COLUMBUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Ohio’s minimum wage is scheduled to increase to $11 per hour for non-tipped employees and $5.50 per hour for tipped employees starting Jan. 1, 2026, state officials announced.
The adjustment represents a 2.8% increase over current 2025 rates, which stand at $10.70 for non-tipped workers and $5.35 for tipped staff. The annual change is mandated by a 2006 constitutional amendment that requires the state’s minimum wage to be adjusted every New Year’s Day based on the rate of inflation.
The state uses the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W) to determine the shift. The 2026 increase is tied to data from the 12-month period ending in August 2025.
Business Thresholds and Exceptions: The new wage requirements apply specifically to larger employers. For 2026, the threshold for business applicability will rise to those with annual gross receipts exceeding $405,000, up from the 2025 mark of $394,000.
For employees at smaller businesses grossing $405,000 or less, as well as for workers aged 14 and 15, the minimum wage remains tied to the federal rate of $7.25 per hour. Any increase to that federal floor would require action from the U.S. Congress and the president.
Compliance for Employers: To stay in compliance with state law, Ohio employers must display the official 2026 Minimum Wage poster in a conspicuous place within the workplace. The updated posters are currently available for download via the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Industrial Compliance website.