Minimum Wage

Effective in Rhode Island on January 1, 2016, the minimum wage is $9.60 per hour. The minimum wage in Rhode Island is much higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

Full-time students who are under the age of 19 are paid at a lower rate per hour when working for nonprofit religious, educational, library, or community service organizations and 14 and 15-year-old who do not work more than 24 hours per week can be paid up to a lower rate.                                                      

Below is a list of people who are not covered by Rhode Island’s minimum wage.

• Domestic service employees in or about private homes
• Federal employees
• Volunteers in educational, charitable, religious, or nonprofit organizations where there is no employer/employee relationship
• Newspaper carriers on home delivery
• Shoe-shine persons
• Golf course caddies
• Ushers in theaters
• Traveling or outside salespersons
• Employees employed by their sons or daughters
• Minor children employed by their parents
• Employees in resort establishments not open more than six months during the year (between May 1 and October 1 only)
• Employees of organized camps having a structured program including but not limited to recreation, education and/or religion (only includes employees not employed on an annual full-time basis in camps that do not operate for more than seven months each year)

Note: Employees who are tipped may be paid as little as $3.39 per hour, as long as tips bring this amount up to $9.60.