Ever tried digging through government spreadsheets? It’s a headache. If you're looking for the real deal on Maryland state employee salaries 2024, you've probably realized the data is scattered across PDFs, budget memos, and university archives. It’s a lot to take in.
Honestly, the numbers are pretty surprising this year. We aren't just talking about a couple of bucks here and there. Between cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) and major shifts in the salary scales, the Maryland state payroll looks a lot different than it did even eighteen months ago.
Whether you're a current employee checking your "step," a job seeker wondering if the commute to Annapolis is worth it, or just a curious taxpayer, here is what’s actually happening with the money.
The Big Pay Raise: What Changed on July 1
Most people missed the fine print in the FY 2025 budget. Effective July 1, 2024, the majority of regular state employees saw a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) hit their paychecks.
But wait, there's more.
If you’ve been with the state for a while, you might have also bagged an "increment." That’s a fancy government word for a step increase. For many, these increments happen either on July 1 or January 1, depending on when you first started.
Here’s the kicker: The state also played around with the structure of the pay plan itself. On January 1, 2024, they actually added two brand new steps (Step 25 and Step 26) to the Standard Salary Schedule. Why? To help older, long-tenured employees who had "topped out" and hadn't seen a raise in years. Then, on June 30, they chopped off Step 2 from the bottom to raise the starting floor.
It’s basically a massive game of musical chairs with your bank account.
Who is Making the Most Money?
You might think the Governor is the top earner. You'd be wrong.
While Governor Wes Moore earns about $184,000, he isn't even in the top fifty. If you want the real big bucks, you have to look at the University of Maryland.
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- Michael Locksley (Head Football Coach): $6,001,000
- Kevin Willard (Men's Basketball Coach): $4,078,000
- Brenda Frese (Women's Basketball Coach): $2,326,000
- Carey M. Wright (State Superintendent of Schools): $337,006
It’s a classic trend. In Maryland, like most states, the people leading the sports teams or high-level academic medicine make significantly more than the folks running the actual government agencies.
Even within the "regular" agencies, the gap is wide. A Secretary of Natural Resources makes roughly $215,000, while a Geriatric Nursing Assistant I might start as low as $25,502. That’s a tough reality when you consider the cost of living in places like Montgomery County or Anne Arundel.
Understanding the Grades and Steps
Maryland uses a "Grade and Step" system. Think of a grade as your job's "level" and a step as your "seniority."
- Grade 1-10: Usually entry-level, clerical, or manual labor roles.
- Grade 11-18: Professional staff, specialists, and mid-level supervisors.
- Grade 19-26: Senior management, directors, and specialized technical roles.
As of the July 2024 update, a Grade 16 (a very common professional level) starts at around $56,000 and can climb to over $91,000 if you stay long enough to hit the final step.
It’s important to note that these "steps" aren't always automatic. The state budget has to actually fund them every year. If the economy tanks, the first thing that usually goes is the funding for these increments. Luckily, for 2024, the money was there.
The Local vs. State Gap
There is a weird quirk in Maryland: sometimes you're better off working for a county than the state itself.
For instance, looking at Maryland state employee salaries 2024 data, the average weekly wage in Montgomery County is over $2,050. Meanwhile, in places like Worcester County, that average drops to about $902.
If you’re a state worker in a high-cost area, you might feel the pinch more than someone in Western Maryland or the Eastern Shore. The state pays the same base salary for a Grade 12 position regardless of whether you live in expensive Bethesda or more affordable Cumberland. This has led to some serious "vacancy" issues, with a 13.1% vacancy rate in the Executive Branch because the state can't always compete with private-sector or county-level pay.
Maryland Executive Salaries 2024
| Position | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Governor | $184,000 |
| Treasurer | $165,000 |
| Attorney General | $165,000 |
| Secretary of Labor | $215,000 |
| Public Service Commission (Member) | $207,769 |
Why These Numbers Matter Right Now
The Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is currently struggling. They’ve admitted that many state salaries are "below market rate."
If you're looking for a job, this is actually good news for you. Because of the high vacancy rates, the state is being forced to be more aggressive with hiring bonuses and "Annual Salary Reviews" (ASRs) to bump up pay for specific, hard-to-fill roles like IT, nursing, and corrections.
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For example, Correctional Officers recently saw specific bonuses and salary bumps because the state simply couldn't keep the prisons staffed at the old rates.
Practical Next Steps
If you're trying to navigate the world of Maryland state pay, don't just look at the base number. Here is what you should do:
- Check your "Entry-on-Duty" (EOD) date: This determines if you get your next step in July or January. If you started before June 2019, you might even be eligible for an additional step on January 1, 2025.
- Look at the "Service Designation": Are you "Skilled," "Professional," or "Executive"? This changes your rights and how your raises are negotiated.
- Factor in the 24/7 Pay Equity: If you work in a facility that never closes (like a hospital or prison), there are new "pay equity" rules that might bump your step if a new hire comes in at a higher rate than you.
- Download the Latest PDF: The DBM website updates their "Salary Plan" frequently. Don't rely on 2023 data; make sure you're looking at the July 1, 2024 schedules.
Basically, the 2024 landscape is about catching up. The state is trying to fix years of stagnant wages with these 3% COLAs and structural changes. It’s not perfect, but for the roughly 100,000 people on the Maryland payroll, it’s a significant move in the right direction.
Stay on top of the Department of Budget and Management's memos, as they usually drop the news about the next year's COLA during the spring legislative session.