Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the minimum hourly wage in the state of Michigan will increase to $13.73.
This change is a part of a series of planned wage increases. This stemmed from Senate Bill 8, introduced by Michigan Sen. Kevin Hertel. Senate Bill 8 required the state minimum hourly wage for non-tipped workers to increase to $12.48 Feb. 12, 2025; $13.73 Jan. 1, 2026; and $15 Jan. 1, 2027.
The hourly minimum wage for tipped workers will also increase over time. On Feb. 21, 2025, the minimum wage for tipped workers was set at 38% of the minimum wage, at about $4.74. On Jan. 1, 2026, this will rise to 40% of the current minimum wage, and the percentage will continue to increase by 2% every year until 2031, when it reaches 50% of minimum wage.
For minors under 18 in the state of Michigan, pay will remain 85% of the minimum wage, meaning they will make $11.67 beginning January 2026 and $12.75 beginning January 2027.
Senate Bill 8 states, “Every October beginning in October, 2027, the state treasurer shall calculate an adjusted minimum wage rate. The adjustment must increase the minimum wage by the rate of inflation.” The adjusted rate will be announced each year by Nov. 1 and will go into effect the following Feb. 21.
These changes will affect nearly all student workers at EMU, since most on-campus jobs pay minimum wage.
Alberto Derieux has a job in the biology office as a part of the work-study program. Alberto works at the front desk and helps the biology department when needed.
“I think it’s cool if it was any other job, but the money I can make per school year is still $2,500, so I won’t actually make any more money; I will just work less hours,” Derieux said.
Since students in the work-study program have an allotted maximum amount of pay per semester, they will not earn more money, but they will have to work fewer hours for the same amount.
