The U.S. federal cash wage permitted for most tipped workers under the tip credit is $2.13 per hour.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, an employer may generally count up to $5.12 per hour in tips toward the federal minimum wage of $7.25. That leaves a direct cash wage requirement of $2.13 per hour for an eligible tipped worker. The arrangement is commonly called a tip credit.
The employer must ensure that cash wages plus qualifying tips reach at least the federal minimum wage for every workweek. If they do not, the employer must make up the difference. Employers also must follow federal rules on tip ownership and permitted tip pools.
This is a federal figure, not a universal U.S. rate. Many states require employers to pay tipped workers more than $2.13 in direct wages, and some states do not allow a tip credit at all. The figure is therefore often confused with state cash-wage requirements.