Hourly to Salary Calculator 2026
Convert any hourly wage to annual, monthly, biweekly, weekly, and daily salary instantly. Includes 2026 tax thresholds and US average wage benchmarks.
Last updated April 2026 · Sources: BLS Employment Cost Index Q1 2026, MIT Living Wage Calculator, US Department of Labor wage data
Your wage
Equivalent salary
Common hourly wages converted
Quick reference for full-time work (40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, gross before taxes).
| Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Bi-weekly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $20,800 | $1,733 | $800 | $400 |
| $15 | $31,200 | $2,600 | $1,200 | $600 |
| $20 | $41,600 | $3,467 | $1,600 | $800 |
| $25 | $52,000 | $4,333 | $2,000 | $1,000 |
| $30 | $62,400 | $5,200 | $2,400 | $1,200 |
| $40 | $83,200 | $6,933 | $3,200 | $1,600 |
| $50 | $104,000 | $8,667 | $4,000 | $2,000 |
| $75 | $156,000 | $13,000 | $6,000 | $3,000 |
| $100 | $208,000 | $17,333 | $8,000 | $4,000 |
All numbers are gross (pre-tax). Take-home pay is typically 20-35% lower after federal income tax, FICA, state tax, and any deductions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert hourly wage to annual salary?
The basic formula is: Annual Salary = Hourly Rate × Hours Per Week × Weeks Worked Per Year. The standard assumption is 40 hours per week × 52 weeks per year = 2,080 hours, so a $25/hour wage becomes $52,000 per year. This assumes you work every week including holidays. If you take 2 weeks of unpaid vacation, multiply by 50 weeks instead, which gives $50,000.
Does this calculation account for taxes?
No — these numbers are gross (before-tax) figures. Your take-home pay will be 20-35% lower after federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security (6.2% on the first $184,500 in 2026), Medicare (1.45% with no cap), and any health insurance, retirement, or other deductions. Use our paycheck calculator for a more accurate after-tax breakdown specific to your state.
How many hours are in a typical work year?
2,080 hours is the standard assumption (40 hours × 52 weeks). The actual figure varies. With 10 paid holidays and 2 weeks of paid vacation, you typically work 1,920 hours. With unpaid leave, the working hours drop further but the salary stays the same. Federal employees typically use 2,080 as the official figure for converting between hourly and salary positions.
What is the federal minimum wage in 2026?
The federal minimum wage remains $7.25/hour, unchanged since 2009. This translates to roughly $15,080/year for a 40-hour week. Most states have set higher minimums: California is $16.50, Washington is $16.66, New York City is $16.50, and Florida is $14.00 with annual increases planned through 2026. About 30 states have minimums above the federal floor. Several major cities have local minimums above their state level.
What is a livable hourly wage in 2026?
According to MIT Living Wage Calculator data updated in 2026, a single adult with no children needs roughly $20-25/hour to cover basic expenses in most US metros. Two working adults with two children typically need $25-30 each ($50-60 combined). The numbers are higher in expensive cities like San Francisco ($30+), Boston, Seattle, and New York, and lower in rural areas of states like Mississippi, West Virginia, and Arkansas.
How does part-time work affect the calculation?
Just adjust hours per week. A 20-hour part-time worker at $25/hour earns $26,000/year, half of a full-time worker at the same rate. Many part-time positions do not include benefits like health insurance or paid time off, which makes the effective compensation gap larger than the raw hourly rate suggests. Adding the value of benefits typically increases full-time compensation by 20-30%.
What about overtime pay in the calculation?
This calculator assumes straight-time pay only. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt hourly workers must receive 1.5x their regular rate for hours over 40 per week (or in California, over 8 per day). If you regularly work overtime, your effective hourly rate is higher than your base rate. A worker earning $20/hour base who averages 5 overtime hours per week earns roughly $46,800/year instead of $41,600 — 12.5% more from overtime alone.
How many weeks should I use in the calculation?
52 weeks if your job pays for vacation (most full-time salaried jobs). 50 weeks if you take 2 weeks of unpaid vacation. 48 weeks if you take 4 weeks unpaid. Hourly contract workers and consultants typically use 50 weeks because they do not get paid for vacation time. The 2-week difference matters: 50 vs 52 weeks at $25/hour and 40 hours per week is $2,000 less per year.
How do I convert annual salary to hourly?
Reverse the formula: Hourly Rate = Annual Salary / (Hours Per Week × Weeks Per Year). A $75,000/year salary at 40 hours per week × 52 weeks = $36.06/hour. This is useful for comparing job offers between salaried positions and hourly contracts. Salaried workers who routinely work 50-60 hours per week earn a much lower effective hourly rate than the simple math suggests.
What is the average hourly wage in the US in 2026?
According to BLS data through Q1 2026, the average private-sector hourly wage is approximately $35.50, while the median is around $30. These numbers vary widely by industry: leisure and hospitality average $22-25, while professional services average $45-50, and tech and finance average $55-70. The average has grown faster than inflation in recent years, with real wages up about 1-2% annually since 2023.
Should I take a salaried job or hourly?
It depends on hours and benefits. Salaried jobs offer predictable income and usually better benefits (health, retirement, paid leave) but you may work more than 40 hours without extra pay. Hourly jobs offer overtime pay protection but less predictability and sometimes weaker benefits. For workers who regularly do 50+ hours, hourly with overtime often pays more. For workers who can leave at 5 PM, salaried with strong benefits usually wins. Run the math both ways before deciding.
How does the salary compare to common cost-of-living benchmarks?
A common rule of thumb is that housing should cost no more than 30% of gross income. At $52,000/year, that means up to $1,300/month in rent or mortgage. The 50/30/20 budget rule suggests 50% for needs ($26,000), 30% for wants ($15,600), and 20% for savings and debt repayment ($10,400). Whether this works depends on your location — $52,000/year is comfortable in many parts of the Midwest and South but tight in coastal cities.
Sources: BLS Employment Cost Index Q1 2026, US Department of Labor minimum wage data, MIT Living Wage Calculator, Fair Labor Standards Act overtime provisions.
Disclaimer: Gross wage calculations only. Actual take-home pay depends on federal, state, and local taxes plus any benefits deductions.