- The Howard County minimum wage is $16.00 an hour (employers (15 or more employees)), effective .
- That is $1.00 above the Maryland state rate of $15.00 and $8.75 above the federal $7.25.
- 3 tiers apply: employers (15 or more employees) $16.00; small employers (14 or fewer employees; 501(c)... $16.00; Howard County Government $16.00.
- The next change is : an indexed adjustment, amount to be announced.
- Coverage: Employers operating in Howard County with 1+ employees (federal/state/other local governments excluded); excludes employees under 18, certain agricultural workers, family members, nonprofit charitable/religious workers...
Rates and tiers
| Tier | Rate | Since |
|---|---|---|
| employers (15 or more employees) | $16.00 | |
| small employers (14 or fewer employees; 501(c)... | $16.00 | |
| Howard County Government | $16.00 |
Indexing
Yes
CPI-U (series/region and rounding not stated on county page) adjusts 01-01 (from 2027)
Tipped
$3.63
Tip credit may not exceed the County minimum wage less $3.63/hour; cash wage plus tips must equal the County rate.
Ordinance
Council Bill No. 82-2021 (signed 12/13/2021, effective 4/1/2022)
Scheduled increases
January 1, 20271 jurisdiction
CountyTBA
Howard County, MDall tiers · indexed-unannounced · Increases 'set after that by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) starting in January 2027'.
TBAindexed, amount to be announced
Small-employer schedule: $15.00 1/1/2024, $15.50 1/1/2026, $16.00 7/1/2026, so as of 7/1/2026 all private employers are at $16.00 (MD DOL: 'All employers must pay at least $16.00 per hour, regardless of size'). State rate is $15.00.
Common questions
What is the Howard County minimum wage?
$16.00 an hour for employers (15 or more employees), effective January 1, 2025.
Is the Howard County minimum wage higher than the Maryland state minimum wage?
Yes, by $1.00: $16.00 versus $15.00.
When does the Howard County minimum wage change next?
On January 1, 2027, by an indexed amount to be announced.
Sources
- https://www.howardcountymd.gov/finance/minimum-wage official
- https://labor.maryland.gov/labor/wages/minimumwagelawhoco.pdf official
- https://www.labor.maryland.gov/labor/wages/wagehrfacts.shtml official
- https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/
Checked 2026-09-02; researcher confidence 0.93.