Maine's minimum wage increases to $15.10
With the new year comes a new base wage for Maine workers, which now after several years of effort includes those who pick and grow food on farms across the state. As of Thursday, Maine’s minimum wage is increasing to $15.10.
Throughout last year, the state’s minimum wage was $14.65 an hour, but the Maine Department of Labor announced in September the 45 cent increase that will take effect Jan. 1, 2026. The “tip wage,” or the minimum wage for service employees, will increase to $7.55 per hour.
This is a slightly smaller jump than the 50 cent increase the state saw between 2024 and 2025.
Per Maine law and a 2016 citizens referendum, the state is required to make an annual adjustment based on the cost-of-living index for the Northeast Region. Based on data from the U.S. Department of Labor, there was a 3.1% increase in the cost-of-living index between August 2024 and August 2025.
https://mainemorningstar.com/briefs/maines-minimum-wage-increases-to-15-10/