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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | New Minnesota Wage Floors Raise Pay for Nursing-Home Workers to Between $19 and $27 an Hour
SAINT PAUL, MN (September 16, 2026). Thousands of Minnesota nursing-home employees are now covered by new occupation-specific minimum wages ranging from $19 to $27 an hour, following federal approval that allowed the state standards to take effect September 10.
The wage floors apply according to workers’ positions and professional qualifications.
General nursing-home employees must now receive at least $19 an hour. Certified nursing assistants must be paid at least $22.50, trained medication aides at least $23.50 and licensed practical nurses at least $27.
All four minimums are scheduled to rise by another $1.50 an hour on January 1, 2027. At that point, the minimums will be $20.50 for general nursing-home workers, $24 for certified nursing assistants, $25 for trained medication aides and $28.50 for licensed practical nurses.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has published the standards and accompanying information for workers and employers.
The wage structure was established by the Minnesota Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board, which the Legislature created to address compensation and working conditions in an industry affected by chronic staffing shortages, turnover and increasing demands for elder care.
Implementation was delayed while Minnesota waited for approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Because Medicaid provides a substantial share of nursing-home financing, federal approval of the state’s funding mechanism was necessary before the wage standards could move forward.
State labor officials say approximately 76 percent of Minnesota’s certified nursing assistants are expected to receive raises under the new rules.
The standards create minimums, not maximum wages. Nursing homes may pay employees more based on experience, collective-bargaining agreements, local labor conditions or additional responsibilities.
The new wages operate alongside Minnesota’s existing nursing-home holiday-pay rule. Nursing-home employees who work during 11 designated state holidays must receive at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for hours worked during the holiday.
Supporters argue that higher wages will help nursing homes recruit and retain employees while improving consistency of care for residents. Staffing instability can disrupt relationships between workers and residents and place additional pressure on employees who remain.
The standards also create financial and operational questions for nursing homes, particularly facilities heavily dependent on public reimbursements. Industry representatives have previously warned that wage mandates must be accompanied by adequate government funding to prevent additional pressure on facilities already operating with narrow margins.
The wage floors are now in effect, however, and covered employers are legally responsible for complying with the applicable rates.
Workers who believe they are being paid below the required minimum should document their hours, pay rates and job classifications and consult the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
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