The minimum wage in Atlanta, Georgia, is $7.25 per hour in 2023.
Atlanta, Georgia, is without a doubt one of the most popular and up-and-coming cities in the U.S., and thousands of people move there each year.
There are a plethora of individuals who choose Atlanta as their place to live and work due to continued job growth, affordable housing and overall comparatively low cost of living, and its abundance of world-class attractions and restaurants.
The following graphic shows the Atlanta minimum wage rate over the past several years, which, unfortunately for many, has not increased.
The weekly minimum wage in Atlanta equates to $290 ($7.25×40) if you are working a full 40-hour week. There are, however, some exceptions to this hourly wage for student workers, tipped employees, and overtime workers, who will all receive different minimum wage rates.
Atlanta Minimum Wage Exemptions
The state of Georgia does not have its own specific minimum wage policy, which is why it defaults to the federal minimum wage rate, and subsequently, so does Atlanta.
There are rules and laws in place to ensure that employers are paying their employees the minimum wage or above in Atlanta, Georgia unless they are exempt employees.
In 2017, Mayor Kasim Reed raised the minimum wage in Atlanta for city workers (just those employed by the city) to $15 per hour.
Below we have listed all the minimum wage rates for exempt employees in Atlanta:
- Atlanta’s minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13 per hour with a tip credit rate of $5.12.
- Student-workers (full-time high school or college) in Atlanta are paid a minimum wage of $6.16 per hour for up to 20 hours of work a week. Any more than this, and they are eligible for the full minimum wage of $7.25.
- The overtime minimum wage in Atlanta is $10.88 per hour for every hour worked in excess of 40 hours per week.
- The Atlanta city workers’ minimum wage rate is $15.00 per hour.
What is the Atlanta Living Wage?
Due to Atlanta being such a big expansive city with a large population and competitive job market, you would expect the minimum wage to be higher for the city.
But unfortunately for many, Atlanta still follows the state minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour for many of its workers.
However, there is a ‘living wage’ for Atlanta, which is calculated based on how much a person needs to pay their bills, food, and general cost of living expenses while living in the city.
The living wage for an adult living alone with no children in Atlanta is $18.93 per hour (via Living Wage Calculator), which is $11.68 higher than the minimum wage for Atlanta.
Fortunately, certain employers in Atlanta take this into account when they contemplate how much they should be paying employees within the city.
Taking all of the living expenses into account, the living wage annual salary (for a full-time person) in Atlanta is $39,374.40 before state income tax in Georgia.
Atlanta Living Wage for 1 Adult
Below is a table representing the living wage in Atlanta for a single adult, with different living wages for the additional amount of children they live with and care for.
| Single Adult | 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living Wage | $18.93 | $35.89 | $45.31 | $58.64 |
| Poverty Wage | $6.53 | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 |
Atlanta Living Wage for 2 Adults
The table below showcases the living wage in Atlanta for 2 adults with only one working, including the costs for the different numbers of children.
| 2 Adults (1 working) | 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living Wage | $28.44 | $34.69 | $39.60 | $43.51 |
| Poverty Wage | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 | $15.61 |
What is the Average Wage in Atlanta?
Now that we know the minimum wage, exemptions, and the cost of living, or living wage in Atlanta, let’s take a look at what the average wage is for employees in Atlanta.
According to payscale.com, the average base hourly rate is $20.47 per hour in Atlanta. If you worked full-time (40 hours per week or 2080 hours per year), your average annual income would be $42,577.60.
So, as someone working in Atlanta, you can expect, in many cases, to be paid a higher wage than the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
Fortunately, the average wage in Atlanta is just an average calculation, and you could certainly earn more than this when moving to the state. However, you may be paid even less, with the minimum wage being $7.25 per hour, which is the case for many Servers in Georgia.
If the living wage in Atlanta is $18.93 and the average salary equates to an effective hourly rate of $20.47 per hour, Atlanta can be considered a pretty decent choice for those seeking a move to Peach State.
Atlanta Minimum Wage History
The table below displays the historical minimum wage rates in Atlanta since 1983. As you can see from our table, we have included percentage increases as well as the dollar increase per year.
| Georgia City | Wage | Year | $ Wage Increase | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2023 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2022 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2021 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2020 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2019 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2018 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2017 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2016 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2015 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2014 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2013 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2012 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2011 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2010 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $7.25 | 2009 | $0.25 | 3.8% |
| Atlanta | $6.55 | 2008 | $1.40 | 27.18% |
| Atlanta | $5.15 | 2007 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $5.15 | 2006 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $5.15 | 2005 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $5.15 | 2004 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $5.15 | 2003 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $5.15 | 2002 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $5.15 | 2001 | $1.90 | 58.46% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 2000 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1999 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1998 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1997 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1996 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1995 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1994 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1993 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1992 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1991 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1990 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1989 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1988 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1987 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1986 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1985 | $0 | 0% |
| Atlanta | $3.25 | 1984 | $2 | 160% |
| Atlanta | $1.25 | 1983 | $0 | 0% |
Final Thoughts
The minimum wage in Atlanta is the same rate as the Georgia state minimum wage, which also follows federal guidelines, resulting in an hourly wage for both Atlanta and Georgia of $7.25 per hour. As an employee in Atlanta, you must be paid this wage or higher by law.
The living wage is significantly higher than the minimum wage within the city, which is why the majority of Atlanta employers will pay more than $7.25 per hour to their employees despite not being legally obliged to.
