What’s the minimum wage for servers in Maine?

Maine at a glance

As of the U.S. Department of Labor table revised July 1, 2026. Your city may set a higher rate.

What’s different in Maine

Two things set Maine apart. First, the tipped cash wage is pegged to half the state minimum, so even the tipped base of $7.55 edges past the federal $7.25 minimum. Second, the threshold to be treated as tipped is more than $191 a month, far above the federal monthly threshold.

That higher threshold protects part-time and occasional tipped workers. Make $191 or less in tips over a month and the employer can’t use the credit; you’re owed the full $15.10 for your hours.

DOL notes that some cities set their own higher rates, so your local rate may beat the state one. BLS listed a median of $20.85 an hour for Maine waiters and waitresses in May 2025. Employers estimate it, and it includes reported tips.

Example shift

Say you work 6 hours and walk out with $120 in tips (illustrative numbers; use your own).

1. Wages: $7.55 × 6 = $45.30.
2. With tips: $45.30 + $120 = $165.30, or $27.55 an hour.
3. If your tips for the week don’t bring you to $15.10 an hour, federal law says your employer has to make up the difference.

What servers earn: BLS estimates the median hourly wage for waiters and waitresses in Maine was $20.85 in May 2025. BLS counts tips in this figure, but the numbers come from employers’ estimates, so they may not reflect all the tips servers receive.

Check your own week: Am I being paid at least minimum wage?