Short answer. CDLE local minimum wage table: Boulder $18.17 in 2027.
$18.17
Boulder minimum wage from January 1, 2027 (+$1.35, 8%)
Boulder minimum wage at a glance
- 2027 rate
- $18.17 an hour from January 1, 2027
- 2026 rate
- $16.82 an hour
- Change
- +$1.35 an hour (8%)
- Colorado rate, 2027
- $15.71 an hour
- Boulder above Colorado
- $2.46 an hour (15.7%) in 2027
- Kind of rate
- City ordinance
- Tipped employees
- CDLE: the tipped minimum (with tip credit) is $13.80 in 2026 and $15.15 in 2027.
- Official page
- Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE): Division of Labor Standards and Statistics, state and local minimum wages
Boulder rate history: 2026 to 2027
CDLE local minimum wage table: Boulder $16.82 in 2026. CDLE local minimum wage table: Boulder $18.17 in 2027. That is $1.35 more an hour, a 8% increase, for hours worked in Boulder on or after January 1, 2027.
Boulder compared with the Colorado minimum wage
The Colorado general rate is $15.16 in 2026 and $15.71 in 2027. Boulder's $18.17 is $2.46 an hour, or 15.7%, above the state's 2027 rate; in 2026 the gap was $1.66. Over a 2,080-hour year that's $5,117 more than the state minimum for one full-time employee. See the Colorado 2027 minimum wage page for the state rules.
Boulder tipped employees
CDLE: the tipped minimum (with tip credit) is $13.80 in 2026 and $15.15 in 2027. A server paid the $15.15 cash wage for 30 hours needs at least $90.60 in tips that week to reach $18.17 an hour; the employer makes up any shortfall.
What the Boulder rate means for pay
Weekly gross pay at the Boulder minimum, before taxes. Hours over 40 are paid at time and a half under federal overtime rules. A full-time year of 2,080 hours comes to about $37,794 at the 2027 rate, against $34,986 at the 2026 rate and $32,677 at the Colorado 2027 rate.
| Schedule | Boulder 2026 | Boulder 2027 | Difference | Colorado 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full time, 40 hours | $672.80 | $726.80 | +$54.00 | $628.40 |
| Part time, 24 hours | $403.68 | $436.08 | +$32.40 | $377.04 |
| 44 hours (4 at time and a half) | $773.72 | $835.82 | +$62.10 | $722.66 |
For a staff list, the payroll change calculator works out raises against the Colorado rate; compare its results with Boulder's $18.17 for anyone who works in Boulder.
Updating payroll for Boulder
- List everyone who works in Boulder and is paid under $18.17 an hour, including part-time and seasonal staff and anyone who works there only some of the week.
- Set the new rate in payroll with an effective date of January 1, 2027, and split any pay period that crosses it so hours before the date stay at $16.82.
- For tipped staff, raise the cash wage to $15.15 and check each week that cash wage plus tips reaches $18.17.
- Replace the Boulder minimum wage notice with the 2027 version from the official page.
For the Colorado rules beyond the local minimum wage (new hire reporting, unemployment tax, final pay and more), the Colorado Employer Compliance Kit 2027 ($19) has a checklist, a deadline calendar and an Excel tracker.
Other local rates in Colorado
- Boulder County (unincorporated): $17.43 from January 1, 2027
- Denver: $19.84 from January 1, 2027
- Edgewater: $19.84 from January 1, 2027
Official sources for Boulder
- Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE): Division of Labor Standards and Statistics, state and local minimum wages (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal or payroll advice; we are not lawyers or payroll advisers. Checked November 2026 against the official Boulder pages above. A city or county can change a rate after we check, and coverage, employer-size rules and exemptions differ from place to place. Before you change payroll, confirm the rate with the local labor standards office, your payroll provider or an employment attorney. MCC Solutions isn't affiliated with any government agency.
Boulder minimum wage questions
What is the Boulder minimum wage in 2027?
$18.17 an hour from January 1, 2027, up from $16.82. CDLE local minimum wage table: Boulder $18.17 in 2027.
How does the Boulder minimum wage compare with the Colorado rate?
In 2027, Boulder is $2.46 an hour (15.7%) above the Colorado rate of $15.71. In 2026 the gap was $1.66. Employers pay the Boulder rate for work done there.
How much is a full-time Boulder minimum wage job in 2027?
$726.80 a week for 40 hours, or about $37,794 a year at 2,080 hours, before taxes. That is $54.00 a week more than at the 2026 rate.
All localities: local minimum wage 2027 · Colorado minimum wage 2027 · Minimum wage by state