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Help restaurant and franchise owners hire, pay, and retain your hourly team.
Hourly Wage Index
Discover how your pay practices stack up against other regions, positions, and industries. 
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HOURLY WAGE INDEX

Let’s talk wages in Baltimore

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$13.25

What is the minimum wage in Baltimore?

The current minimum wage in Baltimore is $13.25 per hour for large employers and $12.80 per hour for small employers. This is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, but it is still lower than the living wage in Baltimore, which is estimated to be $15.15 per hour for a single adult and $21.24 per hour for a family of four.

The minimum wage in Baltimore has been increasing gradually in recent years. In 2019, the minimum wage was raised from $11.00 to $12.50 per hour. In 2022, the minimum wage was raised to $13.25 per hour for large employers and $12.80 per hour for small employers. The minimum wage is scheduled to increase to $15.00 per hour for all employers in 2025.

According to a 2022 study by the Economic Policy Institute, 63,000 workers in Baltimore earn less than the living wage. These workers are disproportionately women, people of color, and immigrants. They are also more likely to be working in low-wage industries, such as retail, food service, and hospitality.

The low minimum wage in Baltimore has a number of negative consequences. It makes it difficult for low-wage workers to afford basic necessities, such as housing, food, and transportation. It also contributes to poverty and inequality.

There are a number of things that can be done to raise the minimum wage in Baltimore. One option is to pass a city ordinance that would increase the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour. Another option is to pressure the state legislature to increase the state minimum wage to $15.00 per hour.
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$15.15

What is the living wage in Baltimore?

The living wage in Baltimore is the hourly wage that a worker needs to earn in order to afford a basic standard of living. The living wage is calculated based on the cost of housing, food, transportation, childcare, health insurance, and other necessities.

The living wage in Baltimore is estimated to be $15.15 per hour for a single adult and $21.24 per hour for a family of four. This means that a single adult working full-time at the minimum wage would not be able to afford to meet their basic needs.

The living wage is important because it helps to ensure that all workers have the opportunity to earn a wage that allows them to meet their basic needs. When the minimum wage is not high enough to meet the living wage, it can lead to poverty, hunger, and housing insecurity.

According to a 2022 study by the Economic Policy Institute, 63,000 workers in Baltimore earn less than the living wage. This means that they are not able to afford to meet their basic needs.

Some of the most popular hourly wage jobs in Baltimore include retail salesperson, food service

Wages aren’t everything!

While pay is one of the main factors that hourly employees consider when choosing to join (or stay at) a company, it’s not the end all be all. Research shows that advancement opportunities, supportive management, and schedule flexibility are all incredibly important as well.

Want to learn more about this trend? We dive deep into the data behind which perks and benefits matter most to hourly workers. Check out our full conversation with expert Sara Wasserteil of Cara Collective.

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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
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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.

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Learn about wages in your city

Baltimore Minimum Wage 2024