Maryland?s strong economy should help boost average raises above 4 percent and closer to 5 percent, local economic experts said.

Companies are expected to offer employees raises on average of about 3.5 percent, despite the threat of continued inflation, according to a report by The Conference Board, a nonprofit business research organization. That?s slightly better than the 3.1 percent rise in inflation for 2006 and the 3.3 percent rise in inflation in 2007 that the board predicts.