Minimum wage in Howard County, Maryland
Howard County sets its own minimum wage under its Howard County Code Section 12.1300. The general rate is $16.00 an hour, in effect since , with 2 tiers by employer size; that is $1.00 above the Maryland rate of $15.00. Future rates are set by formula rather than a published schedule.
Read from Howard County: Minimum Wage on (page SHA-256 2b4701050275…). Every figure on this page was found on that page at that time.
Current rates
| Rate per hour | Applies to | In effect since |
|---|---|---|
| $16.00 | Employers with 15 or more employees | |
| $16.00 | Smaller employers |
Scheduled changes
The county's page states no dated increase beyond the current rate.
How the rate is adjusted: Adjusted by the CPI-U starting January 2027 (Council Bill 82-2021).
Tipped employees
The county's page states no separate tipped rate. Maryland's state tipped rule (DOL): cash wage $3.63.
What the page also states
- Smaller employers paid $15.50 from January 1, 2026 and $16.00 from July 1, 2026, as the county's chart shows.
Against the state and federal rates
| Law | Rate |
|---|---|
| Howard County (county ordinance) | $16.00 |
| Maryland (state law) | $15.00 |
| Federal (FLSA) | $7.25 |
Where federal, state and local laws all cover an employer, the highest applicable rate must be paid. Whether a particular job is covered by this ordinance (most apply to hours worked inside the county limits, with a minimum number of hours a week) depends on facts this site does not assess. This page describes published rates and is not legal advice; see FastGuide for how to raise an underpayment.
Related
- All city and county minimum wages and the Maryland minimum wage.
- Maryland wage profile: what occupations actually pay, from BLS data.
- Take-home pay calculator on FastCalc for what $16.00 an hour leaves after withholding; this site computes nothing.