In January 2024, the Georgia state minimum wage remained the same as years went by, $5.15 per hour.
The minimum wage rate in Georgia is even lower than the federal minimum wage, however, the majority of employees are covered by the federal age, meaning that they are entitled to a wage of $7.25 per hour or more.
Note: If you are an employee in Georgia and you are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, then you may not be entitled to the federal minimum wage, meaning that you can be paid as low as $5.15 per hour.
If you are a full-time worker on Georgia state minimum wage, your earnings could be as follows:
- Daily Minimum Wage: $58.00 (based on an 8-hour day).
- Weekly Minimum Wage: $290.00 (based on a 40-hour week).
- Monthly Minimum Wage: $1,256.66 (based on a full-time month).
- Yearly Minimum Wage: $15,080 (based on being paid 52 weeks per year).
It is important to note that these earnings are before any state income tax has been deducted!
As a state, the Georgia minimum wage 2024 is the joint lowest minimum wage out of all 50.
Related: Minimum Wage in US States
Although, most employees will either be getting paid above or the same as the federal minimum wage.
The graphic below highlights the Georgia minimum wage over the past several years. The minimum wage did not go up and remains at $7.25 per hour in 2024:
Despite the state minimum wage being so low, certain cities within the state have boosted average earnings for employees relative to the cost of living and inflation.
Related: Atlanta Minimum Wage
In addition to the regular minimum wage, there are some exemptions that some employees are subject to due to having a unique job role or employment situation.
Georgia Minimum Wage Exemptions
In addition to the regular minimum wage rate, a few Georgia state minimum wage exemptions typically depend on your age or employment situation.
Below are the various minimum wage exemptions with some situational examples.
Georgia Student Minimum Wage
The minimum wage for student employees in Georgia is 85% of the Georgia minimum wage, making their hourly pay $6.16 per hour in 2024.
This hourly rate is for any hours worked up to 20 hours per week. As a student employee, once you surpass 20 hours per week, you will be eligible to be paid the Georgia minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour.
Being a student can be financially challenging, leading many students to pick up part-time jobs to make extra money while studying.
Despite a student minimum wage rate, many Georgia employers will not necessarily follow it and pay you equal to or more than the statewide minimum wage.
Many work-study programs are available at universities, which is a route many students go down. Still, coffee shop, cafe, bar, and restaurant jobs are commonly taken by students as they can work them into their class schedule.
Georgia Under 20 Minimum Wage
If you are under 20 years old in Georgia, federal law allows your employer to pay you as little as $4.25 per hour for your first 90 days of employment.
Once the 90-day period is over, you will be eligible to be paid the 2024 Georgia minimum wage of $7.25 per hour or potentially even more.
Fortunately for young workers, this is 90 calendar days and not 90 working days; therefore, it can be completed relatively quickly and within about three months.
Georgia Tipped Minimum Wage
If you are a tipped employee in Georgia (someone who receives regular tips as a part of their job) then you are eligible to be paid a minimum wage of $2.13 per hour, with a tip credit of $5.12 per hour, ensuring that you reach the statewide minimum wage regardless if you make enough hourly tips.
Related: Georgia Server Minimum Wage
Georgia Overtime Minimum Wage
Once you work over 40 hours a week, you are eligible to be paid an overtime rate of 1.5 times your hourly wage for every hour you work past 40.
So, the overtime minimum wage in Georgia is $10.88 per hour, 1.5 times the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
Related: Overtime Minimum Wage in Georgia
Other Georgia Minimum Wage Exemptions
Here are the rest of Georgia’s minimum wage exemptions:
- Those working for employers with sales under $40,000 per year.
- Those working for employers with five or fewer employees.
- Those working for domestic employers.
- Those working for farm owners, sharecroppers, or land renters.
- Those working as newspaper carriers.
Georgia Minimum Wage History
The table below shows the current rate and history of Georgia’s minimum wage over the past 40+ years since 1983.
You can see when there were increases in the minimum wage, how much they were, and what percentage increase it represents each year.
| Year | Minimum Wage | Increase ($) | Increase (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2023 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2022 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2021 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2020 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2019 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2018 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2017 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2016 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2015 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2014 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2013 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2012 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2011 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2010 | $7.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 2009 | $7.25 | $0.25 | 3.8% |
| 2008 | $6.55 | $1.40 | 27.18% |
| 2007 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2006 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2005 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2004 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2003 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2002 | $5.15 | $0 | 0% |
| 2001 | $5.15 | $1.90 | 58.46% |
| 2000 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1999 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1998 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1997 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1996 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1995 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1994 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1993 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1992 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1991 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1990 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1989 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1988 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1987 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1986 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1985 | $3.25 | $0 | 0% |
| 1984 | $3.25 | $2 | 160% |
| 1983 | $1.25 | $0 | 0% |
Georgia Minimum Wage News
With the minimum wage being such a hot topic, with things changing and new laws coming into play seemingly all the time, we have created a news section to update you on the latest news happening with Georgia’s minimum wage.
- New Bill Looking to $15 Per Hour: A new bill has been introduced to the latest legislative session that would allow local governments within GA to set their minimum wage, similar to California’s at $15.50 per hour, with cities in other regions of the state seeing a higher minimum wage.
Georgia Minimum Wage Poster and Department of Labor Contact Details
As a Georgia employer, you need to keep yourself compliant with the law. To do this, you need to display a Georgia Labor Law poster in a prominent place.
The good news is that you can acquire one of these posters for free from the Department of Labor website, and download the poster.
If you wish to contact the department directly, here are all of the contact details you need:
Department of Labor
223 Courtland St NE, Atlanta,
GA 30303, USA
Telephone: +1 877-709-8185
Email the Department
