How the conversions work
Every frequency is tied to the year. An hourly rate times hours per week times 52 gives the annual figure; the annual figure divided by 12 gives monthly, by 24 semi-monthly, by 26 bi-weekly, by 52 weekly. The unadjusted columns assume you are paid for every working day of the year, which is true for a salaried employee with paid time off. The standard US full-time year is 40 hours × 52 weeks = 2,080 hours, or 260 working days, so $25 an hour is $52,000 a year and $52,000 a year is $25 an hour.
The table shows $25 an hour spread across every frequency. Semi-monthly (twice a month, 24 checks) and bi-weekly (every two weeks, 26 checks) are often confused; a bi-weekly check is smaller because there are two more of them.
| Frequency | Unadjusted | Adjusted (salaried) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $25.00 | $25.00 | — |
| Daily | $200.00 | $200.00 | — |
| Weekly | $1,000.00 | $1,000.00 | 26 weeks + 26 weeks |
| Bi-weekly | $2,000.00 | $2,000.00 | 26 pay periods |
| Semi-monthly | $2,166.67 | $2,166.67 | 24 pay periods |
| Monthly | $4,333.33 | $4,333.33 | 12 pay periods |
| Annual | $52,000 | $52,000 | 260 working days |
Adjusted figures: holidays and vacation
A salaried employee is paid for 260 days but works fewer — typically 10 public holidays and 10–20 vacation days fewer. Their pay per hour actually worked is therefore higher than the simple division suggests: $52,000 over 1,880 hours is $27.66 an hour, not $25. An hourly worker without paid time off sees the reverse: 25 unpaid days off cut their annual pay from $52,000 to $47,000. The adjusted column shows whichever applies to the frequency you entered.
| Unadjusted (260 days) | Adjusted (235 days worked) | |
|---|---|---|
| Working days | 260 | 235 |
| Hours worked | 2,080 | 1,880 |
| Annual pay | $52,000 | $52,000 |
| Effective hourly rate | $25.00 | $27.66 |
| Effective daily rate | $200.00 | $221.28 |
Hourly to annual quick reference
Multiply an hourly rate by 2,080 for the full-time annual figure. The adjusted column shows what the same rate earns if 25 days a year are unpaid.
| Hourly | Annual (2,080 h) | Monthly | Annual if 25 days unpaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $31,200 | $2,600.00 | $28,200.00 |
| $20.00 | $41,600 | $3,466.67 | $37,600.00 |
| $25.00 | $52,000 | $4,333.33 | $47,000.00 |
| $30.00 | $62,400 | $5,200.00 | $56,400.00 |
| $40.00 | $83,200 | $6,933.33 | $75,200.00 |
| $50.00 | $104,000 | $8,666.67 | $94,000.00 |
| $75.00 | $156,000 | $13,000.00 | $141,000.00 |
| $100.00 | $208,000 | $17,333.33 | $188,000.00 |
Annual to hourly and per paycheck
Divide an annual salary by 2,080 for the hourly equivalent, or by 1,880 for the rate per hour actually worked with 25 days off. Divide by 26 for a bi-weekly gross check and by 12 for monthly.
| Annual | Hourly (2,080 h) | Hourly (1,880 h worked) | Bi-weekly gross | Monthly gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $19.23 | $21.28 | $1,538.46 | $3,333.33 |
| $50,000 | $24.04 | $26.60 | $1,923.08 | $4,166.67 |
| $60,000 | $28.85 | $31.91 | $2,307.69 | $5,000.00 |
| $75,000 | $36.06 | $39.89 | $2,884.62 | $6,250.00 |
| $100,000 | $48.08 | $53.19 | $3,846.15 | $8,333.33 |
| $150,000 | $72.12 | $79.79 | $5,769.23 | $12,500.00 |
Gross versus take-home
Everything here is gross pay, before taxes and deductions. Take-home pay in the US is typically 70–80% of gross after federal and state income tax, Social Security and Medicare, and pre-tax deductions such as health insurance and retirement contributions. Overtime (1.5× the regular rate after 40 hours for non-exempt US employees), bonuses and commissions are not included; add them to the annual figure if you want a total compensation view. Salaried exempt employees are not paid overtime, which is one reason the adjusted hourly rate is a fairer basis for comparing a salaried offer with an hourly one.
- Full-time year: 40 h × 52 weeks = 2,080 hours = 260 days.
- Bi-weekly = 26 checks a year; semi-monthly = 24. Two months a year have three bi-weekly paydays.
- Overtime for non-exempt US workers: 1.5 × regular rate above 40 hours a week.
- Compare offers on the adjusted hourly rate to account for different vacation allowances.
Comparing a salaried and an hourly offer
Convert both to an adjusted hourly rate. A $60,000 salary with 15 vacation days and 10 holidays is $60,000 ÷ (235 × 8) = $31.91 per hour worked. A $30-an-hour contract with no paid time off that you expect to work 235 days is $30 × 8 × 235 = $56,400 a year. The salary also usually carries benefits — employer retirement match, health insurance, paid sick leave — worth 20–30% of pay in the US, which the calculator does not include but which decide many such comparisons.