Rhode Island minimum wage 2027.

The Rhode Island minimum wage in 2027

Rhode Island's minimum wage is $17.00 an hour commencing January 1, 2027, up from $16.00 in 2026. The step is written directly into state law, so no agency calculation or announcement is needed for it to take effect.

What changed from 2026

The rate rises $1.00, from $16.00 to $17.00, the same size as each of the previous two yearly steps. The Department of Labor and Training's page lists the schedule as $17.00 commencing January 1, 2027, $16.00 commencing January 1, 2026, $15.00 for 2025, $14.00 for 2024 and $13.00 for 2023.

Exceptions and special rates

The Department of Labor and Training's minimum wage page lists exceptions and special rates for tipped workers, full-time students under 19, 14 and 15 year old workers and seasonal resorts and camps, and a list of who is fully exempt. This page does not state those rates because the 2027 figures for them were not published on the page when it was read on November 9, 2026. See the department's page and the Rhode Island minimum wage laws FAQ for the current special rates.

How the rate is set

Section 28-12-3 of the Rhode Island General Laws sets each rate by date: subsection (p) says commencing January 1, 2026 the minimum wage is sixteen dollars ($16.00) per hour, and subsection (q) says commencing January 1, 2027 it is seventeen dollars ($17.00) per hour. The latest amendments in the statute's history are Public Laws 2025, chapters 222 and 223, effective June 24, 2025. Because the step is in the statute, a later law could change it, so check the General Assembly's text before relying on it for a pay decision beyond 2027.

Worked example (2027)

A full-time worker at the Rhode Island 2027 minimum of $17.00 an hour, 40 hours a week, earns $680.00 a week, $1,360.00 every two weeks, $2,946.67 a month and $35,360.00 a year (2,080 hours) before tax. At the 2026 rate of $16.00 the same schedule paid $33,280.00 a year, so the 2027 rate adds $2,080.00. Part-time at 25 hours a week is $425.00 a week and $22,100.00 a year.

Method

The converter multiplies the hourly rate by your hours per week for weekly pay, doubles it for two weeks, multiplies by 52 weeks (2,080 hours at 40 a week) for annual pay and divides the annual figure by 12 for a month. It is gross pay before tax. Figures were read from the sources below on November 9, 2026.

What this does not cover

• Overtime, which is a separate rule, and unpaid time off.
• Local minimum wages that are higher than the state rate. Check the city or county where the work is done.
• Special rates for students, trainees, small employers or other exemptions not named on this page.
• Taxes and deductions: Rhode Island pay here is gross pay before tax.

Figures read from the sources below on November 9, 2026. Last updated November 9, 2026.

Sources

• Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training: minimum wage (retrieved November 9, 2026)
• R.I. Gen. Laws section 28-12-3: minimum wages (Rhode Island General Assembly) (retrieved November 9, 2026)