How to convert hourly pay to salary
Multiply the hourly rate by the hours you work in a week and by the number of paid weeks in a year. At 40 hours and 52 weeks that is 2,080 hours, so a quick rule is: hourly rate × 2,080 = annual salary, or roughly hourly × 2 × 1,000. $25 an hour is about $52,000 a year; $50,000 a year is about $24 an hour.
| Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| $7.25 | $290 | $1,257 | $15,080 |
| $15 | $600 | $2,600 | $31,200 |
| $20 | $800 | $3,467 | $41,600 |
| $25 | $1,000 | $4,333 | $52,000 |
| $30 | $1,200 | $5,200 | $62,400 |
| $40 | $1,600 | $6,933 | $83,200 |
| $50 | $2,000 | $8,667 | $104,000 |
| $75 | $3,000 | $13,000 | $156,000 |
| $100 | $4,000 | $17,333 | $208,000 |
Unpaid time off changes the picture for hourly workers. If you take two unpaid weeks, set paid weeks to 50. Salaried employees are normally paid for all 52 weeks, holidays included.
Biweekly or twice a month?
Biweekly means every other week, 26 paychecks a year. Semi-monthly means twice a month, 24 paychecks. On the same salary a biweekly check is slightly smaller, but two months a year you get a third paycheck, which is a useful moment to top up savings or pay down debt.
What comes out of a paycheck
- Federal income tax, withheld according to your W-4. The estimate here uses 2026 brackets and the standard deduction.
- Social Security: 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026.
- Medicare: 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% over $200,000.
- State and local income tax, from 0% in states like Texas, Florida and Washington to over 10% at the top in California and New York.
- Pre-tax benefits: 401(k) contributions and health premiums reduce taxable income. Health premiums paid through a cafeteria plan also avoid FICA.
How your pay compares
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes median usual weekly earnings for full-time wage and salary workers each quarter. Half of full-time workers earn more and half earn less. The figure used above is the latest release. Medians vary widely by age, education, occupation and state, so treat it as a broad reference point.