Maryland Minimum Wage for 2023, 2024
Contents :: Maryland Minimum Wage
Maryland's state minimum wage rate is $15.00 per hour. This is greater than the Federal Minimum Wage of $7.25. You are entitled to be paid the higher state minimum wage. The minimum wage applies to most employees in Maryland, with limited exceptions including tipped employees, some student workers, and other exempt occupations.†
The Maryland minimum wage was last changed in 2008, when it was raised $8.45 from $6.55 to $15.00.
Maryland’s minimum wage as of January 1, 2024 is $15.00 per hour. The minimum wage for tipped employees is $3.63 per hour.
Effective June 1, 2019, employees under 18 years of age must earn at least 85% of the State Minimum Wage Rate and all amusement and recreational establishments must pay employees the required Minimum Wage Rate.
Maryland’s current minimum wage for tipped employees (earning more than $30 per month in tips) is at least $3.63 per hour. This amount plus tips must equal at least the State Minimum Wage Rate.
LOCAL MINIMUM WAGE
- Montgomery County has a current minimum wage of $15.65 per hour for businesses of 51 or more employees. The minimum wage is $15.00 per hour for businesses of 5o -11 employees. Small business of 10 or fewer employees have a rate of $14.50 per hour.
- Howard County On December 6,2021, the Howard County Council voted to pass Council Bill 82-2021, legislation that will improve and strengthen the local minimum wage in Howard County, Maryland. Minimum wage in Howard county is $12.50 (Employers with 15 or more employees) and $12.20 (Employers with 14 or fewer employees)
Maryland employers may not pay you under $15.00 per hour unless you or your occupation are specifically exempt from the minimum wage under state or federal law.
If you have questions about the Maryland minimum wage, please ask us and someone will respond to you as soon as possible. Looking for a new job? Use the free Maryland job search utility to find local job openings hiring now.
All Maryland employers must display an approved Maryland minimum wage poster in a prominent place to inform employees about the minimum wage and their worker's rights under Maryland labor law.
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Maryland Minimum Wage & Labor Law Posters
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Maryland labor law requires all employers in Maryland to visibly display an approved Maryland minimum wage poster, and other Maryland and federal labor law posters, to ensure that all employees are aware of federal and Maryland labor law and overtime regulations. Failure to display a Maryland labor law poster in the workplace can result in severe fines.
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Instead of printing out pages of mandatory Maryland and Federal labor law posters, you can purchase a professional, laminated all-in-one labor law poster that guarantees compliance with all Maryland and federal posting requirements. Fully updated for December 2017!
Get All-In-One Poster NowThe Maryland minimum wage poster, and additional required Maryland labor law posters, are also available on the Maryland labor law posters download page.
Maryland Overtime Minimum Wage
All workers who put in over 40 weekly hours are entitled to a minimum wage of at least 1.5 times the regular applicable minimum wage (learn more about Maryland overtime pay). Some states require workers who work over a certain number of daily hours to be eligible for this overtime rate as well (Maryland law does not specify a daily overtime limit).
The FLSA guarantees all MD employees adequate overtime compensation for all qualifying overtime hours worked. If your employer does not pay adequate overtime wages, you can file an unpaid overtime claim with the Maryland Department of Labor.
Maryland Minimum Wage Exemptions
In addition to any Maryland-specific minimum wage exemptions described above, the Federal Fair Labor Standards act defines special minimum wage rates applicable to certain types of workers. You may be paid under the Maryland minimum wage if you fit into one of the following categories:
- Maryland Under 20 Minimum Wage - $4.25 - Federal law allows any employer in Maryland to pay a new employee who is under 20 years of age a training wage of $4.25 per hour for the first 90 days of employment.
- Maryland Student Minimum Wage - $12.75 - Full-time high school or college students who work part-time may be paid 85% of the Maryland minimum wage (as little as $12.75 per hour) for up to 20 hours of work per week at certain employers (such as work-study programs at universities).
- Maryland Tipped Minimum Wage - See Here - Employees who earn a certain amount of tips every month may be paid a lower cash minimum wage, but must earn at least $15.00 including tips every hour. For more details, read about the Maryland tipped minimum wage.
Local Minimum Wage Rates in Maryland
While Maryland's state minimum wage is $15.00 per hour, there are localities that have set their own, higher minimum wages that apply to some or all employees within their jurisdictions. The following is a table of all Maryland localities with established minimum wage laws.
| Locality | Applies To | Minimum Wage | Comparison to State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County | $15.00 | Same | |
| Montgomery County | 10 or less employees | $15.00 | Same |
| 11-50 employees | $15.00 | Same | |
| 51 or more employees. Workers 18 and under working under 20 hours per week are exempt. | $16.70 | +$1.70 | |
| Large employers 51 or more employers | $16.70 | +$1.70 |
Frequently Asked Questions - Maryland Minimum Wage & Labor Law
- What is the Maryland minimum wage?
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The current Maryland minimum wage of $15.00 per hour is the lowest amount a non-exempt employee in Maryland can legally be paid for hourly work. Special minimum wage rates, such as the "Maryland waitress minimum wage" for tipped employees, may apply to certain workers.[1]
- How much will I earn working a minimum wage jobin Maryland?
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A full time minimum wage worker in Maryland working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, will earn $120.00 per day, $600.00 per week, and $31,200.00 per year1. The national poverty line for a family unit consisting of two people is $16,020.00 per year.
- What is the Maryland under 18 minimum wage?
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Maryland employers may pay 18 year olds and minors the youth minimum wage of $4.25 for the first 90 days of employment. Other labor law exemptions for minors in Maryland may exist.
- I still can't find the answer to my question about the Maryland minimum wage!
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If you have read the FAQ and still cannot find the information you need, please contact us with your question.
1 These earnings estimates do not account for the Maryland income tax , federal income tax, or local/municipal income taxes.
2 Poverty line for a family of two in the lower 48 published 2016 by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Labor Law Footnotes, Sources & Citations:
- The weekly earnings estimate of $600.00 is based on a standard 40-hour workweek
- The yearly earnings estimate of $31,200.00 is based on 52 standard 40-hour work weeks. Since most hourly employees don't work full time and/or take time off, actual yearly earnings will likely be lower.