Maryland Minimum Wage 2026: $15.00 an Hour, Local Rates and Take-Home Pay
The Maryland minimum wage is $15.00 an hour since January 1, 2024 (source). No increase is scheduled for 2027: Statewide $15.00 has no indexing; the 2026 Raise the Wage Act (HB 1479) was withdrawn (source). Full time, that is $31,200 a year before tax and $25,362 after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare and Maryland income tax for a single filer.
Rates checked against official sources on November 4, 2026
Maryland minimum wage by year
| Effective | Hourly rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2024 | $15.00 | source |
Other Maryland rates in 2026
| Who | Hourly rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 (85% of state rate) (from January 1, 2024) | $12.75 | source |
Tipped workers: a cash wage of at least $3.63 an hour, with tips making up the rest of the minimum (a tip credit of up to $11.37). Employer covers any gap between cash wage plus tips and $15.00 (source).
$15.00 for all employer sizes since 2024-01-01. Montgomery County indexes each July 1 to CPI-W (Washington-Baltimore); its tipped cash wage is $4.00.
City and county minimum wages in Maryland
Some local governments set a higher minimum for work done within their limits. The rates below are the ones published by the state or the local government (retrieved November 4, 2026).
| Place | 2026 rate | Since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County - large employers (51+) | $18.00 | July 1, 2026 | source |
| Montgomery County - mid-sized employers (11-50) | $16.50 | July 1, 2026 | source |
| Montgomery County - small employers (10 or fewer) | $15.95 | July 1, 2026 | source |
| Howard County (all employers) | $16.00 | July 1, 2026 | source |
| Prince George's County (all employers) | $15.30 | July 1, 2026 | source |
Take-home pay on the Maryland minimum wage
| Pay before tax, a year | $31,200 |
| Federal income tax | $1,567 |
| Social Security and Medicare (7.65%) | $2,387 |
| Maryland income tax | $1,885 |
| Take-home pay, a year | $25,362 |
| … a month | $2,113 |
| … an hour | $12.19 |
Your pay at $15.00 an hour, after tax
Tax figures: QuantCalc’s tax engine (federal 2.6.0, state 1.26.0), 2026 tax year, a single filer aged 30 with wages from one job, no dependents and the standard deduction. Local income taxes are not taken off, except the county income tax in Indiana and Maryland, which the state engine adds at a typical county rate; state payroll taxes (disability or paid-leave insurance) are not taken off either. Not tax or legal advice: an employer’s size, industry or location can set a different minimum, so check with the state labor department. How each tax line is computed, with its source: federal, state.
Overtime and salaried workers
Hours over 40 in a workweek are paid at one and a half times the regular rate under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (U.S. Department of Labor); for 2026 the federal return deducts the premium half of that pay (no tax on overtime calculator).
Federal law: an exempt executive, administrative or professional employee must be paid at least $684 a week ($35,568 a year) on a salary basis (U.S. Department of Labor).
Common questions
- What is the minimum wage in Maryland in 2026?
- The Maryland minimum wage is $15.00 an hour since January 1, 2024 (source).
- Will the Maryland minimum wage go up in 2027?
- No increase is scheduled as of November 4, 2026 (source).
- How much is the Maryland minimum wage a year?
- At $15.00 an hour for 40 hours a week and 52 weeks, $31,200 before tax. After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare and Maryland income tax, a single filer keeps $25,362, $2,113 a month.
- What is the tipped minimum wage in Maryland?
- $3.63 an hour in cash, as long as tips bring the total to at least the minimum wage; otherwise the employer makes up the difference (source).