$18 an hour is $37,440 a year

$18 an hour is $37,440 a year before tax at 40 hours a week. After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare:

You keep

$32,263

a year after taxes

Every two weeks
$1,241
A month
$2,689
Effective tax rate
13.8%

US Before state and local income tax

Pay stub, 40 hours a week, single filer
LineEvery two weeksYear
GROSS Gross pay $1,440.00 $37,440.00
FED Federal income tax -$88.95 -$2,312.80
OASDI Social Security tax -$89.28 -$2,321.28
MED Medicare tax -$20.88 -$542.88
NET Take-home pay$1,240.89$32,263.04

Most states also tax wages. Take-home pay in all 50 states and DC is further down.

$18 an hour per paycheck, month and day

$18 an hour: gross and take-home by pay period (2026, single filer)
PeriodGrossTaxes and deductionsTake-home
Year$37,440-$5,177$32,263
Month$3,120-$431$2,689
Every two weeks$1,440-$199$1,241
Week$720-$100$620
Day$144-$20$124

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

$18 an hour at different weekly hours. Hours over 40 are paid at $27.00 (1.5×).
Hours a weekWeekly grossYearly grossYearly take-homeBiweekly take-home
20$360$18,720$17,026$655
25$450$23,400$20,880$803
30$540$28,080$24,734$951
35$630$32,760$28,503$1,096
40$720$37,440$32,263$1,241
45 (5 overtime)$855$44,460$38,184$1,469
50 (10 overtime)$990$51,480$44,106$1,696

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 $18 an hour affords

Rent at 30% of gross pay
$936 a month
Needs (50% of take-home)
$1,344 a month
Wants (30%)
$807 a month
Savings and debt (20%)
$538 a month

The 30% rule is the benchmark HUD uses for housing cost burden. The 50/30/20 split applies to the $2,689 monthly take-home figure above.

$18 an hour after taxes in every state

8 states take no state income tax or payroll contributions from $18 an hour ($37,440 a year). Among the rest, Alaska takes the least ($187 a year) and Oregon the most ($2,522, or $97 per biweekly paycheck).

Take-home pay on $18 an hour by state, 2026, single filer, highest first
StateState taxesTake-home a yearBiweekly
Florida$0$32,263$1,241
Nevada$0$32,263$1,241
New Hampshire$0$32,263$1,241
North Dakota$0$32,263$1,241
South Dakota$0$32,263$1,241
Tennessee$0$32,263$1,241
Texas$0$32,263$1,241
Wyoming$0$32,263$1,241
Alaska$187$32,076$1,234
South Carolina$447$31,816$1,224
Washington$519$31,744$1,221
Arizona$534$31,730$1,220
Ohio$579$31,684$1,219
New Mexico$643$31,620$1,216
Louisiana$738$31,525$1,212
Mississippi$766$31,497$1,211
Iowa$771$31,492$1,211
Missouri$795$31,468$1,210
Vermont$820$31,443$1,209
Nebraska$824$31,439$1,209
Idaho$886$31,377$1,207
Arkansas$898$31,365$1,206
New Jersey$909$31,354$1,206
Utah$944$31,319$1,205
Wisconsin$958$31,305$1,204
West Virginia$962$31,301$1,204
California$967$31,296$1,204
North Carolina$985$31,278$1,203
Montana$1,003$31,260$1,202
Indiana$1,075$31,188$1,200
Colorado$1,104$31,159$1,198
Georgia$1,120$31,143$1,198
Oklahoma$1,139$31,124$1,197
Maine$1,144$31,119$1,197
District of Columbia$1,146$31,117$1,197
Hawaii$1,151$31,112$1,197
Pennsylvania$1,176$31,087$1,196
Kentucky$1,193$31,070$1,195
Connecticut$1,195$31,068$1,195
Rhode Island$1,199$31,064$1,195
Kansas$1,289$30,974$1,191
Michigan$1,338$30,925$1,189
Virginia$1,339$30,924$1,189
Minnesota$1,352$30,911$1,189
Maryland$1,412$30,851$1,187
Alabama$1,516$30,747$1,183
Delaware$1,551$30,712$1,181
New York$1,618$30,645$1,179
Illinois$1,708$30,555$1,175
Massachusetts$1,724$30,539$1,175
Oregon$2,522$29,741$1,144

Questions people ask about $18 an hour

$18 an hour is how much a year?

$18 an hour is $37,440 a year before tax at 40 hours a week and 52 paid weeks. At 35 hours a week it is $32,760, and at 30 hours $28,080.

How much is $18 an hour after taxes?

After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, a single filer keeps $32,263 a year. State tax brings that down to between $29,741 (Oregon) and $32,263 (Wyoming, no state tax).

How much is $18 an hour biweekly after taxes?

$18 an hour is $1,440 gross every two weeks. After taxes (before state tax) a biweekly paycheck comes to about $1,241.

$18 an hour is how much a month?

$18 an hour is $3,120 a month before tax and about $2,689 after tax before state tax, averaged over 12 months.

How much rent can I afford on $18 an hour?

The 30% rule puts rent at $936 a month on $3,120 gross. Budgeting from take-home pay with 50/30/20, all needs including rent get $1,344.

Which state takes the least tax from $18 an hour?

8 states take no state income tax or payroll contributions from wages, so $18 an hour leaves $32,263 there. Oregon leaves the least, $29,741.

Try your own numbers

Pay
Filing status, pay frequency, 401(k), health premium

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.