Kansas Minimum Wage 2026
The Kansas minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, the rate since January 1, 2010. That matches the federal minimum, and no increase is scheduled in state law (K.S.A. 44-1203).
Key facts
- Tipped workers can be paid $2.13 an hour if tips make up the rest.
- A full-time year at $7.25 comes to about $15,080 before taxes.
- A 2013 law bars Kansas cities and counties from requiring a higher wage.
- Kansas is one of 20 states where $7.25 is the minimum.
- $7.25
- Kansas minimum wage in 2026
- $2.13
- Kansas cash wage for tipped workers
- $11.28
- What $7.25 from July 2009 is worth in 2026 dollars
The federal $7.25 has not risen since July 24, 2009, so it buys less every year. Our minimum wage explainer compares every state.
Who the Kansas Minimum Wage Covers
The Kansas minimum wage law covers only employers and workers that the federal Fair Labor Standards Act does not. Both laws set the same $7.25 rate. Before 2010, the state rate was $2.65 an hour (K.S.A. 44-1203).
The state law also leaves some workers out. Its definition of employee excludes farm workers, domestic workers in a private home, and executive, administrative and professional staff. It also leaves out people 18 or younger who work occasionally or part time (K.S.A. 44-1202).
Tipped Workers in Kansas
Kansas employers may pay tipped workers $2.13 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring the total to at least $7.25. If tips fall short, the employer owes the difference (K.S.A. 44-1203). The $2.13 cash wage is also the federal floor.
Kansas Bans Local Minimum Wages
Since 2013, no Kansas city or county may require employers to pay more than the minimum wage. The same law bars local rules that require paid leave, extra benefits or changes to work schedules (K.S.A. 12-16,130). A higher Kansas wage would have to come from the Legislature or from Congress.
Kansas voters cannot put a wage increase on the ballot themselves, because the state has no citizen initiative (Ballotpedia).
Kansas and Neighbor States
Three of the four states that border Kansas pay at least twice its minimum wage. Colorado, Missouri and Nebraska pay $15 or more, while Oklahoma also pays $7.25.
Minimum wage in Kansas and neighboring states, 2026
Source: U.S. Department of Labor and NCSL, through our 50-state minimum wage data
Kansas Minimum Wage Questions
What is the minimum wage in Kansas in 2026?
$7.25 an hour, the rate since January 1, 2010 and the same as the federal minimum. No increase is scheduled.
What is the tipped minimum wage in Kansas?
$2.13 an hour in cash. If that plus tips comes to less than $7.25 an hour, the employer must pay the difference.
Can a Kansas city set a higher minimum wage?
No. Since 2013, state law has barred cities and counties from requiring employers to pay more than the minimum wage unless state or federal law requires it.
Who is not covered by the Kansas minimum wage law?
The state law leaves out farm workers, domestic workers in a private home, executive, administrative and professional staff, and people 18 or younger who work occasionally or part time. It also does not apply to jobs the federal wage law covers.
What You Can Do
- Check your pay stub against $7.25 an hour, and keep a record of your hours and tips.
- File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243 if you are paid less. Complaints are confidential.
- Ask your state legislators where they stand on the $7.25 rate and the local wage ban. Find them with the Legislature’s Find My Legislators tool.
- Ask your members of Congress about the $7.25 federal minimum. Our letter-writing guide shows how.