The Tampa minimum wage is $12.00 per hour in late 2023 and for the majority of 2024.
Tampa is the third most populous city in Florida.
Many call Tampa their place of work and business as well as their home for an abundance of reasons, with the most common being the fantastic tropical climate paired with a comparatively low cost of living and low business taxes.
The following graphic displays the Tampa minimum wage rate over the past several years, which has been increasing at a consistent and gradual rate each year.
If you scroll to the bottom of the page, we have included a table that shows you the history of the Tampa minimum wage for every year since 1983.
The weekly minimum wage in Tampa, FL, works out at $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.
Tampa Minimum Wage Exemptions
There are rules and laws in place to ensure that employers are paying their employees the minimum wage or above in Tampa, Florida unless they are exempt employees.
The minimum wage rates for exempt employees in Tampa FL are as follows:
- Tampa’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 Tampa 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 Tampa is $18 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 Tampa minimum wage rate of $12 per hour.
- Another exemption to the city’s minimum wage rate is an indoor and outdoor lighting company called Volt Lighting, which increased its minimum wage to $20 per hour after stating that the $12 per hour minimum wage is not sustainable as a living wage.
What is the Tampa Living Wage?
Due to Tampa being such a large city with a busy and ever-growing population and a competitive job market, you would anticipate the average minimum wage rate to be slightly higher than $12 per hour.
However, there is a ‘living wage’ for Tampa, which is calculated based on how much a person needs to pay their bills, groceries, and general cost of living expenses when living in the city.
The living wage for an adult living alone with no children in Tampa is $17.89 per hour (via Living Wage Calculator), which is $5.89 higher than the minimum wage for the state itself.
Fortunately, certain employers in Tampa 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 Tampa is $37,211.20 before state income tax in Florida.
Tampa Living Wage for 1 Adult
Below is a table representing the living wage in Tampa 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 | $17.89 | $36.07 | $46.43 | $61.01 |
| Poverty Wage | $6.53 | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 |
Tampa Living Wage for 2 Adults
The table below showcases the living wage in Tampa 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 | $27.56 | $34.02 | $38.79 | $43.14 |
| Poverty Wage | $8.80 | $11.07 | $13.34 | $15.61 |
What is the Average Wage in Tampa?
According to payscale.com, the average base hourly rate is approximately $19.77 per hour in Tampa.
If you worked full-time (40 hours per week or 2080 hours per year), your average annual gross income would be approximately $41,121.60.
So, as an employee in Tampa, you have a great chance of being paid a higher wage than the minimum wage of $12.00 per hour.
It is important to note that the average wage in Tampa 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 Tampa is $17.89 and the average salary equates to an effective hourly rate of $19.77 per hour, Tampa is most certainly considered to be a good choice for those seeking a move to the Sunshine State who can find the right paying job.
Tampa Minimum Wage Increase Schedule
Tampa had the first increase in its minimum wage per the state’s 2020 constitutional amendment on September 30, 2022.
The second increase occurred on September 30, 2023, when it moved up 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
Tampa Minimum Wage History
The table below displays the historical minimum wage rates in Tampa since 1983. As you can see, the table also includes percentage increases as well as the dollar increase per year.
The biggest percentage increase from one year to the next occurred between 2005 and 2006. The increase in the minimum wage was 24.27%!
| Florida City | Minimum Wage | Year | $ Wage Increase | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa | $12.00 | 2023-2024 | $1.00 | 9% |
| Tampa | $11.00 | 2022-2023 | $1.00 | 10% |
| Tampa | $10.00 | 2021-2022 | $1.35 | 15.6% |
| Tampa | $8.65 | 2021 | $0.09 | 1.05% |
| Tampa | $8.56 | 2020 | $0.10 | 1.2% |
| Tampa | $8.46 | 2019 | $0.21 | 2.5% |
| Tampa | $8.25 | 2018 | $0.15 | 1.8% |
| Tampa | $8.10 | 2017 | $0.05 | 0.6% |
| Tampa | $8.05 | 2016 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $8.05 | 2015 | $0.12 | 1.5% |
| Tampa | $7.93 | 2014 | $0.14 | 1.8% |
| Tampa | $7.79 | 2013 | $0.12 | 1.6% |
| Tampa | $7.67 | 2012 | $0.36 | 4.9% |
| Tampa | $7.31 | 2011 | $0.06 | 0.82% |
| Tampa | $7.25 | 2010 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $7.25 | 2009 | $0.46 | 6.8% |
| Tampa | $6.79 | 2008 | $0.12 | 1.8% |
| Tampa | $6.67 | 2007 | $0.27 | 4.22% |
| Tampa | $6.40 | 2006 | $1.25 | 24.27% |
| Tampa | $5.15 | 2005 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $5.15 | 2004 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $5.15 | 2003 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $5.15 | 2002 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $5.15 | 2001 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $5.15 | 2000 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $5.15 | 1999 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $5.15 | 1998 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $5.15 | 1997 | $0.40 | 8.42% |
| Tampa | $4.75 | 1996 | $0.50 | 11.76% |
| Tampa | $4.25 | 1995 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $4.25 | 1994 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $4.25 | 1993 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $4.25 | 1992 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $4.25 | 1991 | $0.45 | 11.84% |
| Tampa | $3.80 | 1990 | $0.45 | 13.43% |
| Tampa | $3.35 | 1989 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $3.35 | 1988 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $3.35 | 1987 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $3.35 | 1986 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $3.35 | 1985 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $3.35 | 1984 | $0 | 0% |
| Tampa | $3.35 | 1983 | $0 | 0% |
Final Thoughts
The minimum wage in Tampa in 2023 and most of 2024 is the same rate as the Florida state minimum wage, following an hourly wage of $12.00 per hour.
As an employee in Tampa, 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 Tampa employers will pay more than $12.00 per hour to their employees.
