2025 Maryland Minimum Wage
The 2025 Maryland Minimum Wage is $15.
Effective 2025-01-01Source: Maryland Minimum Wage and Overtime Law (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Labor and Industry)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2024
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2024.
| Item | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $15 | $15 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Most employees working in the state of Maryland
What changed this year, and why
Maryland's state minimum wage is $15 per hour for 2025. Most employees in Maryland must be paid at least this rate, though certain exemptions apply. Some counties in Maryland have higher minimum wage rates and additional rules.
Common questions
- Are all workers in Maryland covered by the $15 minimum wage?
- No. Some employees are exempt under Maryland law, and certain counties have their own higher minimum wage rates with additional rules.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
In Maryland, the standard minimum wage is $15 per hour, but employees under 18 years of age may be paid at a subminimum rate equal to 85 percent of that amount. This means a minor in Maryland can legally be paid less than the full state rate. The reduced rate applies based on the worker's age, not on the type of job or the size of the employer. Employers in Maryland who hire workers under 18 must still pay at least 85 percent of the $15 state minimum wage; they cannot go below that floor simply because the employee is a student or in training. Separate local rules in certain counties, such as Montgomery County, also allow a subminimum wage for employees under 20 years of age during their first six months of employment. Workers and employers in Maryland should confirm whether the youth wage or the full state rate applies in their specific situation.
Employees under 18 years of age must earn at least 85% of the State Minimum Wage Rate.
Maryland Minimum Wage and Overtime Law (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Labor and Industry)
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
In Maryland, the state sets a minimum wage floor of $15 per hour, but individual counties are free to establish higher rates for workers in their jurisdictions. Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George's Counties have each enacted their own minimum wage laws that require employers to pay more than the state floor. When a county sets a higher rate, workers in that county are entitled to the higher local amount rather than just the state minimum. Employers operating in multiple Maryland counties must comply with whichever rate applies in each location. The state rate of $15 per hour serves as the baseline, but local jurisdictions can establish stronger protections for workers in their areas. Employees should check with their county government or the Maryland Division of Labor and Industry to find out which rate applies to them.
Some counties have higher minimum wage rates and additional rules and exemptions.
Maryland Minimum Wage and Overtime Law (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Labor and Industry)
Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate
In Maryland, the standard overtime rule requires most employees to receive one and one-half times their regular hourly rate for all hours worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. The state law also sets longer weekly thresholds for certain industries before the overtime premium kicks in: employees of bowling alleys and certain non-hospital residential care institutions receive the premium after 48 hours per week, and agricultural workers receive it after 60 hours per week. However, federal law may require overtime after 40 hours for some of these workers even when Maryland law sets a higher threshold. Employers in Maryland must track hours carefully and apply the premium for whichever threshold is shorter for each employee. The overtime multiplier applies to the employee's regular rate of pay.
Most employees must be paid 1.5 times their usual hourly rate for all hours worked over 40 per week. Under Maryland law, employees of bowling alleys, and those who work for non-hospital residential care institutions (such as certain nursing homes, assisted living, or group homes for individuals with mental or intellectual disabilities who live at the institution) must be paid 1.5 times their usual hourly rate for all hours worked over 48 per week. Federal law may require such employers to pay employees 1.5 times their usual hourly rate after 40 hours per week even when Maryland law requires it only after 48 hours. Agricultural workers who are not otherwise exempt from Maryland law must be paid 1.5 times their usual hourly rate for all hours worked over 60 per week.
Maryland Minimum Wage and Overtime Law (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Labor and Industry)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
In Maryland, employees who earn tips must still receive at least the state minimum wage of $15 per hour when their tips are combined with their direct cash wages from the employer. Employers may pay tipped employees a base cash wage of at least $3.63 per hour, but only if that amount plus tips equals at least $15 per hour. If the combination falls short, the employer must make up the difference. Employers must also provide a written or electronic Tip Credit Wage Statement each pay period showing the employee's effective hourly rate, including both the employer's cash wages and the tips received. This applies to employees who earn more than $30 per month in tips. The tip credit system allows employers to count tips toward the minimum wage obligation, but the employee must always receive the full $15 per hour in total compensation.
Tipped Employees (earning more than $30 per month in tips) must still earn at least the State Minimum Wage Rate per hour. Employers must pay at least $3.63 per hour. This amount plus tips must equal at least the State Minimum Wage Rate, and employers must cover any gap.
Maryland Minimum Wage and Overtime Law (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Labor and Industry)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
Maryland Minimum Wage and Overtime Law (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Labor and Industry)
- Hourly
Maryland State Minimum Wage Rate of $15 per hour
Other years
Every Maryland Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state