Howard County minimum wage
Minimum wage in Howard County, Maryland, in effect since January 1, 2025
$16.00 an hour
Howard County sets its own minimum wage, $1.00 above the Maryland rate of $15.00. Employers in Howard County pay the higher local rate.
Next increase: none announced as of October 9, 2026. Council Bill 82-2021 calls for CPI-U increases starting January 2027. No 2027 figure has been published yet.
Tipped employees
Employers in Howard County can pay tipped employees a cash wage of $3.63 an hour, taking a tip credit of up to $12.37, as long as tips bring the employee to at least $16.00 for every hour worked. If they don't, the employer makes up the difference. An employee counts as tipped if they get more than $30 each month in tips.
Youth and training wages
Employees under 18 must be paid at least 85% of the county minimum wage.
How future increases are set
Council Bill 82-2021 calls for CPI-U increases starting January 2027. No 2027 figure has been published yet.
Exceptions and details
- As of July 1, 2026, all employers regardless of size pay at least $16.00.
- Small employers (14 or fewer employees, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, certain Medicaid-funded home care providers, and food service facilities of any size) paid $15.50 from January 1, 2026 and $16.00 from July 1, 2026. Other employers have paid $16.00 since January 1, 2025.
- The tip credit may not exceed the county minimum wage less $3.63, so the cash wage is at least $3.63.
Other local minimum wages in Maryland
- Montgomery County $18.00
- Prince George's County $15.30
Running payroll in Howard County?
Recent changes
Last verified against the official source on October 9, 2026.
No changes recorded since we started tracking this page.
Sources
- Howard County Department of Finance · data as of July 1, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
We copy figures from official sources and re-check them against the source before every update. See our methodology. This is general information, not legal advice.