$11 an hour is $22,880 a year before taxes, at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours). That is $1,907 a month, $880 every two weeks, $440 a week and $88 for an 8-hour day. After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, a single filer in a state with no income tax takes home about $20,452 a year ($1,704 a month).
- Yearly at 40 hours a week: $22,880; with two unpaid weeks off (2,000 hours): $22,000.
- Take-home after federal tax and FICA: $20,452 a year, an all-in tax rate of 10.6%.
- Your top federal bracket is 10%; the next dollar you earn keeps 82.4% after tax.
- Each $1 an hour of raise is worth $2,080 a year before tax.
- $11 is 1.5× the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
$11 an hour pays $22,880 a year before tax, which is 1.5x the federal minimum wage. Federal income tax of $678, Social Security of $1,419 and Medicare of $331.76 leave you $20,452 a year. That is $1,704 a month to cover rent, food and everything else.
How to convert $11 an hour to a yearly salary
Multiply the hourly rate by the hours you are paid in a year. A full-time year is 40 hours × 52 weeks = 2,080 hours, so $11 × 2,080 = $22,880. A quick mental shortcut: double the hourly rate and add three zeros ($11 → about $22,000); it is 4% low because it assumes 2,000 hours.
$11 an hour by pay period
The table shows gross pay and the estimated take-home for each pay period at 40 hours a week.
| Period | Gross pay | Take-home (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Hour | $11.00 | $9.83 |
| Day (8 hours) | $88 | $78.66 |
| Week (40 hours) | $440 | $393.30 |
| Two weeks (80 hours) | $880 | $786.60 |
| Half month (twice a month) | $953.33 | $852.15 |
| Month | $1,907 | $1,704 |
| Year | $22,880 | $20,452 |
$11 an hour at different hours per week
Full time is not always 40 hours. Here is the yearly pay at $11 an hour for common schedules; above 40 hours, the last column applies time-and-a-half overtime, which the Fair Labor Standards Act requires for non-exempt employees.
| Hours a week | Weekly pay | Yearly pay | Yearly with overtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 hours | $110 | $5,720 | — |
| 15 hours | $165 | $8,580 | — |
| 20 hours | $220 | $11,440 | — |
| 25 hours | $275 | $14,300 | — |
| 30 hours | $330 | $17,160 | — |
| 32 hours | $352 | $18,304 | — |
| 35 hours | $385 | $20,020 | — |
| 37.5 hours | $412.50 | $21,450 | — |
| 40 hours | $440 | $22,880 | — |
| 45 hours | $495 | $25,740 | $27,170 |
| 50 hours | $550 | $28,600 | $31,460 |
| 60 hours | $660 | $34,320 | $40,040 |
Paid weeks: what time off does to the total
If you are paid only for the weeks you work, unpaid holidays and vacation lower the total. Salaried and many hourly jobs pay for holidays, so check your offer letter.
| Paid weeks a year | Yearly pay | Monthly average |
|---|---|---|
| 52 weeks (2,080 hours) | $22,880 | $1,907 |
| 50 weeks (2,000 hours) | $22,000 | $1,833 |
| 48 weeks (1,920 hours) | $21,120 | $1,760 |
| 46 weeks (1,840 hours) | $20,240 | $1,687 |
| 40 weeks (1,600 hours) | $17,600 | $1,467 |
$11 an hour after taxes
On $22,880 a year, a single filer subtracts the $16,100 standard deduction, leaving $6,780 of taxable income. Federal income tax on that is $678, Social Security takes $1,419 and Medicare $331.76, so you keep $20,452 — 89.4% of gross. Your top federal bracket is 10%, but your average federal income tax rate is only 3.0%.
- Take-home $20,452 89.4%
- Federal income tax $678 3.0%
- Social Security $1,419 6.2%
- Medicare $331.76 1.4%
Employee (W-2) vs self-employed (1099)
A contractor paid $11 an hour pays both halves of Social Security and Medicare as self-employment tax, so the same rate is worth less. To match an employee's take-home, a contractor usually needs a rate 20–30% higher.
| Employee (W-2) | Self-employed (1099) | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $22,880 | $22,880 |
| Federal income tax | $678 | $516.36 |
| Social Security + Medicare (FICA) | $1,750 | — |
| Self-employment tax | — | $3,233 |
| Take-home a year | $20,452 | $19,131 |
| Take-home a month | $1,704 | $1,594 |
Single vs married filing jointly
Filing status changes the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly) and how wide each bracket is, so the same pay keeps more when it is a married couple's only income.
| Filing status | Federal income tax | Take-home a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $678 | $20,452 | $1,704 |
| Married filing jointly (only income) | $0 | $21,130 | $1,761 |
2026 payroll tax rates (quick reference)
| Tax | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security (employee) | 6.2% | Up to $184,500 of wages |
| Medicare (employee) | 1.45% | All wages |
| Additional Medicare | 0.9% | Wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly) |
| Self-employment tax | 15.3% | On 92.35% of net earnings (12.4% Social Security up to the wage base + 2.9% Medicare) |
| Federal income tax | 10%–37% | 2026 brackets, after the standard deduction |
State income tax
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming do not tax wages. In other states the rate ranges from a few percent to over 10% at high incomes. Rough take-home at a flat state rate (state tax estimated on 93% of gross):
| State tax | Take-home a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| No state income tax | $20,452 | $1,704 |
| Flat state tax of 3% | $19,813 | $1,651 |
| Flat state tax of 5% | $19,388 | $1,616 |
| Flat state tax of 7% | $18,962 | $1,580 |
Is $11 an hour good pay?
$11 an hour is modest pay. It lands 55% below the U.S. median hourly pay of $24.51 for all jobs, which would be $50,981 for a full-time year. Using 30% of gross as a rent ceiling gives $572 a month.
You will find this rate in retail, food service, warehousing and many entry-level support jobs. A married worker with a non-earning spouse would take home $21,130 a year, or $1,761 a month, since the joint return carries a larger deduction. Because the income at this level is tight, a small pay increase or a few extra hours can change what you can afford more than it would for a higher earner.
A monthly budget on $11 an hour
Start from your $1,704 monthly take-home, not the $1,907 gross. The 50/30/20 table below gives $852.15 for needs, $511.29 for wants and $340.86 for savings. Many people at this wage find needs run higher than half. If so, trim wants first, keep a small savings habit, and aim for a larger savings share when your pay moves up.
| Category | Share | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Needs (rent, food, transport, insurance) | 50% | $852.15 |
| Wants (eating out, travel, hobbies) | 30% | $511.29 |
| Savings and debt payoff | 20% | $340.86 |
How to compare a $11 an hour offer
At $11 an hour the details around the rate can move your yearly income by more than a dollar of raise. Look at hours, paid leave and costs before choosing between offers. These checks will help you compare fairly.
- Ask for the typical weekly schedule and whether it is the same each week.
- Ask whether the employer pays for sick days and holidays, or only for hours worked.
- Ask whether you are overtime eligible, so any hours over 40 pay at 1.5 times your rate.
- Ask what employee health coverage costs per paycheck, and whether there is a waiting period.
- Ask whether a retirement plan exists and if the employer adds any money to it.
- Check that the job is employee work, since a contractor at $11 an hour keeps only $19,131 a year.
Jobs that pay about $11 an hour
These occupations have a national median wage closest to $11 an hour in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). Half of the workers in each job earn more than the median and half earn less.
| Occupation | Median hourly | Yearly at 2,080 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Cooks, fast food | $14.85 | $30,888 |
| Cashiers | $15.83 | $32,926 |
| Waiters and waitresses | $16.94 | $35,235 |
| Retail salespersons | $17.03 | $35,422 |
| Home health and personal care aides | $17.21 | $35,797 |
Roles near this wage in the data are all higher, such as Cooks, fast food ($14.85/h), Cashiers ($15.83/h) and Waiters and waitresses ($16.94/h). If your offer is $11, ask why it sits below those and whether the role leads to a raise.
What a raise from $11 an hour is worth
Each extra $1 an hour is worth $2,080 a year, and 5% more is $1,144. Those gains continue year after year, and they raise the base for every future percentage increase. If you take the first offer without asking, you accept that smaller base for as long as you stay. Ask what the top of the pay range is, and mention relevant experience. If the rate will not move, ask for a review within a few months, steadier hours or paid time off, and compare the full value.
Common mistakes when converting $11 an hour
- Mixing up gross and take-home The $22,880 yearly figure is before tax. What you can spend is $20,452, so a lease priced for the bigger number puts pressure on every other bill.
- Using 4 weeks for each month Four weeks at $440 gives $1,760, less than the $1,907 you really earn on average each month. Use 4.33 weeks, or divide the yearly total by 12.
- Dividing by 2,000, not 2,080 A yearly pay of $22,880 divided by 2,000 hours would suggest more than $11 an hour. Full-time is 2,080 hours, and that is what the $11 rate uses.
- Counting on unpaid weeks being paid Take two unpaid weeks and your gross is $22,000; four unpaid weeks makes it $21,120. Check the leave policy so you are not surprised by a short paycheck.
- Overlooking the state tax The take-home figure assumes no state income tax. A flat 5% state tax would reduce it to about $19,388 a year, a drop worth planning for.
Frequently asked questions
$11 an hour is $9.83 an hour after taxes, or $20,452 a year working 40 hours a week. Federal income tax is $678, Social Security $1,419 and Medicare $331.76, so 10.6% of your pay goes to federal taxes.
$11 an hour is $1,907 a month before tax and $1,704 a month after tax, assuming 40 hours a week and no state income tax. A state income tax, if you have one, would reduce it.
At $11 an hour, a biweekly paycheck is $880 gross and $786.60 net for 80 hours. Each week brings $440 before tax and $393.30 after. Health or retirement deductions would lower the deposit.
A full week at $11 an hour pays $440 before tax and $393.30 after tax. Working only 20 hours cuts that to $220 a week, which is $11,440 across a year.
With 30 hours a week, $11 an hour pays $17,160 a year. With 50 hours a week and overtime at 1.5 times after 40, it pays $31,460, and 45 hours gives $27,170. Overtime depends on being a non-exempt employee.
$11 an hour can be enough to live on if costs are shared or low. You take home $1,704 a month, and a 30% of gross rent target is $572. Living alone on this wage usually means careful budgeting and very little cushion.
The 30% of gross rule gives about $572 a month for rent at $11 an hour. Since take-home is $1,704, rent would take about a third of it, so keep utilities and transport costs in your plan.
How we calculated this
Gross pay uses 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours), the standard payroll year. Take-home pay applies the federal income tax brackets and standard deduction for a single filer, Social Security (6.2% up to the wage base) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% above $200,000). It leaves out state and local income tax, pre-tax retirement contributions and health premiums, each of which lowers take-home pay; use the calculator to add a state rate. The self-employed figures add the 15.3% self-employment tax on 92.35% of net earnings and its half deduction, and leave out business expenses and the qualified business income deduction, both of which lower the tax bill.
- Federal income tax brackets and standard deduction for 2026: IRS — source.
- Social Security wage base $184,500 and FICA rates: SSA — source.
- Wages by occupation: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — source.
These are estimates for planning, not tax advice.
