Did you know Denver's minimum wage is different than Colorado's?

Posted: Apr 20, 2023 / 10:34 AM MDT

Updated: Apr 20, 2023 / 10:34 AM MDT

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

DENVER (KDVR) — The United States Department of Labor says the federal minimum wage for 2023 is currently at $7.25, which has remained unchanged since 2009.

However, when you look at the Colorado minimum wage, the number is much higher.

Colorado minimum wage

The 2023 Colorado minimum wage rate is at $13.65, which is up from $12.56 in 2022.

According to Colorado law, if an employee is covered by federal and Colorado state minimum wage laws, then the employer must pay the higher minimum wage.

Since the Colorado minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said covered employers in Colorado will have to pay their employees the higher value of $13.65 per hour.

Denver minimum wage

Meanwhile, the minimum wage for Denver is actually even higher than the state rate, coming in at $17.29 per hour.

According to a Data Desk study earlier this year, Denver has the sixth highest minimum wage in the United States.

The Denver minimum wage rate is required to increase each year based on a calculation of the consumer price index, which is calculated by the Denver Department of Finance.