Georgia Minimum Wage 2026
Georgia's minimum wage of $7.25 in 2026 is below average in the United States, and it is the same as than the base federal minimum wage of $7.25 still used in 20 states.
Federal 
Georgia Assuming a standard 40-hour work week, the weekly minimum wage in Georgia is $290. For full-time employees working 52 weeks per year, the annual minimum wage in Georgia is $15.1K.
Based on $7.25/hr minimum
Based on $7.25/hr minimum
The minimum wage rate of Georgia and its neighboring states ranges from $7.25 to $15, with an average of $8.54. Georgia, at $7.25, has the lowest hourly minimum wage within this group of states. Florida ($15) has higher hourly rates than Georgia. Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee share the same $7.25 hourly rate as Georgia.
Georgia While the general minimum wage is $7.25 per hour in Georgia, there are exceptions where workers may legally receive less than this amount:
Can be paid $2.13/hr in cash wages if tips bring them up to at least $7.25/hr.
Workers under 20 years old may be paid a lower “training wage” ($4.25/hr) for the first 90 consecutive days of employment.
Full-time students in retail, service, or agriculture may also qualify for a lower wage under federal rules (85% of minimum).
Apprentices registered under federal/state programs can be paid less than the standard minimum.
Georgia's cost of living index for 2025 is 92.5, which places it as the 36th most expensive state to live in the United States.
National 100
Georgia 92.5
Assuming a standard 40-hour work week, the real wage in Georgia, adjusted for the state’s cost of living index of 92.5, is approximately $7.84 per hour. This means that while the nominal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the purchasing power of those earnings is higher due to Georgia's lower cost of living expenses. For full-time employees, the real weekly earnings amount to roughly $313.51, translating to an annual purchasing power of $16,302.70 when working 52 weeks per year.
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According to the most recent data, the median household income in the United States has seen a significant increase in 2023.
Georgia law sets a minimum wage of $5.15 per hour, but for most workers the higher federal minimum wage applies, as employers subject to federal law must follow the federal rate.
