Boulder minimum wage

$16.82 an hour since January 1, 2026, rising to $18.17 on January 1, 2027. That's $1.66 above the Colorado rate of $15.16.

Who it covers: All employers, for work within City of Boulder limits (Ordinance 8664, B.R.C. Chapter 12-6). Applies to minors too.

From	Hourly rate	Tipped cash wage	Official source
January 1, 2026	$16.82	$13.80	bouldercolorado.gov checked 2026-10-26
January 1, 2027 scheduled	$18.17	$15.15	bouldercolorado.gov checked 2026-10-26

Changes not announced yet

January 1, 2028: From 2028 the rate rises each January 1 by the prior year's increase in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood CPI-U. Amount not announced yet. (bouldercolorado.gov)

We add the amount as soon as it's published. The API returns these under pending_changes.

Good to know

Tipped cash wage is the minimum wage minus the maximum $3.02 tip credit, and the credit is only allowed for food and beverage workers who actually receive the tips. Other tipped workers get the full rate.
Employers must post the city minimum wage in English and Spanish.

Get an email when the Boulder minimum wage changes

One email when a new rate is announced, and a reminder a week before it takes effect. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

Does the Boulder rate apply at an address?

Live API, free for 50 lookups a day without an account. US street addresses.

Get the Boulder rate by API

One call returns the federal, state, county and city rates that apply at an address, the one that governs, the tipped cash wage and the next change, each with its official source.

curl "https://bankday.dev/v1/minimum-wage?state=CO&city=Boulder" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $BANKDAY_KEY"

API docs · Pricing · State rates are free. City and county rates by name start on the Developer plan, address lookups on the Business plan.

Questions

What is the minimum wage in Boulder in 2027?

$18.17 an hour from January 1, 2027.

Who does the Boulder minimum wage cover?

All employers, for work within City of Boulder limits (Ordinance 8664, B.R.C. Chapter 12-6). Applies to minors too.

When does the Boulder minimum wage go up next?

On January 1, 2027, to $18.17 an hour.

Rates come from the official sources linked on this page, checked on the dates shown. This is data, not legal advice: confirm with the official source before relying on it. Found a mistake? Email hello@bankday.dev.