Ohio Minimum Wage Increase: Ohio workers are set to earn a little more from January 1, 2026, as the state has confirmed a rise in the minimum wage. The new pay rule will bring some relief to thousands of people who depend on hourly wages. The change comes after the Ohio Department of Commerce reviewed the inflation numbers for the past year and announced that the current wage needs to rise by 2.8%.
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New Wage Rates Begin January 1, 2026
Starting in 2026, the minimum wage for non-tipped workers will go from $10.70 to $11 an hour. The state says this 2.8% jump matches the increase in the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners from September 2024 to August 2025. Workers who receive tips, like restaurant servers, will also see their base wage go up from $5.35 to $5.50 per hour.
This new wage applies to employees working for businesses that make more than $405,000 each year. The state raised this business-size threshold too, as it was earlier set at $394,000. Companies earning below that amount will continue to follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, which also applies to 14- and 15-year-old workers.
Even though the federal wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009, Ohio’s Constitution requires the state’s minimum wage to rise every January 1 based on inflation. It was set when voters approved Constitutional Amendment (II-34a) in November 2006.
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Supporters say Ohio families continue to struggle with rising prices for food, rent, gas, and basic services. One commonly shared argument is, “We have an affordability crisis right now. And part of how you solve that affordability crisis is making sure that people have more money in their pockets from the jobs that they do.”
Senate Bill 234 earlier raised hopes of a $15 wage by 2025, but that goal has not been met. Many workers say they still cannot keep up with everyday costs, even with yearly adjustments tied to inflation.
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State officials say they want employers to prepare early and avoid last-minute confusion. Stephen Clegg, the Wage & Hour Administration Bureau Chief, said, “We encourage all employers to stay informed and compliant with the updated wage rates and posting requirements.” He also explained that the Ohio Department of Commerce provides help for companies so they can follow the rules the right way.
