Ohio minimum wage to rise 3.5% to $11.40 in 2027; Walmart, Olive Garden among brands facing new wage rule

Ohio’s minimum wage is set to rise 3.5% from January 1, 2027, with the hourly rate for non-tipped employees increasing to $11.40 from the current $11, according to a report by The Sun.

The minimum wage for tipped employees, including waiters and bartenders, will increase to $5.70 per hour from $5.50, with tips in addition to the base wage, the report said.

The increase will apply to businesses with annual gross receipts of more than $420,000. Employees working at businesses with annual gross receipts of $420,000 or less will continue to be covered by the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, The Sun reported.


Workers aged 14 and 15 will also continue to receive the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

The wage increase is linked to an Ohio constitutional requirement that the state’s minimum wage be adjusted annually in line with inflation. The Ohio Department of Commerce said the 2027 adjustment reflects a 3.5% increase in the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers over the relevant 12-month period.

The new threshold of $420,000 is up from $405,000 in 2026, according to the department.

The Sun report cited reactions from people on Reddit, with some questioning the size of the increase while others welcomed Ohio's system of linking the minimum wage to inflation.