Wyoming Minimum Wage 2026: $7.25/hr After Tax

Wyoming Minimum Wage After Tax in 2026

A full-time Wyoming worker at $7.25 an hour grosses $15,080 a year. After $0 in federal income tax, $1,154 in FICA and $0 in state income tax, take-home pay is about $13,926 a year, or $1,161 a month and $268 a week.

Wyoming's state minimum wage is $5.15/hr, but the federal $7.25/hr rate applies to virtually all workers under FLSA coverage. Wyoming has NO state income tax -- a major take-home advantage. A full-time minimum wage worker keeps approximately $13,926/yr after federal taxes only. Tourism, energy, and agriculture drive actual market wages well above the legal floor. Calculate your net pay below.

Wyoming Minimum Wage in 2026: A State With No Income Tax and a $5.15 State Minimum

Wyoming has two remarkable wage facts that distinguish it from every other state. First, Wyoming is one of nine states with no state individual income tax -- Wyoming workers pay federal income tax and FICA but owe nothing to the state on their wages. Second, Wyoming's state minimum wage statute is set at $5.15 per hour, which is below the federal $7.25/hr floor. The federal rate prevails for the overwhelming majority of Wyoming workers, but the $5.15 state rate remains in the books for a small subset of intrastate businesses not covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Together, these two facts create an unusual picture: Wyoming has the lowest legally set state minimum wage of any state (tied with Georgia at $5.15), while also having one of the most worker-favorable tax structures (zero state income tax). A Wyoming worker earning $7.25/hr takes home more net pay per dollar of gross wages than workers in most states, solely because there is no state income tax bite.

No State Income Tax: What It Means in Dollars

Wyoming is in exclusive company: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire (wages only), South Dakota, Tennessee (investment income only), Texas, Washington, and Wyoming have no state individual income tax. For a full-time minimum wage worker in Wyoming earning $15,080/yr ($7.25 x 40 hrs x 52 weeks), the absence of state income tax means every dollar of the federal standard deduction benefit flows directly to the worker's pocket rather than being partially clawed back by a state government. In Colorado next door, a worker earning the same $15.08/hr would owe 4.4% in state income tax, or roughly $663/yr. Wyoming workers keep that money.

For higher-earning Wyoming workers -- energy sector employees making $60,000-$100,000/yr -- the no-income-tax advantage is enormous. A Wyoming worker earning $80,000/yr saves $3,500-$4,500 annually compared to a comparable worker in a state with a 5% income tax. This partly explains why Wyoming has attracted energy sector workers and retirees who relocate to the state for tax purposes.

Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie: Wyoming's Urban Centers

Wyoming is the least populous state in the contiguous United States. Its largest city, Cheyenne (the capital), has approximately 65,000 residents. Casper, the oil country hub in central Wyoming, is the second-largest city. Laramie hosts the University of Wyoming and has a university-town economy. Jackson Hole in Teton County is a world-famous resort destination and one of the wealthiest communities in the country on a per-capita basis, despite being technically in a state with the lowest minimum wage.

In Cheyenne and Casper, entry-level wages in 2026 typically start at $12-15/hr for most positions in retail, food service, and light industry. The actual $7.25 minimum is rarely the going rate for any job that requires showing up reliably. Government employment at federal and state levels is an important part of Wyoming's economy, particularly in Cheyenne where state government facilities and Francis E. Warren Air Force Base are major employers.

Jackson Hole: Wyoming's Luxury Wage Exception

Jackson Hole (the valley containing the town of Jackson, Teton County) represents the extreme high-wage end of Wyoming's labor market. Home to Grand Teton National Park and one of the nation's premier ski resorts, Jackson sees tourism-driven wages that are among the highest in the Mountain West for service and hospitality work. Restaurant servers, ski instructors, hotel staff, and guides in Jackson commonly earn $20-35/hr all-in. Housing costs in Jackson are among the highest in the country, with workers often commuting from Idaho over Teton Pass to reach more affordable housing.

Jackson illustrates the absurdity of applying a single statewide minimum wage across Wyoming. A $7.25/hr minimum in Jackson Hole -- where a studio apartment can cost $2,000+/month -- is utterly inadequate. But Wyoming's preemption of local minimum wage ordinances means Jackson cannot set its own higher rate the way Aspen, Colorado or Vail could theoretically do under Colorado's less restrictive local ordinance rules.

Wyoming Tipped Minimum Wage

Wyoming follows the federal tip credit rules. Tipped employees in Wyoming may be paid a base cash wage of $2.13 per hour (the federal tipped minimum), with the expectation that tips will bring total hourly compensation to at least $7.25/hr. For businesses not covered by federal FLSA (the narrow intrastate-only category), Wyoming's own tipped minimum mirrors $2.13 under state law. If total compensation including tips falls below $7.25/hr in any work week, the employer must make up the difference.

Energy Sector Wages in Wyoming

Wyoming is a major producer of coal, natural gas, and trona (a mineral used in glass and detergents). The Powder River Basin in northeastern Wyoming is one of the largest coal-producing regions in the world. Energy sector wages in extraction, transportation, and support services typically range from $25-60/hr depending on role and experience. Even support roles -- driving water trucks, running reclamation equipment, operating scales at coal loading facilities -- often pay $20-30/hr with benefits, creating strong upward wage pressure across all sectors in energy-producing counties like Campbell (Gillette), Sublette, and Sweetwater.

Frequently Asked Questions: Wyoming Minimum Wage 2026

Minimum Wage in Neighboring States

Frequently Asked Questions