Maryland's Minimum Wage Among The Highest In The Nation

By Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. - Baltimore

2022-10-29

With decades-high inflation eroding incomes, families around the country are struggling to make ends meet. The problem is especially pronounced for those in minimum wage jobs, as the federal minimum wage stands at $7.25 an hour – and in 20 states, the minimum wage matches the federal figure.

Still, in some states, the minimum wage is higher. Some are also taking further action to reduce inflation’s impact on the pocketbooks of the lowest earning workers. Washington state, for example, will raise its minimum wage to over $15 an hour in January 2023.

In Maryland, the minimum wage was $12.50 an hour as of July 1, 2022, the 11th highest among states.

While Maryland has a higher minimum wage than most other states, many working families are still struggling. According to a study published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a working adult in Maryland would need an hourly wage of $40.40 to support a family of four.

It is important to note that if employers are forced to pay their workers more, they may not be able to afford to hire as many employees, which could result in job losses and drive up unemployment. Maryland’s jobless rate of 4.4% in August 2022 is higher than the national rate of 3.7%

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This story was originally published by 24/7 Wall St., a news organization that produces real-time business commentary and data-driven reporting for state and local markets across the country.