Oregon doesn’t have one minimum wage. It has three, set by where you work. From July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, the rate is $16.80 an hour in the Portland metro area, $15.55 under the standard rate and $14.55 in nonurban counties [1]. All three rise each July 1 with inflation [1][2].
At a glance
| Area | Hourly minimum | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Portland metro | $16.80 | Inside the urban growth boundary, in parts of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties |
| Standard | $15.55 | Everywhere not in the Portland metro area or a nonurban county |
| Nonurban | $14.55 | Baker, Coos, Crook, Curry, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa and Wheeler counties |
Which rate applies to you
The rate follows where you do the work, not where your employer is based. You’re generally paid the rate for the county where you work 50% or more of your hours each week [1]. If you travel for work, you can be paid the rate for each county you work in [1].
The Portland metro rate covers land inside the urban growth boundary, which takes in parts of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties [1]. Only part of each of those counties is inside the boundary, so an address near the edge is worth checking. BOLI links to Metro’s lookup tool for that [1].
Eighteen counties use the nonurban rate [1]. Everywhere else uses the standard rate, which takes in cities such as Salem, Eugene, Bend and Medford [1].
Tips can’t be counted
Many states let employers pay tipped workers a lower cash wage and count tips toward the rest. Oregon doesn’t. BOLI puts it plainly: “Tip credits are illegal in Oregon” [1]. State law says employers may not count tips when figuring whether a worker got the minimum wage [2].
So a server or bartender inside the Portland metro boundary gets at least $16.80 an hour from the employer, and keeps tips on top [1]. Employers may require a tip pool, but managers and the house can’t share in it [1].
Minors and trainees
There’s no youth or training wage in Oregon. Minors are owed the same minimum wage as adults, and unlike federal law, Oregon requires at least the minimum wage during on-the-job training [1].
How the yearly increase works
Oregon’s rates are tied to inflation. By April 30 each year, the labor commissioner calculates the increase in the U.S. city average consumer price index for all urban consumers from March of the prior year to March of the current year [2]. The new standard rate is rounded to the nearest five cents and takes effect July 1 [2]. If prices fall, the wage doesn’t go down [2].
The other two rates move with it. The Portland metro rate is always $1.25 more than the standard rate, and the nonurban rate is always $1 less [2].
If you’re paid less than you’re owed
An employer that pays less than the minimum wage owes you the full amount of the unpaid wages, plus civil penalties under Oregon’s penalty wage law [2].
Penalty wages add up quickly when final pay is late. They can equal eight times your regular hourly rate for each day the wages go unpaid, for up to 30 days [3]. Final pay is due by the end of the next business day if you’re fired, on your last day if you quit with at least 48 hours’ notice, and within five business days or on the next payday, whichever comes first, if you quit with less notice [3].
You have three main options [3]:
- File a wage claim with BOLI. BOLI takes complaints online [4].
- Go to small claims court in the county where your employer is, for claims of $10,000 or less.
- Talk to an employment attorney.
Other states
Comparing Oregon with its neighbors? See the minimum wage in every state on BestAmerica.
Sources
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What is the minimum wage in Oregon in 2026?
From July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 it depends on where you work: $16.80 an hour inside the Portland metro urban growth boundary, $15.55 for the standard rate, and $14.55 in 18 nonurban counties.
Can an Oregon employer pay tipped workers less than minimum wage?
No. Oregon doesn't allow a tip credit. Tips can't be counted toward the minimum wage, so tipped workers get the full rate for their area plus their tips.
When does Oregon's minimum wage go up next?
On July 1 each year. By April 30, the Bureau of Labor and Industries calculates the increase from the change in the U.S. consumer price index, rounded to the nearest five cents. The Portland metro rate stays $1.25 above the standard rate and the nonurban rate $1 below it.
Is there a lower minimum wage for teens or trainees in Oregon?
No. Minors get the same minimum wage as adults, and Oregon requires at least the minimum wage during on-the-job training.