The minimum wage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is $12.00 per hour for the end of 2023 and the vast majority of 2024.
It was $11 per hour at the beginning of the year; however, after a mid-year increase (30th September 2023), the minimum wage in Fort Lauderdale is now $12 per hour.
People come to Fort Lauderdale from all over for business and pleasure. To many, the city is a dream location, consisting of incredible sailing and boating opportunities, which are amplified by the beautiful weather, coinciding with a fantastic and stable economy and business structure.
The graphic below showcases what the minimum wage in Fort Lauderdale is in 2023 and 2024 until September 30, 2024, and what it has been in the past several years.
As you can see, the minimum wage has been increasing each year, and if you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you will see our Fort Lauderdale minimum wage history table, displaying the wage rates for each year since 1983.
The weekly minimum wage in Fort Lauderdale equates to $480 ($12×40) 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 may all receive different minimum wage rates.
Fort Lauderdale Minimum Wage Exemptions
There are rules and laws in place to ensure that employers are paying their employees the minimum wage or above in Fort Lauderdale, Florida unless they are exempt employees.
Below are the other minimum wage rates for exempt employees in Fort Lauderdale FL:
- Fort Lauderdale’s minimum wage for tipped employees is $8.98 per hour with a tip credit rate of $3.02.
- Student-workers (full-time high school or college) in Fort Lauderdale are paid a minimum wage of $10.20 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 $12 per hour.
- The overtime minimum wage in Fort Lauderdale is $18.00 per hour for every hour worked in excess of 40 hours per week.
- The minimum wage for employees under the age of 20 is $4.25 per hour for the first 90 days of employment. After this, they are eligible for the Fort Lauderdale minimum wage rate of $12 per hour.
What is the Fort Lauderdale Living Wage?
Due to Fort Lauderdale being a busy and popular city, with a competitive job market and growing consumer base, you would expect the minimum wage for the city would be more than $12.00 per hour.
However, for many, this isn’t the case.
Nonetheless, there is a ‘living wage’ for Fort Lauderdale, 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 Fort Lauderdale (Miami-Fort Lauderdale) is $18.44 per hour (via Living Wage Calculator), which is $6.44 higher than the minimum wage for the state itself.
Fortunately, certain employers in Fort Lauderdale 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 Fort Lauderdale is $38,355.20 before state income tax in Florida.
Fort Lauderdale Living Wage for 1 Adult
Below is a table representing the living wage in Fort Lauderdale 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 | $18.44 | $37.75 | $48.08 | $63.96 |
| Poverty Wage | $6.53 | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 |
Fort Lauderdale Living Wage for 2 Adults
The table below showcases the living wage in Fort Lauderdale 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 | $28.80 | $35.85 | $40.62 | $46.31 |
| Poverty Wage | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 | $15.61 |
What is the Average Wage in Fort Lauderdale
According to payscale.com, the average base hourly rate is approximately $20.06 per hour in Fort Lauderdale. If you worked full-time (40 hours per week or 2080 hours per year), the average annual income would be approximately $41,724.80.
So, as an employee in Fort Lauderdale, you have a good chance of being paid a higher wage than the minimum wage of $12.00 per hour.
Fortunately, the average wage in Fort Lauderdale 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 $12.00 per hour, which is the case for many Servers in Florida.
If the living wage in Fort Lauderdale is $18.44 in 2023/2024 and the average salary equates to an effective hourly rate of $20.06 per hour, Fort Lauderdale can be considered a decent place to work and live, but certainly not the best in Florida.
Additionally, if the living wage in Fort Lauderdale or perhaps the average does not suit you or your personal requirements and needs, we have created other Florida city minimum wage pages such as the minimum wage in Orlando that you can check out.
Fort Lauderdale Minimum Wage Increase Schedule
Fort Lauderdale had the first increase in its minimum wage per the state’s 2020 constitutional amendment on September 30, 2022. The second increase was on September 30, 2023, when it increased from $11.00 per hour to $12.00 per hour.
This voter-approved amendment will continue to increase in future years as follows:
- September 30, 2024: $13 per hour
- September 30, 2025: $14 per hour
- September 30, 2026: $15 per hour
- Beyond 2026: Inflation-linked increases
Fort Lauderdale Minimum Wage History
The table below displays the historical minimum wage rates in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, since 1983. As you can see, the table also includes percentage increases as well as the dollar increase per year.
| Florida City | Minimum Wage | Year | $ Wage Increase | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | $12.00 | 2023-2024 | $1.00 | 9% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $11.00 | 2022-2023 | $1.00 | 10% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $10.00 | 2021-2022 | $1.35 | 15.6% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $8.65 | 2021 | $0.09 | 1.05% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $8.56 | 2020 | $0.10 | 1.2% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $8.46 | 2019 | $0.21 | 2.5% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $8.25 | 2018 | $0.15 | 1.8% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $8.10 | 2017 | $0.05 | 0.6% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $8.05 | 2016 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $8.05 | 2015 | $0.12 | 1.5% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $7.93 | 2014 | $0.14 | 1.8% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $7.79 | 2013 | $0.12 | 1.6% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $7.67 | 2012 | $0.36 | 4.9% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $7.31 | 2011 | $0.06 | 0.82% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $7.25 | 2010 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $7.25 | 2009 | $0.46 | 6.8% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $6.79 | 2008 | $0.12 | 1.8% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $6.67 | 2007 | $0.27 | 4.22% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $6.40 | 2006 | $1.25 | 24.27% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $5.15 | 2005 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $5.15 | 2004 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $5.15 | 2003 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $5.15 | 2002 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $5.15 | 2001 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $5.15 | 2000 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $5.15 | 1999 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $5.15 | 1998 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $5.15 | 1997 | $0.40 | 8.42% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $4.75 | 1996 | $0.50 | 11.76% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $4.25 | 1995 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $4.25 | 1994 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $4.25 | 1993 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $4.25 | 1992 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $4.25 | 1991 | $0.45 | 11.84% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $3.80 | 1990 | $0.45 | 13.43% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $3.35 | 1989 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $3.35 | 1988 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $3.35 | 1987 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $3.35 | 1986 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $3.35 | 1985 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $3.35 | 1984 | $0 | 0% |
| Fort Lauderdale | $3.35 | 1983 | $0 | 0% |
Final Thoughts
The minimum wage in Fort Lauderdale in 2024 is the same rate as the Florida state minimum wage, following an hourly wage of $12.00 per hour.
As an employee in Fort Lauderdale, 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 several Fort Lauderdale employers will pay more than $12.00 per hour to their employees despite not being legally obliged to in low-paying job sectors.
