$15 an hour is $31,200 a year
$15 an hour is $31,200 a year before tax at 40 hours a week. After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare:
You keep
$27,249
a year after taxes
- Every two weeks
- $1,048
- A month
- $2,271
- Effective tax rate
- 12.7%
US Before state and local income tax
| Line | Every two weeks | Year |
|---|---|---|
GROSS Gross pay |
$1,200.00 | $31,200.00 |
FED Federal income tax |
-$60.15 | -$1,564.00 |
OASDI Social Security tax |
-$74.40 | -$1,934.40 |
MED Medicare tax |
-$17.40 | -$452.40 |
NET Take-home pay | $1,048.05 | $27,249.20 |
Most states also tax wages. Take-home pay in all 50 states and DC is further down.
$15 an hour per paycheck, month and day
| Period | Gross | Taxes | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | $31,200 | -$3,951 | $27,249 |
| Month | $2,600 | -$329 | $2,271 |
| Every two weeks | $1,200 | -$152 | $1,048 |
| Week | $600 | -$76 | $524 |
| Day | $120 | -$15 | $105 |
Biweekly means 26 paychecks a year. A day is one of 260 working days (five a week). "Taxes and deductions" includes every line on the stub above.
If you work more or fewer hours
| Hours a week | Yearly gross | Yearly take-home |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | $15,600 | $14,407 |
| 25 | $19,500 | $17,668 |
| 30 | $23,400 | $20,880 |
| 35 | $27,300 | $24,092 |
| 40 | $31,200 | $27,249 |
| 45 (5 overtime) | $37,050 | $32,184 |
| 50 (10 overtime) | $42,900 | $37,118 |
From 2026, federal income tax exempts the overtime premium (the extra half of time-and-a-half) up to $12,500 a year for single filers. Social Security, Medicare still apply to it.
What $15 an hour affords
- Rent at 30% of gross pay
- $780 a month
- Needs (50% of take-home)
- $1,135 a month
- Wants (30%)
- $681 a month
- Savings and debt (20%)
- $454 a month
The 30% rule is the benchmark HUD uses for housing cost burden. The 50/30/20 split applies to the $2,271 monthly take-home figure above.
$15 an hour after taxes in every state
8 states take no state income tax or payroll contributions from $15 an hour ($31,200 a year). Among the rest, Alaska takes the least ($156 a year) and Oregon the most ($1,997, or $77 per biweekly paycheck).
| State | State taxes | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $0 | $27,249 |
| Nevada | $0 | $27,249 |
| New Hampshire | $0 | $27,249 |
| North Dakota | $0 | $27,249 |
| South Dakota | $0 | $27,249 |
| Tennessee | $0 | $27,249 |
| Texas | $0 | $27,249 |
| Wyoming | $0 | $27,249 |
| Alaska | $156 | $27,093 |
| South Carolina | $322 | $26,927 |
| New Mexico | $363 | $26,886 |
| Arizona | $378 | $26,872 |
| Ohio | $388 | $26,862 |
| Washington | $433 | $26,816 |
| Missouri | $511 | $26,739 |
| Mississippi | $516 | $26,733 |
| Iowa | $534 | $26,715 |
| Louisiana | $551 | $26,698 |
| Idaho | $555 | $26,694 |
| Nebraska | $565 | $26,684 |
| Utah | $585 | $26,664 |
| Vermont | $611 | $26,638 |
| Connecticut | $640 | $26,610 |
| Wisconsin | $650 | $26,599 |
| California | $652 | $26,598 |
| Arkansas | $667 | $26,582 |
| Montana | $710 | $26,540 |
| New Jersey | $722 | $26,527 |
| Hawaii | $735 | $26,514 |
| North Carolina | $736 | $26,513 |
| Maine | $751 | $26,499 |
| West Virginia | $765 | $26,484 |
| District of Columbia | $772 | $26,477 |
| Colorado | $802 | $26,448 |
| Georgia | $808 | $26,441 |
| Oklahoma | $859 | $26,391 |
| Indiana | $891 | $26,358 |
| Rhode Island | $896 | $26,353 |
| Kansas | $959 | $26,291 |
| Kentucky | $974 | $26,275 |
| Pennsylvania | $980 | $26,270 |
| Virginia | $980 | $26,269 |
| Minnesota | $991 | $26,259 |
| Michigan | $1,073 | $26,176 |
| Maryland | $1,116 | $26,133 |
| Delaware | $1,180 | $26,070 |
| Alabama | $1,231 | $26,019 |
| New York | $1,254 | $25,995 |
| Massachusetts | $1,384 | $25,866 |
| Illinois | $1,400 | $25,850 |
| Oregon | $1,997 | $25,252 |
Questions people ask about $15 an hour
$15 an hour is how much a year?
$15 an hour is $31,200 a year before tax at 40 hours a week and 52 paid weeks. At 35 hours a week it is $27,300, and at 30 hours $23,400.
How much is $15 an hour after taxes?
After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, a single filer keeps $27,249 a year. State tax brings that down to between $25,252 (Oregon) and $27,249 (Wyoming, no state tax).
How much is $15 an hour biweekly after taxes?
$15 an hour is $1,200 gross every two weeks. After taxes (before state tax) a biweekly paycheck comes to about $1,048.
$15 an hour is how much a month?
$15 an hour is $2,600 a month before tax and about $2,271 after tax before state tax, averaged over 12 months.
How much rent can I afford on $15 an hour?
The 30% rule puts rent at $780 a month on $2,600 gross. Budgeting from take-home pay with 50/30/20, all needs including rent get $1,135.
Which state takes the least tax from $15 an hour?
8 states take no state income tax or payroll contributions from wages, so $15 an hour leaves $27,249 there. Oregon leaves the least, $25,252.
Try your own numbers
Sources and assumptions
Tax year 2026. Annual tax for a filer with no dependents, no other income and no credits, working 52 weeks. Hours over 40 a week are paid at 1.5×. Local income taxes are not included. How we calculate.
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32: federal brackets and standard deduction (retrieved 2026-09-26)
- Social Security Administration: 2026 wage base; IRS: Medicare and Additional Medicare Tax