Salary Calculator
Convert hourly wage to annual income instantly
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Free Salary Calculator for US Workers
This free salary calculator converts an hourly wage into annual, monthly, weekly, and daily income estimates in seconds. Whether you're evaluating a job offer, planning your budget, or simply curious what your hourly rate adds up to over a year, this tool gives you clear answers without complicated math.
The calculator is designed for US workers and uses standard assumptions: 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year by default. You can adjust these inputs to match your actual schedule, including part-time hours or unpaid time off. The tool also provides a rough tax estimate based on your state, showing both gross income and approximate take-home pay.
After using this hourly to salary calculator, you can compare your results with the average salary in the US to see where you stand. If you're looking to grow your income, explore our guide to higher paying jobs across industries.
How the Salary Calculator Works
Enter your hourly wage, and the calculator instantly outputs your approximate gross annual, monthly, biweekly, and weekly pay based on standard work weeks. The formula is straightforward: hourly rate Ă— hours per week Ă— weeks per year = annual salary.
For example, if you earn $25 an hour working 40 hours each week for 52 weeks, your gross annual pay is approximately $52,000. At $20 an hour with the same schedule, you'd earn around $41,600 per year. These figures represent gross income before taxes and deductions.
The calculator is approximate and does not automatically account for overtime premiums, bonuses, or variable hours. However, you can adjust the hours and weeks fields to model different scenarios. For the reverse calculation—converting annual salary to hourly—use our annual salary calculator.
Understanding the Calculator Fields
The calculator above has several input and output fields. Here's what each one means and how to use it effectively.
Input Fields
Hourly Rate: Your base pay per hour. This is the main required input. Enter the amount before taxes—what your employer pays you per hour worked.
Hours per Week: Defaults to 40, the standard full-time schedule in the US. Change this if you work part-time (for example, 20 or 30 hours) or extended hours (45, 50, etc.). Note that this field calculates straight time; overtime premiums require manual adjustment to your effective hourly rate.
Weeks per Year: Defaults to 52. Reduce this if you have significant unpaid time off. For example, if you take 2 weeks unpaid vacation, enter 50. Most salaried workers keep this at 52 since paid time off doesn't reduce annual pay.
State Tax Estimate: Select your approximate state tax bracket. This provides a rough estimate—actual taxes depend on filing status, deductions, and local taxes not captured here.
Output Fields
Annual Salary (Gross): Your total yearly earnings before any deductions. This is the primary result most users need.
Monthly, Weekly, Daily: Your gross pay broken into smaller time periods, useful for budgeting or comparing offers presented in different formats.
Net/Take-Home Estimates: Approximate pay after federal, state, and FICA taxes. These are estimates—your actual take-home depends on your specific tax situation.
For specific hourly rate conversions, see our dedicated pages: $20 an hour annual salary or $50,000 a year in hourly terms. You can also try our hourly to salary calculator for additional conversion scenarios.
Common Hourly Rate Conversions
The table below shows annual, monthly, and weekly income for common hourly wages, assuming a standard 40-hour week worked 52 weeks per year. These are gross figures before taxes and deductions.
| Hourly Wage | Approx. Annual | Approx. Monthly | Approx. Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12/hour | ~$24,960 | ~$2,080 | ~$480 |
| $15/hour | ~$31,200 | ~$2,600 | ~$600 |
| $20/hour | ~$41,600 | ~$3,467 | ~$800 |
| $25/hour | ~$52,000 | ~$4,333 | ~$1,000 |
| $30/hour | ~$62,400 | ~$5,200 | ~$1,200 |
| $40/hour | ~$83,200 | ~$6,933 | ~$1,600 |
| $50/hour | ~$104,000 | ~$8,667 | ~$2,000 |
| $75/hour | ~$156,000 | ~$13,000 | ~$3,000 |
Remember that these are gross income figures. Actual take-home pay will be lower after federal, state, and FICA taxes, plus any benefits deductions. A $50/hour worker grossing $104,000 might take home $70,000–$80,000 depending on location and tax situation.
How Your Pay Compares to Average and Minimum Wages
Understanding where your hourly rate falls relative to national benchmarks helps you evaluate your current compensation and set realistic goals.
The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour, though many states set higher floors—California, New York, and Washington all exceed $15/hour. At the federal minimum working full-time, annual gross income is just $15,080. Even at $15/hour, full-time work yields only $31,200 annually—well below the national median.
The median full-time worker in the US earns approximately $65,000 per year, which translates to roughly $31/hour. If your hourly rate is below this, you're earning less than half of American full-time workers. If you're above it, you're in the upper half.
Context matters, though. Early-career workers, those in lower-cost regions, and certain industries typically earn less. A $20/hour wage in rural Tennessee provides different purchasing power than $20/hour in San Francisco. For state-specific wage floors and cost-of-living context, see our guide to minimum wage by state.
Gross Pay vs. Net Pay: What You Actually Take Home
The salary calculator shows both gross income (before deductions) and estimated net income (after taxes). Understanding this difference is essential for realistic budgeting.
Gross pay is your total earnings before anything is taken out. This is the number employers typically quote in job offers and the figure used for year-over-year comparisons.
Net pay (take-home pay) is what actually hits your bank account after deductions. The main deductions include federal income tax (varies by bracket, estimated at 22% in our calculator), state income tax (0%–13%+ depending on state), and FICA taxes (7.65% for Social Security and Medicare combined).
Additional deductions might include health insurance premiums, retirement contributions (401k), union dues, or garnishments. These aren't captured in our basic estimate.
As a rough rule, expect to take home 65%–80% of your gross pay depending on your tax situation. A $52,000 gross salary might yield $36,000–$42,000 in actual take-home pay. When evaluating job offers, consider the full compensation package—not just gross salary. Benefits like employer-paid health insurance, retirement matching, and paid time off add significant value. For strategies on maximizing your total compensation, see our salary negotiation guide.
Using This Calculator When Job Hunting
Job offers often come in different formats—one employer quotes $55,000 annually while another offers $28/hour. This calculator helps you compare apples to apples.
Comparing Offers in Different Formats
Convert hourly offers to annual figures (or vice versa) to make direct comparisons. Remember to use the same assumptions for both: if one job is 40 hours/week and another expects 45, adjust accordingly. A $28/hour job at 40 hours ($58,240 annual) might actually pay less than a $26/hour job expecting 45 hours ($60,840 annual)—though the latter requires more of your time.
Modeling Different Scenarios
Use the calculator to test "what if" scenarios. What if you negotiate $2 more per hour? That's an extra $4,160 annually. What if you take a job with only 48 paid weeks instead of 52? You'll see exactly how much that unpaid time costs you.
Research Before You Negotiate
Knowing your market value strengthens your negotiating position. Use salary research tools to find typical pay ranges for your role and location, then use this calculator to translate those figures into formats you can compare. Our guide on using Glassdoor for salary research explains how to find reliable compensation data.
For ambitious targets, explore our guide to jobs that pay $100K a year—you'll see that reaching six figures requires roughly $48/hour at full-time hours.
Common Use Cases: Hourly Workers, Freelancers, and Overtime
Different work arrangements require different approaches to this calculator. Here's how to use it effectively for your situation.
Hourly Employees
If you're paid hourly with a consistent schedule, this calculator gives you a straightforward annual figure. Enter your hourly rate and typical weekly hours. If your hours vary, use your average over a typical month. For seasonal workers, reduce the weeks-per-year field to reflect your actual working season.
Freelancers and Contractors
Self-employed workers can use this calculator as a rough planning tool, but remember that your situation is more complex. You'll pay self-employment tax (an additional 7.65% beyond regular FICA), have no paid time off, and face variable hours. A freelancer needs to earn significantly more per hour than an employee to achieve equivalent take-home pay after accounting for these factors.
Many successful freelancers aim for hourly rates 30–50% higher than comparable employee positions to offset the lack of benefits and employer tax contributions.
Overtime Considerations
This calculator computes straight time only. If you regularly work overtime at time-and-a-half (or double-time), you have two options: calculate your effective average hourly rate including overtime, or run separate calculations for regular and overtime hours and add them together.
For example, if you work 40 regular hours at $20/hour plus 10 overtime hours at $30/hour, your weekly earnings are $800 + $300 = $1,100. That's equivalent to a straight-time rate of $22/hour over 50 hours.
Many skilled trades and blue-collar jobs offer significant overtime. An electrician earning $30/hour base might actually gross $80,000+ annually with regular overtime. Similarly, truck drivers often earn more than their base rate suggests due to per-mile bonuses and extended hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate my annual salary from my hourly wage?
Multiply your hourly rate by hours worked per week, then multiply by weeks worked per year. For a standard full-time schedule: hourly rate Ă— 40 hours Ă— 52 weeks = annual salary. At $20/hour, that's $20 Ă— 40 Ă— 52 = $41,600 per year.
How many hours per week and weeks per year does this calculator use?
The defaults are 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year—the standard US full-time schedule. You can change both fields to match your actual situation. Part-time workers should adjust hours; those with unpaid leave should reduce weeks.
Does this salary calculator include taxes?
Yes, the calculator provides estimated tax deductions including federal income tax (estimated at 22%), state tax (based on your selection), and FICA (7.65%). These are approximations—your actual taxes depend on filing status, deductions, credits, and local taxes not captured here.
Can I use this calculator for part-time work?
Absolutely. Simply enter your actual hours per week instead of 40. A part-time worker at $18/hour for 25 hours per week would enter those values to see approximately $23,400 in annual gross income.
How accurate is this for my real take-home pay?
The gross income calculation is precise given your inputs. The net/take-home estimate is approximate—actual results vary based on tax filing status, deductions, pre-tax benefits contributions, and local taxes. Treat the net figure as a reasonable estimate, not an exact prediction. For precise take-home calculations, consult a tax professional or use your employer's payroll estimates.