Connecticut minimum wage in 2026 (and 2027)

How the yearly Connecticut increase works

The governor's office announced the 2027 rate on August 5, 2026, almost five months before it takes effect. The new figure, $17.48, is a $0.54 an hour increase over $16.94.

Our local minimum wage research lists no Connecticut city or town rate. Compare that with New York's two-zone system next door, where New York City, Long Island and Westchester pay $17.00 and the rest of the state $16.00.

Restaurant, hotel and bar workers

Connecticut has two tipped cash wages, per the DOL tipped wage table:

• $6.38 an hour for hotel and restaurant service staff
• $8.23 an hour for bartenders

Tips must bring each worker up to $16.94. Restaurants and hotel restaurants also owe time-and-a-half at the minimum rate for the seventh consecutive day of work, on top of the usual overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours a week. The DOL state summary lists both rules. Our payroll for restaurants comparison covers software that tracks tip credits by role.

Pay at $16.94 and at $17.48

Payroll taxes and the CT Paid Leave deduction

For a new Connecticut employer, one worker at $16.94 full time ($35,235.20) adds:

• FICA, 7.65%: $2,695.49
• FUTA, 0.6% on $7,000: $42.00
• State unemployment, new employer 1.9% on the $27,000 wage base: $513.00

That is $3,250.49, or $38,485.69 all in. At the 2027 rate, FICA becomes $2,781.42 and, if the 2026 unemployment rate and wage base still applied, the total reaches $39,694.82. CT Paid Leave is 0.5% of wages, but it is deducted from the employee ($176.18 on this wage), not paid by you; you remit it quarterly. Connecticut's page lists a 1.0% fund solvency tax without saying whether the 1.9% new employer rate includes it, so ask the Department of Labor when you register. Filing details are on Connecticut payroll taxes.

Payroll software for Connecticut

The two Connecticut-specific items to check in any payroll product are the CT Paid Leave deduction and the split tipped wages. Gusto's Simple tier is $49 a month with a $6 per-person fee (checked October 16, 2026). If you later leave and want Gusto to file your final returns, it charges $100 for federal, $100 per state and $5 per W-2, per its cancellation terms. See our ranked list of payroll providers and payroll service pricing to compare.

For neighboring states, Massachusetts is $15.00 and Rhode Island is $16.00 in 2026.