$15 an Hour Is How Much a Year?

$15 per hour = $31,200 per year (gross, before taxes).

That’s based on the standard American work year: 40 hours/week × 52 weeks = 2,080 hours.

Use our Hourly to Salary Calculator for your exact take-home including state taxes, 401(k), and other deductions.

$15/hr — Full Pay Breakdown

Pay Period	Hours Worked	Gross Pay
Annual	2,080	$31,200
Monthly	~173	$2,600
Biweekly	80	$1,200
Weekly	40	$600
Daily	8	$120
Hourly	1	$15

$15/hr After Taxes — Take-Home by State (2026)

These estimates assume: single filer, standard deduction, no pre-tax deductions.

State	Annual Take-Home	Monthly	Notes
Texas	~$26,450	~$2,204	No state income tax
Florida	~$26,450	~$2,204	No state income tax
Nevada	~$26,450	~$2,204	No state income tax
Illinois	~$25,250	~$2,104	Flat 4.95%
Pennsylvania	~$25,600	~$2,133	Flat 3.07%
New York	~$24,600	~$2,050	Progressive to 6.85%
California	~$24,900	~$2,075	Progressive to 9.3%
Oregon	~$24,200	~$2,017	Progressive to 9.9%

Federal taxes (FICA + income tax) take approximately 14-15% of $31,200 for a single filer. State taxes add another 0-6% depending on state.

For your exact numbers, use our Paycheck Calculator.

Is $15 an Hour Enough to Live On?

Cost of Living Context

Annual income: $31,200 gross / ~$26,000 net (varies by state)

Housing affordability rule: Spend no more than 30% of gross income on rent/mortgage.

• 30% of $31,200 = $9,360/year = $780/month for housing

In most major US cities, $780/month doesn’t cover a 1-bedroom apartment. This is why the fight for $15/hr is ongoing — it’s enough in rural areas and lower-cost states, but not in high-cost metros.

States where $15/hr is most livable:

• Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia — median 1BR rents under $800/month
• Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri — 1BR under $900/month

States where $15/hr is tight:

• California, New York, Washington — 1BR rents often $1,500-$3,000/month
• Hawaii — median 1BR rent over $2,000/month

Overtime at $15/hr

Hourly employees earn 1.5× for hours beyond 40/week.

Overtime Hours/Week	Extra Annual Pay	Total Annual
5 hours OT/week	+$5,850	$37,050
10 hours OT/week	+$11,700	$42,900

Overtime at $15/hr = $22.50/hr for those extra hours.

$15/hr vs. Nearby Rates

Hourly Rate	Annual Gross	~Monthly Net (TX)
$13/hr	$27,040	~$23,100
$14/hr	$29,120	~$24,800
$15/hr	$31,200	~$26,450
$16/hr	$33,280	~$28,100
$17/hr	$35,360	~$29,700

Calculate Your Exact Take-Home

Use our Hourly to Salary Calculator to enter your state, filing status, 401(k) contributions, and other deductions for a precise paycheck breakdown.

Or see take-home for $15/hr in specific states by selecting your state from the calculator.