Minimum wage in Georgia in 2026
The minimum wage in Georgia is $7.25 an hour in 2026 for most jobs, because the federal minimum wage applies. No increase is scheduled in state or federal law. The federal rate has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009.
Checked against official sources.
Georgia minimum wage at a glance
- An hour
- $7.25
- A week, 40 hours
- $290.00
- A year, 2,080 hours
- $15,080
- Tipped cash wage
- $2.13before tips
In effect since . A year means 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, before taxes.
Tipped workers
Federal law applies: tipped workers can be paid $2.13 an hour in cash if tips bring them up to at least $7.25 an hour. If they do not, the employer must make up the difference.
Georgia minimum wage by year
| Year | Rate on January 1 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $7.25 (federal) |
| 2023 | $7.25 (federal) |
| 2024 | $7.25 (federal) |
| 2025 | $7.25 (federal) |
| 2026 | $7.25 (federal) |
Georgia's own law sets $5.15 an hour for employers with 6 or more workers, but it only covers the few jobs federal law does not. Everyone else gets the federal $7.25.
No. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 34-4-3.1) preempts any city or county rule that requires a higher wage than state or federal law.
Common questions
What is the minimum wage in Georgia in 2026?
The minimum wage in Georgia is $7.25 an hour in 2026 for most jobs, because the federal minimum wage applies. No increase is scheduled in state or federal law. The federal rate has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009.
How much is minimum wage a year in Georgia?
At $7.25 an hour, a full-time worker on 40 hours a week earns $290.00 a week and $15,080 a year before taxes.
What is the minimum wage for tipped workers in Georgia?
Federal law applies: tipped workers can be paid $2.13 an hour in cash if tips bring them up to at least $7.25 an hour. If they do not, the employer must make up the difference.
When does the minimum wage go up in Georgia?
No increase is scheduled in state or federal law. The federal rate has been $7.25 since July 24, 2009. Georgia's own law sets $5.15 an hour for employers with 6 or more workers, but it only covers the few jobs federal law does not. Everyone else gets the federal $7.25.
Can cities in Georgia set a higher minimum wage?
No. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 34-4-3.1) preempts any city or county rule that requires a higher wage than state or federal law.
Minimum wage in other Southern states
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the official pages below. Checked .
- Minimum Wage, Georgia Department of Labor
- HB 243 (2017), amending O.C.G.A. § 34-4-3.1, Wage and employment benefit mandates, Georgia General Assembly
- State Minimum Wage Laws, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, updated
- Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, updated
- Minimum Wage, U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Laws change. If your pay is below these rates, contact your state labor department or the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243.