LoginIs Wisconsinβs minimum wage in 2026 the same as it was in 2009?
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Yes.
Wisconsinβs minimum wage was last updated in July 2009 and remains at $7.25 per hour, according to the state Department of Workforce Development.
Thatβs the same as the federal minimum wage, which was also set in July 2009. State law does not directly tie Wisconsinβs minimum wage to changes in the federal rate, but it matches.
Wisconsin is one of 13 states whose minimum wage is equal to the federal $7.25 rate, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Wisconsin has different rates for tipped workers, golf caddies and camp counselors. Wisconsinβs minimum wage does not adjust automatically for inflation, as it does in some states.
Recent efforts by Democrats to raise the minimum wage have failed in Wisconsin. Business lobbying groups have said Wisconsin employers regularly offer hourly rates above $7.25 to attract workers.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor: History of Federal Minimum Wage Rates Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, 1938 β 2009
- Wisconsin state statutes: 104.035 Minimum Wage
- Congressional Research Service: State Minimum Wages: An Overview
- U.S. Department of Labor: Consolidated Minimum Wage Table
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What is Wisconsin's minimum wage, and why hasn't it changed when other states' minimum wages have?
Is Wisconsinβs minimum wage in 2026 the same as it was in 2009? is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
