$15.5 an hour is $32,240 a year before taxes, at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours). That is $2,687 a month, $1,240 every two weeks, $620 a week and $124 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 $28,085 a year ($2,340 a month).
- Yearly at 40 hours a week: $32,240; with two unpaid weeks off (2,000 hours): $31,000.
- Take-home after federal tax and FICA: $28,085 a year, an all-in tax rate of 12.9%.
- Your top federal bracket is 12%; the next dollar you earn keeps 80.4% after tax.
- Each $1 an hour of raise is worth $2,080 a year before tax.
- $15.5 is 2.1× the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
$15.50 an hour equals $32,240 a year and $2,687 a month before tax. You pay $1,689 in federal income tax, plus Social Security and Medicare, leaving $28,085 a year, or $13.50 an hour. It sits just below the pay of cashiers listed in federal wage data.
How to convert $15.5 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 $15.5 × 2,080 = $32,240. A quick mental shortcut: double the hourly rate and add three zeros ($15.5 → about $31,000); it is 4% low because it assumes 2,000 hours.
$15.5 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 | $15.50 | $13.50 |
| Day (8 hours) | $124 | $108.02 |
| Week (40 hours) | $620 | $540.09 |
| Two weeks (80 hours) | $1,240 | $1,080 |
| Half month (twice a month) | $1,343 | $1,170 |
| Month | $2,687 | $2,340 |
| Year | $32,240 | $28,085 |
$15.5 an hour at different hours per week
Full time is not always 40 hours. Here is the yearly pay at $15.5 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 | $155 | $8,060 | — |
| 15 hours | $232.50 | $12,090 | — |
| 20 hours | $310 | $16,120 | — |
| 25 hours | $387.50 | $20,150 | — |
| 30 hours | $465 | $24,180 | — |
| 32 hours | $496 | $25,792 | — |
| 35 hours | $542.50 | $28,210 | — |
| 37.5 hours | $581.25 | $30,225 | — |
| 40 hours | $620 | $32,240 | — |
| 45 hours | $697.50 | $36,270 | $38,285 |
| 50 hours | $775 | $40,300 | $44,330 |
| 60 hours | $930 | $48,360 | $56,420 |
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) | $32,240 | $2,687 |
| 50 weeks (2,000 hours) | $31,000 | $2,583 |
| 48 weeks (1,920 hours) | $29,760 | $2,480 |
| 46 weeks (1,840 hours) | $28,520 | $2,377 |
| 40 weeks (1,600 hours) | $24,800 | $2,067 |
$15.5 an hour after taxes
On $32,240 a year, a single filer subtracts the $16,100 standard deduction, leaving $16,140 of taxable income. Federal income tax on that is $1,689, Social Security takes $1,999 and Medicare $467.48, so you keep $28,085 — 87.1% of gross. Your top federal bracket is 12%, but your average federal income tax rate is only 5.2%.
- Take-home $28,085 87.1%
- Federal income tax $1,689 5.2%
- Social Security $1,999 6.2%
- Medicare $467.48 1.5%
Employee (W-2) vs self-employed (1099)
A contractor paid $15.5 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 | $32,240 | $32,240 |
| Federal income tax | $1,689 | $1,415 |
| Social Security + Medicare (FICA) | $2,466 | — |
| Self-employment tax | — | $4,555 |
| Take-home a year | $28,085 | $26,269 |
| Take-home a month | $2,340 | $2,189 |
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 | $1,689 | $28,085 | $2,340 |
| Married filing jointly (only income) | $4 | $29,770 | $2,481 |
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 | $28,085 | $2,340 |
| Flat state tax of 3% | $27,185 | $2,265 |
| Flat state tax of 5% | $26,586 | $2,215 |
| Flat state tax of 7% | $25,986 | $2,166 |
Is $15.5 an hour good pay?
$15.50 an hour is a fair starting wage but not a strong one. It is 37% below the U.S. median of $24.51 an hour for all jobs and 2.1x the federal minimum wage. Rent at 30% of gross would be $806 a month.
People earning this rate often hold retail, food, driving, light industrial or aide jobs. A married earner whose spouse has no income would take home $29,770 a year, or $2,481 a month. Against the median, you are more than a third short, so a raise within a year or two would help you move closer.
A monthly budget on $15.5 an hour
Take-home of $2,340 a month is the figure for the 50/30/20 table. Needs get $1,170, wants get $702.12 and savings get $468.08. Many renters at this pay find that rent alone takes most of the needs line. If that is you, trim wants rather than savings, and keep a modest automatic transfer running.
| Category | Share | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Needs (rent, food, transport, insurance) | 50% | $1,170 |
| Wants (eating out, travel, hobbies) | 30% | $702.12 |
| Savings and debt payoff | 20% | $468.08 |
How to compare a $15.5 an hour offer
Fifteen-fifty can be generous in one workplace and average in another. What changes the picture is how many hours you work, the cost of health cover and whether time off is paid. Run through these points before you sign.
- Ask how many hours people in this role were scheduled over the last three months.
- Ask whether paid time off is available from the start or after a waiting period.
- Ask whether the role is eligible for overtime and how the employer rounds time.
- Ask for the health premium you would pay on a single plan.
- Ask whether the employer adds to a retirement plan, and when you qualify.
- Check you are classed as an employee, because contractor take-home here is $26,269 a year.
Jobs that pay about $15.5 an hour
These occupations have a national median wage closest to $15.5 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 |
In the wage data, Cashiers ($15.83/h) are only slightly above $15.50, and Cooks, fast food ($14.85/h) are slightly below. Waiters and waitresses ($16.94/h) and Retail salespersons ($17.03/h) pay more, which gives you a range to aim for.
What a raise from $15.5 an hour is worth
A raise of $1 an hour brings $2,080 a year, and 10% brings $3,224. When you are offered $15.50, a simple question like whether the pay band goes higher can open a better number. Later raises are usually a percentage of base, so a better start repays itself. Accepting the first offer gives up that advantage. If the rate is final, trade for a review date, shift premiums or paid leave, and compare the total package.
Common mistakes when converting $15.5 an hour
- Treating gross monthly pay as spendable You earn $2,687 a month on paper and receive $2,340. If you size rent on the larger amount, bills can start to pile up.
- Using 2,000 hours to check the rate Dividing $32,240 by 2,000 hours returns a rate above $15.50. The accepted full-time year is 2,080 hours, so use that.
- Not counting both payroll taxes Social Security is $1,999 and Medicare is $467.48. Together they are more than the $1,689 of federal income tax, and they start with your first dollar.
- Planning around four weeks a month Weekly pay of $620 times 4 equals $2,480, under the $2,687 average month. The right multiplier is 4.33 weeks.
- Missing the cost of unpaid weeks Two unpaid weeks reduce gross pay to $31,000 and four unpaid weeks reduce it to $29,760. Hourly workers should keep a cushion for that.
Frequently asked questions
$15.50 an hour is $13.50 an hour after tax, which is $28,085 a year at full time with no state income tax. Federal income tax is $1,689, Social Security $1,999 and Medicare $467.48, about 12.9% of gross.
At $15.50 an hour you earn $2,687 a month before tax and $2,340 after tax, based on 40 hours a week. Any state income tax would come out of the after-tax figure.
Biweekly pay at $15.50 an hour is $1,240 gross and $1,080 net for 80 hours worked. A single week gives $620 gross and $540.09 net. Premiums and other deductions lower the deposit.
A 40-hour week at $15.50 pays $620 before tax and $540.09 after tax. Working 20 hours a week pays $310 gross, which is $16,120 over a full year.
Thirty hours a week at $15.50 an hour pays $24,180 a year. At 50 hours with overtime at 1.5 times after 40 it pays $44,330, and at 45 hours $38,285. Overtime applies only to non-exempt roles.
$15.50 an hour is usually enough for a single person with moderate housing costs. You take home $2,340 a month, and 30% of gross for rent is $806. Raising a family on it alone is much harder.
Rent of $806 a month fits the 30% of gross rule at $15.50 an hour. Compared with $2,340 of take-home, that is a bit over a third, so check what remains after utilities.
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.
