Illinois minimum wage in 2026
The minimum wage in Illinois is $15.00 an hour in 2026, in effect since January 1, 2025. It applies to adults 18 and over.
Scheduled increases
No increase is scheduled under current law.
Tipped minimum wage
Tipped workers: employers may count tips for up to 40% of the wage, so the cash wage is at least $9.00 an hour.
Good to know
- Workers under 18 may be paid $13.00 an hour until they've worked 650 hours for an employer in a calendar year.
- New non-tipped employees may be paid $14.50 for their first 90 days.
- The state minimum applies to employers of 4 or more (not counting family members).
How the pay is calculated
Monthly = weekly × 52 ÷ 12 · Yearly = weekly × 52
Federal law requires time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek for most hourly workers, so the calculator pays 1.5× for those hours. The after-tax figure subtracts 2026 federal income tax (with the standard deduction), Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%) and Illinois income tax for the whole year.
Worked example
A full-time job at $15.00 an hour, 40 hours a week: $15.00 × 40 = $600.00 a week. Times 52 weeks, that's $31,200 a year, or $2,600.00 a month.
For a single filer, taxes for the year come to $1,564.00 federal income tax, $2,386.80 Social Security and Medicare, Illinois income tax of $1,400. That leaves about $25,850 a year, or $497.11 a week.
Illinois minimum wage pay table
| Hours a week | Weekly | Monthly | Yearly | Yearly after tax* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours | $300.00 | $1,300.00 | $15,600 | $13,779 |
| 30 hours | $450.00 | $1,950.00 | $23,400 | $19,866 |
| 40 hours | $600.00 | $2,600.00 | $31,200 | $25,850 |
*Single filer, 2026 taxes, no pre-tax deductions or local tax.
What this doesn't cover
- Some jobs have their own rules: tipped workers, minors, students, trainees, farm work and very small employers can have different minimums. The U.S. Department of Labor notes its state table doesn't show these.
- Daily overtime rules (for example California's after 8 hours a day) aren't included; only weekly overtime over 40 hours is.
- Tax is an estimate for a full year at the same hours. Refundable credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, which many minimum wage workers qualify for, aren't included.
See your exact paycheck with the Illinois paycheck calculator, or $15 an hour is how much a year. Compare every state on the minimum wage by state page.
Sources
- Illinois Department of Labor: Minimum Wage and Overtime FAQ
- U.S. Department of Labor: State Minimum Wage Laws (updated July 1, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Labor: Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees (July 1, 2026)
Figures last reviewed October 2026. Tax estimates use the same 2026 federal and state tables as the paycheck calculator.