Tool / Pay
Salary to Hourly Calculator
This calculator estimates hourly and annual pay under US-style assumptions: 40-hour week, configurable work weeks, overtime multiplier, and withholding estimate. It is useful for salary comparisons, job offers, or side-by-side W-2 role analysis.
Calculator inputs
Example: At $38/hour, 40h/week, 50 weeks/year, and 24% withholding, estimated annual gross is about $76,000 and annual net is about $57,760.
FAQ
Why doesn't this match my exact paycheck?
Actual payroll includes pre-tax benefits, filing status, state taxes, local taxes, and payroll timing. Use your paystub as the final source.
Should I set weeks per year to 52?
Use your actual paid weeks. Many workers use 50 to reflect unpaid time off, job transitions, or schedule gaps.
Does this handle PTO?
Indirectly. If PTO is paid, keep weeks higher. If unpaid, reduce weeks worked to model true annual income.
What withholding percent should I start with?
A rough starting range for many W-2 workers is 20-30%, but this varies significantly by state and household situation.
Can I use this for freelance or 1099 work?
Yes, but set higher withholding estimates and account for self-employment tax and irregular billable hours.
How this estimate is built
The calculator starts with gross hourly pay and multiplies it by your stated weekly hours and work weeks. If you enter recurring overtime hours, those are priced separately using the overtime multiplier. Net estimates are then created by applying a blended withholding percentage to the gross result.
- Gross annual pay = regular pay plus modeled overtime pay.
- Net pay = gross pay minus the withholding percentage you enter.
- The result is useful for comparison, not as a payroll substitute.
That simplification is intentional. It helps readers see which assumption is driving the result instead of hiding the answer behind a black box.
When to trust this tool, and when not to
This page is useful when you are comparing offers, pressure-testing a raise, or translating salary into realistic hourly value. It is less useful when you need exact paycheck precision, because real payroll depends on filing status, benefit elections, state rules, local taxes, and pay-cycle timing.
If you need exact numbers, use your paystub, employer benefits documents, and official IRS tools alongside this estimate.