What is Colorado's minimum wage in 2025?

Colorado's state minimum wage is $14.81 per hour effective 1 January 2025. It is indexed annually to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) under Amendment 70, so it increases each year in line with inflation. The tipped-worker cash wage is $11.79 per hour (a tip credit of $3.02 applies, meaning tips must bridge the gap to $14.81).

How does Colorado's minimum wage compare to the federal minimum?

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour and has not changed since 2009. Colorado's $14.81 rate is more than double the federal floor. Because Colorado's state rate is higher, employers in Colorado must pay the state rate. At a standard 40-hour week, Colorado workers earn roughly $7.56 more per hour — about $15,726 more per year — than the federal minimum would require.

When does overtime apply in Colorado?

Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), hourly workers earn 1.5 times their regular rate for every hour worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. Colorado also follows this rule. If you work 48 hours in a week at $14.81/hour, you earn 40 regular hours at $14.81 plus 8 overtime hours at $22.22 — a weekly gross of $770.16 instead of $711.00 at flat rate.

How is monthly gross pay calculated?

There are exactly 52 weeks in a year, so the average month contains 52 divided by 12, which equals approximately 4.333 weeks. Monthly gross is therefore your weekly gross multiplied by 4.333. This is the standard method used by payroll software and avoids the error of simply multiplying a weekly figure by 4 or using 4.5.

Does this calculator show take-home pay after taxes?

No — the calculator shows gross pay only. Colorado levies a flat 4.4% state income tax on wages (2024 rate, subject to annual review). Federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), and Medicare (1.45%) are also withheld by employers. Because individual deductions, filing status, and pre-tax contributions vary, tax withholding is beyond the scope of this tool. Use a payroll calculator or consult a tax professional for net take-home estimates.

Are there any workers exempt from Colorado's minimum wage?

A small number of categories are exempt or have modified rates. Tipped employees may be paid a cash wage of $11.79 per hour provided tips bring total compensation to at least $14.81. Certain student learners, workers with disabilities under specific certificates, and some agricultural workers may have different rates under state or federal rules. Check the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) for the current schedule of exemptions.

Colorado Minimum Wage Calculator

Colorado minimum wage calculator for 2025 — preset at the current state rate of $14.81 per hour, with automatic overtime at 1.5x for hours beyond 40 per week. See your gross weekly, monthly and annual pay instantly, plus a direct comparison to the $7.25 federal minimum wage floor.

How it works

Enter your hourly wage (defaults to Colorado’s 2025 minimum of $14.81) and hours worked per week. The calculator splits your week into regular time (up to 40 hours) and overtime (hours above 40), then applies the FLSA 1.5x multiplier to overtime automatically.

Weekly gross = (regular hours × hourly rate) + (overtime hours × hourly rate × 1.5)

Monthly gross uses the precise 52 ÷ 12 = 4.333 week conversion — the standard payroll method. Annual gross is weekly gross × 52 weeks. All figures are gross (pre-tax) only.

The federal comparison section shows what the same schedule would pay at $7.25/hour, then highlights Colorado’s dollar advantage per week and per year.

Worked example: 48 hours at Colorado minimum wage

Suppose you work 48 hours a week at Colorado’s $14.81 state minimum:

Component	Hours	Rate	Amount
Regular pay	40 h	$14.81	$592.40
Overtime pay	8 h	$22.22 (1.5×)	$177.76
Weekly gross			$770.16
Monthly gross (× 4.333 wk)			$3,337.36
Annual gross (× 52 wk)			$40,048.32

At the federal $7.25 rate the same 48-hour week produces only $377.00 — Colorado’s higher wage adds $20,446 per year at this schedule.

At a standard 40-hour week with no overtime, Colorado’s $14.81 yields:

Weekly: $592.40
Monthly: $2,566.40
Annual: $30,804.80 — compared to just $15,080 at federal $7.25

The Colorado advantage at 40 h/week is $15,724.80 per year.

Colorado minimum wage history

Colorado’s wage floor is tied to inflation through Amendment 70 (passed 2016). The rate rises each 1 January based on the prior year’s CPI. Recent rates:

2021: $12.32/hr
2022: $12.56/hr
2023: $13.65/hr
2024: $14.42/hr
2025: $14.81/hr (current)

The tipped-worker cash wage tracks at $3.02 below the regular rate, so employees who receive tips are paid a $11.79 cash floor and tips must bring total hourly compensation to at least $14.81.

Overtime rules in Colorado

Federal FLSA overtime (1.5×) applies to non-exempt hourly workers for hours beyond 40 per workweek. Colorado also follows the Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards Order (COMPS Order), which covers most employees and mirrors the federal threshold. The effective overtime rate at minimum wage is $22.22/hour ($14.81 × 1.5). Daily overtime and double-time rules apply to some industries — confirm with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) if you work in agriculture, healthcare or hospitality.

All calculations on this page run entirely in your browser. No figures are transmitted or stored anywhere.