Massachusetts minimum wage 2027: stays $15.00 an hour

Massachusetts minimum wage 2027: no increase scheduled in 2027: $15.00 per hour since January 1, 2023 (Mass. DLS Minimum Wage Program; Mass. Trial Court Law Libraries page). Verified Nov 4, 2026 on two official pages.

“Effective January 1, 2023, minimum wage has increased to $15.00. Tipped employees will also get a raise on Jan.1, 2023, and must be paid a minimum of $6.75 per hour if their tips bring them up to at least $15 per hour. If the total hourly rate for the employee, including tips, does not equal $15 at the end of the shift, the employer must make up the difference.”

Second official source: “Effective January 1, 2023, the minimum wage is $15.00 per hour and the service rate is $6.75 (applied to workers who provide services to customers and who make more than $20 a month in tips).” (Mass. Trial Court Law Libraries page).

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What changes for Massachusetts employers in 2027

Rate in force now: Massachusetts' state minimum wage is $15.00 per hour. (Massachusetts minimum wage law (DOL WHD state minimum wage table, updated July 1, 2026); Mass.gov (Trial Court Law Libraries), Massachusetts law about minimum wage; verified Sep 25, 2026).

Other Massachusetts minimum rates

• Tipped employees (service rate): “Tipped employees will also get a raise on Jan.1, 2023, and must be paid a minimum of $6.75 per hour if their tips bring them up to at least $15 per hour. If the total hourly rate for the employee, including tips, does not equal $15 at the end of the shift, the employer must make up the difference.” (Mass. DLS Minimum Wage Program)
• Agricultural workers and other exceptions: “The minimum wage applies to all employees except agricultural workers ($8.00 per hour is the minimum wage for most agricultural workers), members of a religious order, workers being trained in certain educational, nonprofit, or religious organizations, and outside sales people.” (Mass. Trial Court Law Libraries page)

How we checked that nothing changes in 2027

• The Trial Court Law Libraries (page updated August 28, 2026) state that the January 1, 2023 increase to $15.00 was the last step of the 2018 law and no further increase is scheduled; a raise needs a new act of the Legislature or a ballot question (Mass. Trial Court Law Libraries page).
• Massachusetts' November 3, 2026 ballot had nine statewide questions: 1 public records of the Legislature and Governor, 2 CPCS collective bargaining, 3 all-party primary, 4 Election Day registration, 5 state revenue limit, 6 Nature for All Fund, 7 single-family homes on small lots, 8 repeal of recreational marijuana sales, 9 referendum on the 2024 firearms law; none was about the minimum wage (official certified results were not yet published on electionstats.state.ma.us on November 12, 2026) (Mass. SOS 2026 ballot questions).

Paying the minimum wage in Massachusetts: paydays, final pay and breaks

• Paydays (hourly employees): Hourly employees must be paid weekly or bi-weekly. (Massachusetts payday law (DOL WHD State Payday Requirements, footnote 9); M.G.L. c. 149, § 148 (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-09-11); verified Sep 11, 2026)
• Final pay after a firing: An employee who is discharged must be paid in full on the day of discharge. (M.G.L. c. 149, § 148 (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-09-11); Mass.gov (Trial Court Law Libraries), Massachusetts law about employment termination; verified Sep 11, 2026)
• Final pay after a resignation: An employee who leaves voluntarily must be paid in full on the next regular payday. (M.G.L. c. 149, § 148 (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-09-11); Mass.gov (Trial Court Law Libraries), Massachusetts law about employment termination; verified Sep 11, 2026)
• Meal breaks: Workers who work more than 6 hours in a calendar day have a right to at least a 30-minute meal break, during which they must be free of all duties and free to leave the workplace. (Massachusetts statute (DOL WHD meal period table); Massachusetts Attorney General, Breaks and time off (M.G.L. c. 149, secs. 100 and 101); verified Sep 25, 2026)

Every verified rule for the state, with the law cited: Massachusetts employer rulebook.

Exempt salary threshold in 2027: Federal $684 a week ($35,568 a year); no higher state threshold found (U.S. DOL thresholds page; eCFR 29 CFR 541.600) Verified Oct 21, 2026

Each change with its official text: Massachusetts rules.

Massachusetts minimum wage rates: now, 2027 and next

How the next Massachusetts rate is set

“Further increases must be approved either by the legislature or by the people via a ballot question.” (Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries, Massachusetts law about minimum wage)

2027 minimum wage: Massachusetts and neighboring states

Each state links to its rulebook, and to its own 2027 minimum wage page where we have one. The same rows, for every state, are in the 2027 table by state.

How to act on it

Full-time pay at the rate in 2027 (computed: hourly rate × 40 hours a week and × 2,080 hours a year, before taxes): $15.00 = $600.00 a week, $31,200 a year.

Questions about the Massachusetts minimum wage in 2027

Sources (17)

• Mass. DLS Minimum Wage Program
• Mass. Trial Court Law Libraries page
• Massachusetts minimum wage law (DOL WHD state minimum wage table, updated July 1, 2026)
• U.S. DOL thresholds page
• eCFR 29 CFR 541.600
• Mass. SOS 2026 ballot questions
• Massachusetts payday law (DOL WHD State Payday Requirements, footnote 9)
• M.G.L. c. 149, § 148 (via Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-09-11)
• Mass.gov (Trial Court Law Libraries), Massachusetts law about employment termination
• Massachusetts statute (DOL WHD meal period table)
• Massachusetts Attorney General, Breaks and time off (M.G.L. c. 149, secs. 100 and 101)
• U.S. DOL minimum wage page
• 29 U.S.C. §206 (govinfo)
• RI DLT minimum wage page
• CT DOL Wage and Workplace Standards
• NY DOL minimum wage page
• Vermont DOL Rights and Wages page

Checked Nov 4, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error

Where this goes next

StateMassachusetts employer rulebookAll 51 statesMinimum wage by state 20272027Every Massachusetts change in 2027ToolHourly to salary calculator