Massachusetts MINIMUM WAGES

Massachusetts State Minimum Wage for 2025

According to Massachusetts Wage and Labor Law, the minimum wage rate has been $15.00 per hour since January 1, 2023. It has not increased since then and hence, in 2024, the minimum wage is still $15/hour. 

For tipped employees, employers need to pay them a minimum of $6.75 per hour. This is applicable to all service workers who have a monthly income of more than $20 from tips.  

Overtime pay is at 1.5 times the regular minimum wage rate for all non-exempt employees who work more than 40 hours in a week.

Minimum Wages in Massachusetts Cities

The table below shows city-wise minimum wage rates in Massachusetts Cities 2024. 

Threshold For Employees Exempt

All employees are classified as exempt or non-exempt depending on which affects both your pay structure and how wage updates impact you. These classifications are defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). 

The primary difference is in pay: non-exempt employees receive hourly wages plus overtime, while exempt employees are salaried with no overtime, regardless of hours worked. 

As of 2024, the minimum salary requirements for exempt employees in Massachusetts are: 

• Weekly minimum salary: $844 
• Annual minimum salary: $43,888 
• Applies to: Executive, administrative, and professional roles 

A separate category, highly compensated employees (HCE), has a minimum salary threshold of  $132,964 per year. 

Note: For executive, administrative, and professional employees, the salary threshold will rise to $1,128 weekly, or $58,656 annually, on January 1, 2025. The HCE threshold will also increase to $151,164 annually and will continue to adjust each year. 

Historical Data of Massachusetts Minimum Wages

In 1912, Massachusetts passed the first minimum wage law in the United States after a major strike in Lawrence, MA. The law required wage boards to set pay rates adequate to cover living costs and maintain workers’ health.  

The next major change came in 1938 when the federal Fair Labor Standards Act was signed, establishing a national minimum wage and basic worker rights, influencing future Massachusetts wage policies. 

Following that, Massachusetts has continued to update its minimum wage, focusing on narrowing wage inequality and adjusting for inflation, to support fair compensation amidst the state’s high living costs. 

This table shows the progression of the minimum wage in Massachusetts from 1968 to 2024, with time spans for periods where the wage at some time span remained unchanged. 

Exemptions in Minimum Wages of Massachusetts   

As per the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards, there are certain employees who are exempt from the minimum wage paid per hour. Here’s a list:  

• Agricultural and farming employees must be paid at least $8/hour but may have federal exemptions. 
• Bus drivers for chartered trips are subject to minimum wage under certain conditions. 
• Co-op students are not considered employees for minimum wage purposes. 
• Interns under the Primary Beneficiary Test and those in educational or charitable training programs may be exempt from minimum wage. 
• Seasonal camp counselors and trainees are exempt from minimum wage, with other camp workers exempt from overtime if the camp is non-profit. 
• Patients in hospitals may be exempt unless their work benefits the institution economically. 
• Employees fully relieved during on-call time may not need compensation unless restrictions apply. 
• Volunteers in non-profits, educational, or charitable institutions may be exempt if the work is voluntary. 
• Participants in training programs for career preparation are exempt from minimum wage requirements.