Minnesota Becomes First State to Mandate Nursing Home Wage Floors, Up to $27/Hour for LPNs

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 10, 2026

Minnesota's new state-mandated minimum wages for nursing home workers took effect this week, setting hourly pay floors ranging from $19 for general workers to $27 for Licensed Practical Nurses — the first binding wage standard of its kind in the nation. The rates, established by the state's Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board with federal Medicaid approval, are backed by roughly $74 million in combined federal and state reimbursement funds. A second round of increases is already scheduled for January 1, 2027, adding $1.50/hour across all categories. For staffing agencies placing healthcare workers in long-term care settings, the new floor reshapes wage benchmarks and competitive pay expectations statewide.