Beginning March 1, 2026, the minimum wage for employees in the city of Santa Fe and unincorporated Santa Fe County will increase to $15.40 per hour. The base wage for tipped employees in Santa Fe County will increase to $4.62 per hour while the city of Santa Fe will continue to match the state rate of $3.00 per hour.
The City and County refer to this as a “living wage,” which may be confusing since that term is often reserved for wages required for government contractors. However, in this case it’s a standard minimum wage applicable to all employees.
At the time this alert was sent, the City hadn’t yet updated its website to reflect the new minimum wage rate. However, we contacted the City directly, and they’ve confirmed the increase. The City expects to update its website by March 1, 2026.