Saint Paul Minimum Wage 2027: Three Tiers, Two Dates
Short answer: Saint Paul sets its minimum wage by employer size. On January 1, 2027 it is $17.02 (101+ employees), $16.37 (6–100) and $14.25 (5 or fewer). On July 1, 2027 small employers move to $17.02 and micro employers to $15.00. The city announced the rates on September 1, 2026.
2027 rates by business size
| Employer size | Jan. 1, 2027 | July 1, 2027 | Full-time pay in H1 / H2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large and macro (101+ employees) | $17.02 | $17.02 | $17,701 / $17,701 |
| Small (6–100 employees) | $16.37 | $17.02 | $17,025 / $17,701 |
| Micro (5 or fewer employees) | $14.25 | $15.00 | $14,820 / $15,600 |
Source: City of Saint Paul, "Announcing City of Saint Paul Minimum Wage Rates for 2027" (Sept. 1, 2026). Half-year pay assumes 1,040 hours.
Counting employees
The city says employers must count all employees when determining business size, including full-time, part-time, jointly employed, temporary and remote employees. That matters at the edges: a restaurant with five staff plus a temp is in the small tier, not micro.
What a worker at a micro employer earns in 2027
A full-time micro-employer worker paid the minimum earns about $30,420 for the year ($14.25 for half the year plus $15.00 for the other half), versus $35,402 at a large employer: a gap of $4,982. Minneapolis, a few miles away, has one rate for everyone ($17.02) on January 1, 2027.
Enforcement
The announcement describes the City Council ordering a former Saint Paul dog daycare to pay $40,201.23 in restitution to 61 employees on August 12, 2026, for minimum wage and earned sick and safe time violations. The city says its minimum wage ordinance (Chapter 224, approved November 14, 2018) is enforced by the Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity (HREEO).
Frequently asked questions
What is the Saint Paul minimum wage in 2027?
It depends on business size. From January 1, 2027: $17.02 for large and macro businesses (101+ employees), $16.37 for small businesses (6–100 employees) and $14.25 for micro businesses (5 or fewer). From July 1, 2027: $17.02 for large and macro, $17.02 for small, and $15.00 for micro.
How does Saint Paul count employees?
The city says employers must count all employees when determining business size, including full-time, part-time, jointly employed, temporary and remote employees.
When did Saint Paul announce its 2027 rates?
The City of Saint Paul published its announcement on September 1, 2026.
Is Saint Paul enforcing its minimum wage?
Yes. The same announcement describes a case in which the City Council ordered an employer to pay $40,201.23 in restitution to 61 employees on August 12, 2026 for minimum wage and earned sick and safe time violations.
How does Saint Paul compare with Minneapolis?
Minneapolis has one rate for all employers ($17.02 on January 1, 2027). Saint Paul's small and micro tiers are lower until the July 1, 2027 step, when small businesses catch up to $17.02 and micro businesses reach $15.00.
Sources and citations
Every dollar figure on this page was checked against the official pages below on November 14, 2026. If an agency updates its guidance, the agency page controls.