US Hourly Wage Calculator
Calculate hourly rate from annual salary or convert hourly wage to annual income. Account for vacation, sick time and benefits in total compensation.
Income Details
Hourly Breakdown
What you actually earn per hour
Tax Breakdown:
Pay Frequency Breakdown
Monthly
$4,167
gross
$3,484
net
Weekly
$962
gross
$804
net
Biweekly (Most Common)
$1,924
gross
$1,608
net
Annual
$50,000
gross
$41,805
net
Note:
This assumes full-time employment (2,080 hours per year - 40 hours/week, 52 weeks/year). The calculation uses simplified tax brackets and does not include deductions, credits, or pre-tax benefits (401k, health insurance, FSA).
Converting Between Hourly, Weekly, Monthly, and Annual
Standard conversions for full-time work (40 hours/week, 52 weeks): hourly x 40 = weekly, weekly x 52 = annual, annual / 12 = monthly, annual / 26 = biweekly. So $25/hour = $1,000/week = $52,000/year = $4,333/month = $2,000/biweekly. Adjust for unpaid lunch breaks (typically 30 min/day = 2.5 hours/week) if you only get paid for actual work hours.
Real-world hours are not always 40. Some salaried jobs effectively pay 50-60 hours/week, dropping the implicit hourly rate. A $80,000 salary at 40 hours = $38.46/hour; at 55 hours = $27.97/hour. Comparing offers across companies should normalise to 40-hour-week equivalents to be apples-to-apples.
Federal vs State Minimum Wage
Federal minimum wage has been $7.25/hour since 2009. Many states and cities have set higher local minimums: California $16/hour from 2024, New York $15-$16, Washington $16.28, Florida $13 (rising annually to $15 by 2026). Cities can go higher: Seattle $19.97 for large employers, San Francisco $18.67, NYC food service $16.
When state and federal differ, the higher applies. Tipped workers have a separate (lower) federal minimum of $2.13/hour, with the difference made up by tips. Many states (California, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota) require full minimum wage with tips on top - a structural reason restaurant prices in those states are higher.
What Hourly Looks Like After Tax
A $25/hour wage in California with full-time hours nets roughly $19/hour after federal, FICA, and state tax. In Texas (no state tax), the same $25 nets about $21/hour. In NYC (state + city tax), about $18/hour. The marginal hourly rate matters more than the headline if you are budgeting around take-home pay.
Overtime is calculated at 1.5x your regular rate for non-exempt employees over 40 hours/week (federal FLSA standard, some states have daily-overtime rules too). $25/hour with 5 hours of overtime in a week pays $25 x 40 + $37.50 x 5 = $1,187.50 gross. The [US Overtime Calculator](/us-overtime-calculator) handles the exact math including state-specific rules.
Comparing Hourly to Salary Offers
When comparing a salary offer to your current hourly job, account for: paid time off (15-25 days = $3,000-6,000 of value at $20-30/hour), employer health insurance ($500-1,500/month value), 401(k) match (3-6% of salary), and overtime potential lost on salary. A $52k salary with full benefits often beats $25/hour with no benefits, even though they look identical on paper.
The opposite case: if your hourly job has consistent overtime, a $25/hour worker doing 50 hours/week earns $30,500/year more than someone doing exactly 40 - so the equivalent salary is closer to $80,000 to make the move. Use the [US Salary vs Hourly Comparison](/us-salary-vs-hourly) for full benefits-adjusted math.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many work hours are in a year?
Standard full-time = 40 hours/week x 52 weeks = 2,080 hours/year. Subtract for unpaid lunch breaks if applicable. A salaried role with 15 vacation + 10 holidays might still work 1,880 hours but be paid for the full 2,080.
Are tipped wages legal?
Yes, in most states. Federal minimum for tipped workers is $2.13/hour as long as tips bring total to $7.25+. Seven states (California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada) eliminate the tipped minimum entirely. New York and DC have phased systems.
Does '$1 an hour raise' mean a lot?
It compounds quickly. $1/hour raise = $40/week = $2,080/year before tax. Over a 30-year career with no further raises, that is $62,400 in cumulative gross pay. Always negotiate hourly raises; even $0.50/hour adds up meaningfully over years.
What is a living wage?
Living wage estimates (MIT Living Wage Calculator) are higher than minimum wage in nearly every metro. A single adult in 2024 needs roughly $20-25/hour in low-cost cities and $30-40/hour in expensive ones to cover housing, food, transportation, and basics without subsidies.
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