The US territory of Puerto Rico is relatively large in size, located on the Continent of North America, in between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, to the East of the Dominican Republic and to the West of the Virgin Islands. Let’s consider the minimum wage in Puerto Rico.
A major factor for anyone involved in running a business or planning to start a business or franchise in Puerto Rico is rates of pay and wage laws. For employers, it is important to know what you are legally obligated to pay employees as a minimum hourly rate, and for employees, it is important to know your workers’ rights and what your employer is obligated to pay you.
In 2023, the minimum wage in Puerto Rico is actually $6.55 per hour, however, employers must pay their workers a minimum wage of $7.25 (federal minimum wage) as long as they are covered by the FLSA (fair labor standards act). This has been the case since 2009. There is no sign of an increase in the federal minimum wage anytime soon. It is not unusual for a state to not have its own higher minimum wage, in fact, 21 other states use the federal wage as a marker for their own min wage rate.
This page is updated often to reflect the latest information on the minimum wage in Puerto Rico. However, if you have any questions or queries regarding the minimum wage, then visit the Department of Labor website for tax filing information and unemployment claims.
Hold On!
If you would like to see the history of the minimum wage in Puerto Rico over the past 10+ years, we have created a bar graph showing you the minimum wage each year and also a convenient PDF you can download. It is located at the bottom of this page.
Did the Puerto Rico Minimum Wage Go Up?
The graphic below highlights the Puerto Rico minimum wage over the past several years. The minimum wage did not go up and remains at $7.25 per hour in 2023.
Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2023
Since the minimum wage in Puerto Rico is the same as the federal minimum wage, there are no major differences in the minimum wage rate based on the type of industry you work in. There are, however, a few exceptions and these include the following:
- Tipped employees are eligible for tip credit of up to $5.12 but they must be paid $2.13 as a base wage to make up the rest of the minimum wage in tips.
- For students working up to 20 hours per week, you can be paid a minimum of 85% of the Puerto Rico minimum wage. This works out at $6.16 per hour.
- New employees under the age of 20 years old can be paid a training wage of $4.25 per hour for the first 90 days of employment.
Puerto Rico Minimum Wage History
The table below provides the history of the state of Puerto Rico’s minimum wage since 2008.
| State | Minimum Wage | $ Wage Increase | % Increase (Approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2021 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2020 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2019 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2018 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2017 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2016 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2015 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2014 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2013 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2012 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2011 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2010 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2009 | $7.25 | $0.70 | 11% |
| Puerto Rico Minimum Wage 2008 | $6.55 | $0 | 0% |
Puerto Rico minimum wage history for more than 10 years – downloadable PDF below
Puerto Rico Minimum Wage History – Downloadable PDF
