15 Dollars An Hour Is How Much Per Year?

If you find yourself making a 15 dollar an hour salary, you’ll want to know exactly how much that will add up to each year. With that information, you can map out a helpful budget to help you stay on track throughout the year. 

Are you ready to learn more about how much a 15 dollar an hour salary really works out? Let’s dive into the numbers today. 

How much will you make per year on a 15 dollar an hour salary?

A 15 dollar per hour salary isn’t one size fits all. The number of hours you work each week will have a big impact on the amount you’ll earn each year. 

I’ve run the numbers based on a few different workweeks. Here’s what you’ll need to know as someone earning 15 dollars per hour. 

How much is $15 an hour for 40 hours a week?

The traditional American workweek is 40 hours. 

If you work 40 hours each of the 52 weeks in a year, you’ll work a total of 2,080 hours. As an employee earning $15 per hour, you’ll make $31,200 for the year

15 dollars an hours is $31,200 a year

40 hours x 52 weeks in a year = 2,080 hours x 15 dollars an hour = $31,200

But most of us aren’t able to work a full 40 hours every week of the year. Whether you take a vacation or have to take time off to recover from an illness, you’ll likely take at least two weeks off throughout the year. 

Factor time off into your budget. Most workers won’t work 2,080 each year without some kind of burnout. Don’t overlook the importance of taking care of yourself. If you work 50 weeks at 40 hours each week, you’ll work 2,000 hours per year and earn $30,000 for the year. 

How much is $15 an hour for 36 hours a week?

Not all workers have the option to complete a 40-hour workweek. With that, a 36-hour workweek is another popular choice. 

Depending on your employer, you may have the option to create a shorter workweek to come in for three 12-hour days or four 9-hour days. That can lead to more space in your schedule for completely work-free days. 

If you work 36 hours each of the 52 weeks in a year, you’ll work a total of 1,872 hours. As an employee earning $15 per hour, you’ll make $28,080 for the year. 

But again, you might not be able to make it through the entire year without taking some time off. Let’s assume that you take two weeks off. If you work 50 weeks at 36 hours each week, you’ll work 1,800 hours per year. In that case, you would earn $27,000 for the year. 

How much is $15 an hour for 20 hours a week?

If you are working a part-time job, you might find yourself working 20 hours a week. 

If you work 20 hours each of the 52 weeks in a year, you’ll work a total of 1,040 hours. As an employee earning $15 per hour, you’ll make $15,600 for the year. 

But as with a full-time job, you’ll likely have to take some time off throughout the year. Let’s assume that you take two weeks off. If you work 50 weeks at 20 hours each week, you’ll work 1,000 hours per year. In that case, you would earn $15,000 for the year. 

What’s the breakdown of a 15 dollar an hour salary?

Understanding how much you make in a year is important. But breaking down the numbers even further can be helpful when creating a budget that works. 

I’ll break down how much you can earn with a $15 per hour job in the sections below.

How much is a 15 dollar an hour salary per day?

Finding the motivation to make it to work can be challenging. But knowing exactly what you will make each day can make the task more enticing. 

If you work an 8-hour workday, you’ll earn $120 per day. If you work a 9-hour day, you’ll earn $135. If you work a 10-hour workday, you’ll earn $150 per day. If you work a 12-hour workday, you’ll earn $180. 

How much is a 15 dollar an hour salary per week?

So, how much can you earn in a week at $15 per hour? 

Working a 40-hour workweek, you’ll earn $600 per week. If you work a 36-hour workweek, you’ll earn $540 per week. Working a 20-hour workweek, you’ll earn $300 per week. 

Keep in mind that if you work more than 40 hours a week, your employer will have to pay you overtime.

According to the Department of Labor, your employer will have to pay at least 1.5x your hourly wage if you work more than 40 hours in a single workweek. If you have questions about your overtime options, talk to your employer. 

How much is a 15 dollar an hour salary every two weeks?

If you get paid every two weeks, here’s what your paycheck should look like. 

Working a 40-hour workweek, you’ll earn $1,200 every two weeks. If you work a 36-hour workweek, you’ll earn $1,080 every two weeks. Working a 20-hour workweek, you’ll earn $600 every two weeks. 

Of course, taxes and other expenses may come directly out of your paycheck. But we’ll talk about your tax obligations in another section. 

How much is a 15 dollar an hour salary per month?

If you want to work out a monthly budget, then determining how much you earn per month is critical. Here’s how much you can earn without taking any time off in a month. 

If you are working a 40-hour workweek, you’ll earn an average of $2,600 per month. If you work a 36-hour workweek, you’ll earn an average of $2,340 per month. If you are working a 20-hour workweek, you’ll earn an average of $1,300 per month. 

How much will a 15 dollar an hour salary pay in taxes?

One thing that you’ll need to consider before you start spending your paycheck is your tax obligation. Although taxes can be a burden on any budget, understanding how much you’ll pay in taxes each year can help you avoid an expensive surprise at tax time. 

Federal income taxes

Let’s say that you work 40 hour weeks without any time off at $15 an hour. We’ve determined that your gross pay would be $31,200. But now it is time to take taxes into account. 

Assuming that you are filing single without any dependents, you would pay $1,984 in federal income tax each year. Plus, you would pay $1,363.80 in Social Security. With that, your take-home pay for the year would be $27,851.70. 

Now let’s say that you are working 36-hour workweeks without any time off. You’ll earn $28,080 per year before federal income taxes. But after taxes and Social Security, a single filer without any dependants would take home $25,151.34. 

State income taxes

In some states, that federal income tax is all you would pay. Currently, the 7 states that don’t levy a state income tax include Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. 

But in other states, you’d have an additional tax taken out of your paycheck. The amount will vary dramatically based on the state. 

For example, let’s take a look at what you might pay in California. Let’s say that you work 40 hour weeks without any time off at $15 an hour. We’ve determined that your gross pay would be $31,200. But now it is time to take taxes into account. 

Assuming that you are filing single without any dependents, you would pay $1,984 in federal income tax each year. Plus, you would pay $1,363.80 in Social Security. And finally, you would pay $515 in state taxes. With that, your take-home pay for the year would be $26,259. 

Now let’s say that you are working 36-hour workweeks without any time off. You’ll earn $28,080 per year before federal income taxes. But after taxes and Social Security, a single filer without any dependants would take home $23,877.

The addition of state taxes can have a big impact on your budget. Take some time to explore what the tax obligations are in your state. 

How does a 15 dollar an hour salary stack up?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median weekly earnings of Americans with full-time jobs was $989. If the average worker has a 40-hour workweek, then the average hourly rate is $24.73.

Additionally, the average annual compensation would be $49,450, with the assumption that employees were working 50 40-hour weeks each year. 

Based on this information, the median worker is earning quite a bit more than $15 per hour. 

Is $15 an hour a livable wage?

Whether or not you actually earn $15 an hour, understanding if it is a living wage or not is important on a big scale. Many have thrown the figure of $15 an hour as a living wage. But how does a $15 an hour salary stack up in the real world?

Not surprisingly, where you live has a big impact on whether or not this salary is workable. Additionally, the size of your family and the number of working adults can significantly impact what works for your household as a living wage. 

According to the Living Wage calculator created by MIT, $15 is not a living wage in the Boston area. Based on the calculator, $19.17 per hour is considered the living wage for a single adult without children. But two adults in the same household without kids would need to earn $13.35 per hour as a living wage. 

However, the living wage is dramatically different in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Based on the calculator, $13.99 per hour is considered the living wage for a single adult without children. But two adults in the same household without kids would need to earn $11.32 per hour as a living wage. 

Consider running the numbers for your area to find out if $15 per hour is a living wage for your situation. 

The bottom line

Earning $15 an hour may sound great. Your take-home pay might not be exactly what you expected. But understanding how the funds break down on a regular basis can help you craft a budget that suits your income.

Do you need help budgeting for your 15 dollars an hour salary? Check out our budgeting guides today!