Contact Sales
Sign in
Book a demo
Platform
Plateform
Platform Overview
Why Workstream
Why Workstream
compliance icon
Compliance
Integrations
Integrations
fully-supported
Fully Supported
Product
Hiring
Hiring
Active sourcing
Applicant Tracking
Multilingual hiring
Screening
time & scheduling icon
Time & Scheduling
Time Clock
Shift Scheduling
HR
HR
Team View
Secure records
Documents & Signatures
Onboarding
Engagement
Engagement
Employee Surveys
Communication
payroll-1
Payroll
Full-Service Payroll
Employee Engagement
Full-Service Setup
Benefits Administration New
Reports
Solutions for
Featured Reads
Webinar
For our customers: Product roadmap sneak peek
Watch now
LEARN
CONNECT
hiring
Restaurant

Help restaurant and franchise owners hire, pay, and retain your hourly team.

Restaurant Payroll 101
Learn how to tackle the hardest aspects of paying restaurant workers from taxes and tip reporting to labor law compliance.
Master hourly pay
HOURLY WAGE INDEX

Let’s talk wages in Maryland

Back to home
scale-img
$15.00

What is the minimum wage in Maryland?

The minimum wage in Maryland is $15.00 per hour for businesses with 15 or more employees, and $12.80 per hour for businesses with fewer than 15 employees. This is set to increase to $14.00 per hour for all businesses on January 1, 2024. The Maryland minimum wage for tipped employees is $3.63 per hour, though this amount plus tips must at least equal Maryland's Minimum Wage Rate.

There are some exceptions to the minimum wage in Maryland. These include:

  • Learners: Employers may pay learners a sub-minimum wage of $4.25 per hour for the first 90 consecutive calendar days after the learner is initially employed by the employer.
  • Certain workers with physical or mental limitations: Employers may pay sub-minimum wages to workers with physical or mental limitations that limit their ability to do the job.
  • Employees under 18 years old: Employers may pay employees under 18 years old a sub-minimum wage of $4.25 per hour for the first 90 consecutive calendar days after the employee is initially employed by the employer.

statistics-img
$35.40

What is the average wage in Maryland?

The average wage in Maryland is $35.40 per hour. The median wage is $20.31 per hour. Wages vary based on experience, education, industry, and other factors.

money-img
$36.06

What is the living wage in Maryland?

The living wage in Maryland is $15.16 per hour. The living wage is the minimum hourly wage necessary to cover the basic costs of living. The living wage is different from the minimum wage, which only covers the basic costs of food and shelter.

money-img
$12.80

What is the minimum wage in Baltimore, Maryland?

The minimum wage in Baltimore is $12.80. That wage was instituted in January 2023.

A guide to hourly labor laws in Maryland

  • Final Paychecks: By the next regular payday after resignation or termination (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-505).
  • Wage Payment Frequency: Paid regularly, at least twice per month or every two weeks (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-502).
  • Paid Sick Leave: Accrued at a rate of at least one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to at least 40 hours per year. Employers can refuse employees the right to use more than 64 hours per year, use any hours in the first 106 calendar days on the job, accrue more than 64 hours at a time, and other specific instances (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-1304).
  • Paid Family and Medical Leave: In 2026, Maryland's paid family and medical leave insurance (FAMLI) will provide employees up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for themselves or their family, paid at up to $1,000 per week (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 8.3-101 et seq.). The FMLA provides up to 12 unpaid weeks in one year for eligible employees (FMLA).
  • Maximum Daily and Weekly Hours for Children Under 16:
    • School session: No working during required school hours. No more than three hours per day or 18 hours per week.
    • Non-school session: No more than eight hours per day or 40 hours per week.
    • Hours: No working between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., extended until 9 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day. No working more than five consecutive hours without an uninterrupted 30 minute break. Employers must obtain a special permit to employ minors (Maryland DoL) (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-201 et seq.) (29 C.F.R. § 570.35).
  • Maximum Daily and Weekly Hours for Children 16 and 17: No working during required school hours. No more than 12 combined hours in school and work per day. At least eight consecutive hours break from school and work in 24 hours. No working more than five consecutive hours without an uninterrupted 30-minute break. Employers must obtain a special permit to employ minors (Maryland DoL) (Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. § 3-201 et seq.) (29 C.F.R. § 570.35).

 

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between gross wages and net wages?

It's important to remember that the Hourly Wage Index data above reflects gross wages, or the amount of money an employee earns before accounting for payroll deductions like taxes, benefits, or wage garnishments. Due to variability in tax rates across locations, slightly lower gross wages in a certain location might result in higher take home pay, or vice versa.

What is a good hourly wage?

This question is a difficult one to answer, as a "good hourly wage" is highly subjective according to experience, work responsibilities, cost of living, and other factors. We recommend using Hourly Wage Index data as a starting point. Once you have established a baseline for certain positions, do further research into similar businesses in your area. Lastly, consider surveying your employees. They're the best resource to help you know what is a good hourly wage, what competitive pay looks like in your location, and how competitive wages change in your industry over time.

Offering competitive pay is one of my top priorities—what other resources do you have that might help?

We know that getting applicants to pay attention to your business can be extremely challenging, and that offering competitive pay is a huge part of that. Wages aren’t everything, however! Applicant experience is another important factor that can help set you apart from your competition. A few examples include:


  • Short, easy to understand job descriptions
  • Mobile-friendliness
  • Quick communication
  • Streamlined interview stages
Resources

Become a hiring and onboarding expert.

blog_3
GUIDE

Checking the box on hiring and retention

Download the packet
blog_2
BLOG

5 Steps to build your convenience store brand

Read now
blog_1
BLOG

Social media recruiting: Why your employees should help

Read now

We're here to help!

A Workstream hiring specialist can help you identify high impact ways to improve your applicant experience, and even help you determine what is a good hourly wage for your location and business.

Sign up for a free 30 minute chat with a hiring specialist now

Learn about wages in your city

Baltimore Minimum Wage 2025