$42 an hour is $87,360 a year
$42 an hour is $87,360 a year before tax at 40 hours a week. After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare:
You keep
$70,288
a year after taxes
- Every two weeks
- $2,703
- A month
- $5,857
- Effective tax rate
- 19.5%
US Before state and local income tax
| Line | Every two weeks | Year |
|---|---|---|
GROSS Gross pay |
$3,360.00 | $87,360.00 |
FED Federal income tax |
-$399.58 | -$10,389.20 |
OASDI Social Security tax |
-$208.32 | -$5,416.32 |
MED Medicare tax |
-$48.72 | -$1,266.72 |
NET Take-home pay | $2,703.38 | $70,287.76 |
Most states also tax wages. Take-home pay in all 50 states and DC is further down.
$42 an hour per paycheck, month and day
| Period | Gross | Taxes | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | $87,360 | -$17,072 | $70,288 |
| Month | $7,280 | -$1,423 | $5,857 |
| Every two weeks | $3,360 | -$657 | $2,703 |
| Week | $1,680 | -$328 | $1,352 |
| Day | $336 | -$66 | $270 |
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 | $43,680 | $37,277 |
| 25 | $54,600 | $46,051 |
| 30 | $65,520 | $54,825 |
| 35 | $76,440 | $62,606 |
| 40 | $87,360 | $70,288 |
| 45 (5 overtime) | $103,740 | $83,012 |
| 50 (10 overtime) | $120,120 | $95,737 |
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 $42 an hour affords
- Rent at 30% of gross pay
- $2,184 a month
- Needs (50% of take-home)
- $2,929 a month
- Wants (30%)
- $1,757 a month
- Savings and debt (20%)
- $1,171 a month
The 30% rule is the benchmark HUD uses for housing cost burden. The 50/30/20 split applies to the $5,857 monthly take-home figure above.
$42 an hour after taxes in every state
7 states take no state income tax or payroll contributions from $42 an hour ($87,360 a year). Among the rest, Alaska takes the least ($271 a year) and Oregon the most ($6,698, or $258 per biweekly paycheck).
| State | State taxes | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $0 | $70,288 |
| Nevada | $0 | $70,288 |
| New Hampshire | $0 | $70,288 |
| South Dakota | $0 | $70,288 |
| Tennessee | $0 | $70,288 |
| Texas | $0 | $70,288 |
| Wyoming | $0 | $70,288 |
| Alaska | $271 | $70,017 |
| North Dakota | $423 | $69,865 |
| Washington | $1,212 | $69,076 |
| Arizona | $1,782 | $68,506 |
| Ohio | $1,966 | $68,322 |
| Louisiana | $2,236 | $68,052 |
| Indiana | $2,548 | $67,740 |
| Iowa | $2,668 | $67,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,743 | $67,545 |
| Arkansas | $2,745 | $67,543 |
| Mississippi | $2,762 | $67,525 |
| Kentucky | $2,940 | $67,348 |
| New Mexico | $2,950 | $67,338 |
| North Carolina | $2,977 | $67,311 |
| Missouri | $3,095 | $67,193 |
| Nebraska | $3,095 | $67,192 |
| West Virginia | $3,112 | $67,176 |
| Vermont | $3,306 | $66,982 |
| Oklahoma | $3,386 | $66,902 |
| Michigan | $3,460 | $66,828 |
| South Carolina | $3,477 | $66,811 |
| Colorado | $3,520 | $66,768 |
| Idaho | $3,532 | $66,756 |
| Montana | $3,575 | $66,713 |
| Alabama | $3,609 | $66,679 |
| Georgia | $3,611 | $66,677 |
| Rhode Island | $3,620 | $66,668 |
| Wisconsin | $3,677 | $66,611 |
| Maryland | $3,784 | $66,504 |
| Utah | $3,814 | $66,474 |
| New Jersey | $3,932 | $66,356 |
| Kansas | $4,075 | $66,213 |
| Illinois | $4,180 | $66,108 |
| Virginia | $4,209 | $66,079 |
| Massachusetts | $4,450 | $65,838 |
| New York | $4,529 | $65,759 |
| District of Columbia | $4,551 | $65,737 |
| Maine | $4,665 | $65,622 |
| Connecticut | $4,667 | $65,621 |
| Delaware | $4,774 | $65,514 |
| Minnesota | $4,805 | $65,483 |
| Hawaii | $4,836 | $65,452 |
| California | $5,015 | $65,273 |
| Oregon | $6,698 | $63,590 |
Questions people ask about $42 an hour
$42 an hour is how much a year?
$42 an hour is $87,360 a year before tax at 40 hours a week and 52 paid weeks. At 35 hours a week it is $76,440, and at 30 hours $65,520.
How much is $42 an hour after taxes?
After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, a single filer keeps $70,288 a year. State tax brings that down to between $63,590 (Oregon) and $70,288 (Wyoming, no state tax).
How much is $42 an hour biweekly after taxes?
$42 an hour is $3,360 gross every two weeks. After taxes (before state tax) a biweekly paycheck comes to about $2,703.
$42 an hour is how much a month?
$42 an hour is $7,280 a month before tax and about $5,857 after tax before state tax, averaged over 12 months.
How much rent can I afford on $42 an hour?
The 30% rule puts rent at $2,184 a month on $7,280 gross. Budgeting from take-home pay with 50/30/20, all needs including rent get $2,929.
Which state takes the least tax from $42 an hour?
7 states take no state income tax or payroll contributions from wages, so $42 an hour leaves $70,288 there. Oregon leaves the least, $63,590.
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