Illinois's Minimum Wage in 2026
The minimum wage in Illinois is $15.00 an hour, $7.75 more than the federal minimum of $7.25. No increase is scheduled yet. Full time, that is $31,200 a year before taxes. Source
After federal and state taxes, a single full-time worker keeps about $25,850 a year, or $994.22 every two weeks.
What the Illinois minimum wage pays
| At $15.00 | |
|---|---|
| Per hour | $15.00 |
| Per 8-hour day | $120.00 |
| Per 40-hour week | $600.00 |
| Every two weeks | $1,200.00 |
| Per month | $2,600.00 |
| Per year (2,080 hours) | $31,200.00 |
| Take-home every two weeks | $994.22 |
| Take-home per year | $25,849.72 |
Before taxes, except the take-home rows: after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Illinois income tax and payroll programs, single filer, 2026 Form W-4, no other deductions. Part time at 20 hours a week, the minimum wage is $15,600 a year and about $13,779 after taxes.
Illinois minimum wage rules
Each rule links to the official source. Checked Oct 25, 2026. The federal minimum of $7.25 applies wherever a state rate is lower. Source
| Topic | The rule | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | The Illinois minimum wage is $15.00 an hour, in effect since January 1, 2025. Workers under 18 can be paid $13.00 an hour for under 650 hours a year. No further statewide increase is scheduled. | Illinois Department of Labor, Minimum Wage and Overtime FAQ |
| Tipped workers | Your employer can count tips for no more than 40% of the minimum wage, so tipped workers must get a cash wage of at least $9.00 an hour. | Illinois Department of Labor, Minimum Wage and Overtime FAQ |
| Chicago's local minimum wage | Chicago sets its own higher minimum wage, which rises every July 1, and is phasing out the tip credit so tipped workers there earn the full minimum by July 1, 2028. | City of Chicago, Office of Labor Standards, Minimum Wage fact sheet |
| Overtime | You are owed 1.5 times your regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Illinois has no daily overtime rule. | Illinois Department of Labor, Minimum Wage and Overtime FAQ |
How Illinois's minimum wage compares
Illinois has the 13th-highest minimum wage of the 50 states and DC, tied with Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska.
The typical (median) worker in Illinois earns $24.98 an hour, so the minimum wage is 60% of the median wage. 10% of Illinois workers earn less than $15.82 an hour and 25% less than $18.25 (BLS, May 2025, all 6,098,130 jobs). Source
The jobs with the lowest typical pay in Illinois, among those with at least 1,000 workers:
| Job | Median hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Actors | $15.00 | 1,060 |
| Bartenders | $15.00 | 43,010 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $15.00 | 72,900 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $15.00 | 21,290 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $15.00 | 16,500 |
| Gambling Dealers | $15.00 | 2,470 |
BLS figures are from May 2025, before some recent increases. Tipped jobs can show a median below the minimum wage where the law lets employers count tips toward it (see the tipped rules above).
Tax credits and rent on the minimum wage
A full-time minimum-wage worker earns $31,200 a year. At that income the 2026 Earned Income Tax Credit could be about:
| Qualifying children | Single or head of household | Married, one earner |
|---|---|---|
| 0 children | None | None |
| 1 child | $3,259 | $4,421 |
| 2 children | $5,777 | $7,308 |
| 3 children or more | $6,692 | $8,223 |
An estimate from the IRS 2026 amounts and phaseouts; the credit is paid when you file your return. Source
By the HUD guideline that housing should take no more than 30% of income, $31,200 a year covers rent and utilities up to about $780 a month; two minimum-wage earners up to $1,560. Source
Illinois minimum wage questions
What is the minimum wage in Illinois?
$15.00 an hour.
How much is the Illinois minimum wage a year?
$31,200 a year at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, or $2,600 a month, before taxes. After taxes a single filer keeps about $25,850.
How much is the Illinois minimum wage after taxes?
About $994.22 every two weeks for a full-time single filer, after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare and Illinois taxes.
Is Illinois's minimum wage going up?
No increase has been scheduled as of Oct 25, 2026.
What is time and a half at the Illinois minimum wage?
$22.50 an hour for overtime hours.
States with a similar minimum wage
Arizona minimum wage ($15.15) · Maine minimum wage ($15.10) · Delaware minimum wage ($15.00) · Florida minimum wage ($15.00) · Maryland minimum wage ($15.00) · Massachusetts minimum wage ($15.00) · Missouri minimum wage ($15.00) · Nebraska minimum wage ($15.00)
Related
Illinois paycheck calculator · $15 an hour is how much a year · Minimum wage in every state · Minimum wage increases in 2027 · Hourly paycheck at $15.00
Rates checked Oct 25, 2026. Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.