TNTennessee minimum wage 2026
The lowest your employer can pay you in Tennessee is $7.25 an hour, since July 24, 2009. If you get tips, you must still get at least $2.13 an hour in cash, and tips must bring you to $7.25.
Tennessee minimum wage, all the numbers
| What | Amount | Where we checked |
|---|---|---|
| Per hour right now | $7.25 | read the rulechecked October 29, 2026 |
| Next change | None planned | |
| Cash pay for tipped workers | $2.13 | read the rulechecked October 29, 2026 |
| Tips an employer may count toward the minimum | up to $5.12 an hour | |
| Overtime rate at minimum wage (1.5 times) | $10.88 | Tennessee overtime rules |
| A 40-hour week | $290.00 | |
| A month, full time | $1,256.67 | |
| A year, full time (2,080 hours) | $15,080.00 | |
| Federal minimum (the national floor) | $7.25 | U.S. Department of Labor |
Tennessee has no state minimum wage law. The federal rate applies to covered employers. Federal rule.
What these words mean
- Minimum wage
- The lowest hourly pay an employer may give you. Your state's rate applies if it is higher than the federal $7.25.
- Tip credit
- In some states an employer can pay tipped workers a lower cash wage and count your tips toward the minimum wage. If tips fall short, the employer must make up the difference.
- Overtime
- Extra pay for extra hours. Federal law says 1.5 times your normal rate for every hour over 40 in a work week. Some states add rules for long days.
- Wage complaint
- A free claim you file with your state labor office or the U.S. Department of Labor when you are not paid what the law requires.
Questions
What is the minimum wage in Tennessee right now?
$7.25 an hour, since July 24, 2009. Tennessee has no state minimum wage law. The federal rate applies to covered employers.
Is the Tennessee minimum wage going up in 2027?
No increase is planned. It stays at $7.25 unless lawmakers or voters change it.
I get tips. What must my employer pay me in cash?
At least $2.13 an hour in cash. Your employer may count up to $5.12 of your tips toward the minimum wage, but if tips fall short of $7.25 an hour in total, the employer must make up the gap. Federal rule.
What is my overtime rate if I earn minimum wage in Tennessee?
$10.88 an hour (1.5 times the minimum wage) for hours over 40 in a week. See Tennessee overtime rules.
How much is minimum wage per year in Tennessee?
$15,080.00 before tax for 40 hours a week all year (2,080 hours). That is $290.00 a week and $1,256.67 a month.
My employer pays less than $7.25. What can I do?
Check whether you are covered: a few small employers and some jobs have different rules (see the notes above). If you are covered, you can file a free wage complaint with the Tennessee labor office or the U.S. Department of Labor, and it is illegal to punish you for it.
More Tennessee pay rules
Verified October 29, 2026 against the U.S. Department of Labor state table and Tennessee sources. Next scheduled check: January 1, 2027. Change log.