The minimum wage in Salt Lake City, UT, is $7.25 per hour in 2023.
Salt Lake City has been rapidly gaining in popularity over recent years, and the trend does not seem to be slowing down any time soon.
People move to the city due to how safe it is for raising a family, with the addition of the surrounding natural beauty and unparalleled outdoor access (both in the summer and winter), friendly people, a stable and ever-growing economy, and abundant job opportunities.
The following graphic showcases the Salt Lake City minimum wage rate over the past several years, which, unfortunately for many, has not increased.
The weekly minimum wage in Salt Lake City equates to $290 ($7.25×40) if you are working full-time (40 hours per week). There are, however, some exceptions to this hourly wage for student workers, tipped employees such as servers, and overtime workers, who will all receive different minimum wage rates.
Salt Lake City Minimum Wage Exemptions
The state of Utah does not have its own specific minimum wage policy, which is why it is pegged to the federal minimum wage rate, and subsequently, so does Salt Lake City.
There are rules and laws in place to ensure that employers are paying their employees the minimum wage or above in Salt Lake City, Utah unless they are exempt employees.
Below we have listed all the minimum wage rates for exempt employees in Salt Lake City:
- Salt Lake City’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 Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City is $10.88 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 Salt Lake City minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour.
What is the Salt Lake City Living Wage?
Due to Salt Lake City being a large city with a growing and competitive job market, you would expect there to be a higher minimum wage in the city. However, this is not the case for many Salt Lake City residents, as the rate in the city still follows the state minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour.
However, there is a ‘living wage’ for Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City is $18.06 per hour (via Living Wage Calculator), which is $10.81 higher than the minimum wage for the state itself.
Fortunately, most employers in Salt Lake City 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 in the form of an annual salary (for a full-time person) in Salt Lake City is $37,564.80 before state income tax in Utah.
What is the Average Wage in Salt Lake City?
Taking all the above factors into account, let’s now take a look at what the average wage is for employees in Salt Lake City.
According to payscale.com, the average base hourly rate is $20.58 per hour in Salt Lake City. If you worked full-time (40 hours per week or 2080 hours per year), your average annual income would be $42,806.40. So, as an employee or future employee in Salt Lake City, you have a good chance of being paid a higher wage than the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
It is important to note that these are just averages, and sure, whilst most Salt Lake City employees will be paid $20.58 or even more, there are many workers in Salt Lake City who are subject to the statewide minimum wage rate, such as servers in Utah.
If the living wage in Salt Lake City is $18.06 and the average salary equates to an effective hourly rate of $20.58 per hour, Salt Lake City can be considered a good choice for those seeking a move to the Beehive State.
Salt Lake City Living Wage for 1 Adult
Below is a table representing the living wage in Salt Lake City for a single adult, with different living wage amounts for the additional amount of dependent children they live with and care for.
| Single Adult | 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living Wage | $18.06 | $37.23 | $47.24 | $62.70 |
| Poverty Wage | $6.53 | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 |
Salt Lake City Living Wage for 2 Adults
The table below showcases the living wage in Salt Lake City for two adults with only one working, including the costs for the different numbers of dependent children.
| 2 Adults (1 working) | 0 Children | 1 Child | 2 Children | 3 Children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Living Wage | $28.90 | $36.33 | $41.53 | $47.49 |
| Poverty Wage | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 | $15.61 |
Salt Lake City Minimum Wage History
The table below displays the historical minimum wage rates in Salt Lake City since 1983. As you can see in the table, we have included percentage increases as well as the dollar increase per year, but the reality is that Utah or Salt Lake City has not increased its minimum wage for many years.
| Utah City | Wage | Year | $ Wage Increase | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2023 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2022 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2021 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2020 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2019 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2018 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2017 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2016 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2015 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2014 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2013 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2012 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2011 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2010 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $7.25 | 2009 | $0.70 | 10.6% |
| Salt Lake City | $6.55 | 2008 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $6.55 | 2007 | $0.70 | 11.96% |
| Salt Lake City | $5.85 | 2006 | $0.70 | 13.59% |
| Salt Lake City | $5.15 | 2005 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $5.15 | 2004 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $5.15 | 2003 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $5.15 | 2002 | $0 | 53.73% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 2001 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 2000 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1999 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1998 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1997 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1996 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1995 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1994 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1993 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1992 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1991 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1990 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1989 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1988 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $3.35 | 1987 | $1.95 | 139.28% |
| Salt Lake City | $1.40 | 1986 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $1.40 | 1985 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $1.40 | 1984 | $0 | 0% |
| Salt Lake City | $1.40 | 1983 | $0 | 0% |
Final Thoughts
The minimum wage in Salt Lake City is the same rate as the Utah state minimum wage, which also follows federal guidelines, resulting in an hourly wage for both Salt Lake City and Utah of $7.25 per hour. As an employee in Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City employers will pay more than $7.25 per hour to their employees.
