earnings estimate of $600.00 is based on a standard 40-hour workweek
2. The yearly earnings estimate of $31,200.00 is based on 52 standard 40-hour work weeks. Since most hourly employees don't work full time and/or take time off, actual yearly earnings will likely be lower.

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