New Year, New Wage: Maine’s Minimum Wage Rises to $15.10 in 2026

Maine’s minimum wage is set to increase from $14.65 to $15.10 per hour on January 1, 2026, following a 3.1% rise in the Northeast Region's cost-of-living index from August 2024 to August 2025. New in 2026, this increase will include agricultural workers. Additionally, the tip wage for service employees increases to $7.55 per hour, and the new minimum salary for overtime exemption will be $871.16 per week. Importantly, while minimum wage for 2026 has been set at the state level, Portland’s minimum wage remains uncertain until the results of November’s ballot referendum. Here are some key details you need to know in advance of the rise.

Key Details

• Maine’s state minimum wage will increase from $14.65 to $15.10 on January 1, 2026.
• This annual adjustment to minimum wage is mandated by Maine law.

Agricultural Workers

• New with passage of ‘An Act to Establish a State Minimum Hourly Wage for Agricultural Workers’ in June 2025, the minimum wage rate will also apply to agricultural workers in Maine.
• For additional information about agricultural compliance, visit our Agricultural Employer Compliance Cheat Sheet 2025.

Tip Wage for Service Workers

• The new minimum "tip wage” increases to $7.55 per hour in 2026.
• Employers must pay service employees a minimum of $7.55 per hour directly and at least $15.10 per hour when employer wages and tips are combined at the end of the established seven-day workweek.
• To qualify as a service employee, the amount of monthly tips required increases from $185 to $191 on January 1, 2026.

Exempt Salaried Workers

• The minimum threshold for salaried workers exempt from overtime increases to $871.16 per week (or $45,300.32 per year).
• However, salary remains only one of the several factors used in determining whether a worker is exempt from overtime pay under federal or state law.

Portland’s Minimum Wage

• Portland’s minimum wage remains up in the air until the results of November’s ballot referendum.
• If passed by voters, Portland’s minimum wage would be $16.50 per hour at its earliest effective date and would rise to $17 per hour on January 1, 2026.
• To read more about Portland’s citizen initiative and its potential impact, visit our Portland-specific Minimum Wage insight.

What Should You Do?

• Employers should review pay scales and anticipate an update to pay systems to reflect the January 1, 2026, increase in minimum wages.
• Make sure you have the latest poster ready for display in your workplace. The updated minimum wage poster for 2026 is available from the Department of Labor’s website.

Conclusion

We will continue to monitor this new law and share updates as developments unfold. Make sure you are subscribed to Fisher Phillips’ Insights to gather the most up-to-date information. If you have questions, please contact your Fisher Phillips attorney, the authors of this Insight, or any attorney in our Portland, Maine, office.