New Hampshire minimum wage in 2026 (and 2027)

Who gets $7.25 and who gets less

The U.S. Department of Labor's state table (updated July 1, 2026) lists New Hampshire at the federal $7.25. The state has set no higher figure of its own, so the number moves only if Congress or the legislature in Concord changes it.

• Tipped employees: the cash wage is $3.27 an hour (DOL tipped table). Tips must carry the employee to at least $7.25 for every hour; if they fall short, you pay the gap.
• Overtime: 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a week, so $10.875 an hour for a worker on the minimum.
• New workers under 20: federal law allows $4.25 an hour for the first 90 days. The DOL table does not show state subminimum rules, so check with the New Hampshire Department of Labor before you use it.

Weekly, monthly and yearly pay at $7.25

Using a 40-hour week and 2,080 hours a year:

• Week: 40 x $7.25 = $290.00
• Year: 2,080 x $7.25 = $15,080.00
• Month: $15,080 / 12 = $1,256.67

New Hampshire has no state income tax on wages, so there is no state withholding to take out of that check.

Every other New England state pays more

New Hampshire is the only New England state still at the federal floor. Across its borders, Vermont pays $14.42 an hour, Maine pays $15.10 and Massachusetts is at $15.00. Connecticut ($16.94) and Rhode Island ($16.00) are higher still. If you hire near Nashua, Salem or the Seacoast, the legal minimum is rarely what decides your pay rate; the job across the line is. The 2026 minimum wage table for every state has all of the figures with sources.

What a $7.25 employee costs you in New Hampshire

The 2.7% is the statutory new-employer rate. NHES applies fund-level reductions each quarter, and Bloomberg Tax (a secondary source) reported an effective 1.7% for the first quarter of 2026, which would cut the unemployment line to $238.00 (1.7% x $14,000). Your rate notice is the number to use. Workers' compensation insurance comes on top and is required under RSA 281-A with no employee-count minimum. Run your own numbers in the employee cost calculator.

Paying minimum wage staff correctly

New Hampshire expects weekly or biweekly paydays; semimonthly or monthly pay needs written permission from the state Department of Labor. A fired employee must be paid in full within 72 hours. Registration steps, agencies and the rest of the state's tax rules are on the New Hampshire payroll tax page.

Payroll software handles the tipped wage math and overtime for you. For New Hampshire payroll, Gusto Simple is $49 a month plus $6 per employee, per its pricing page checked October 16, 2026; see the payroll software rankings and what payroll services cost before you pick one.