$12 an hour: gross pay by period
| Period | Gross | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $12.00 | $10.66 |
| Weekly | $480 | $426 |
| Biweekly | $960 | $852 |
| Semi-monthly | $1,040 | $924 |
| Monthly | $2,080 | $1,847 |
| Yearly | $24,960 | $22,165 |
Federal income tax takes $886 and Social Security plus Medicare $1,909 of that $24,960 (11.2% in total). The $24,960 salary has its own page: $30,000 after tax in Texas is the closest salary level.
$12 an hour after tax in every state
Take-home pay for a single filer working 40 hours a week at $12 an hour, highest first. Alaska and the other no-wage-tax states lead with $22,165; Oregon is lowest at $20,667.
| # | State | Take-home / year | Per week | Per hour after tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 2 | Florida | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 3 | Nevada | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 6 | Ohio | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 8 | Tennessee | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 9 | Texas | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $21,975 | $423 | $10.56 |
| 12 | South Carolina | $21,966 | $422 | $10.56 |
| 13 | Arizona | $21,943 | $422 | $10.55 |
| 14 | Utah | $21,932 | $422 | $10.54 |
| 15 | Missouri | $21,928 | $422 | $10.54 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $21,898 | $421 | $10.53 |
| 17 | Iowa | $21,868 | $421 | $10.51 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $21,841 | $420 | $10.50 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $21,818 | $420 | $10.49 |
| 20 | Washington | $21,818 | $420 | $10.49 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $21,810 | $419 | $10.49 |
| 22 | Maine | $21,810 | $419 | $10.49 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $21,802 | $419 | $10.48 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $21,784 | $419 | $10.47 |
| 25 | Vermont | $21,766 | $419 | $10.46 |
| 26 | Montana | $21,748 | $418 | $10.46 |
| 27 | California | $21,719 | $418 | $10.44 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $21,717 | $418 | $10.44 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $21,710 | $418 | $10.44 |
| 30 | Idaho | $21,695 | $417 | $10.43 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $21,677 | $417 | $10.42 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $21,674 | $417 | $10.42 |
| 33 | Colorado | $21,665 | $417 | $10.42 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $21,589 | $415 | $10.38 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $21,587 | $415 | $10.38 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $21,571 | $415 | $10.37 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $21,538 | $414 | $10.35 |
| 38 | Virginia | $21,531 | $414 | $10.35 |
| 39 | Kansas | $21,530 | $414 | $10.35 |
| 40 | Georgia | $21,518 | $414 | $10.35 |
| 41 | Indiana | $21,458 | $413 | $10.32 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $21,409 | $412 | $10.29 |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $21,398 | $412 | $10.29 |
| 44 | Michigan | $21,355 | $411 | $10.27 |
| 45 | Delaware | $21,345 | $410 | $10.26 |
| 46 | Maryland | $21,343 | $410 | $10.26 |
| 47 | New York | $21,275 | $409 | $10.23 |
| 48 | Alabama | $21,182 | $407 | $10.18 |
| 49 | Illinois | $21,074 | $405 | $10.13 |
| 50 | Massachusetts | $21,022 | $404 | $10.11 |
| 51 | Oregon | $20,667 | $397 | $9.94 |
If you work fewer or more than 40 hours
| Hours / week | Gross / year | Take-home / year (no state tax) | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $12,480 | $11,525 | $222 |
| 30 | $18,720 | $17,026 | $327 |
| 35 | $21,840 | $19,595 | $377 |
| 40 | $24,960 | $22,165 | $426 |
| 45 | $28,080 | $24,734 | $476 |
Overtime pays $18.00 an hour (1.5ร). Ten overtime hours a week lift take-home to about $29,756 a year. See the overtime pay calculator and overtime and taxes.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $12 an hour per year?
$12 an hour is $24,960 a year before tax at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours), or $2,080 a month and $480 a week.
How much is $12 an hour after taxes?
A single filer earning $12 an hour for 40 hours a week takes home about $22,165 a year ($426 a week) in a state with no income tax, about $21,719 in California and $21,275 in New York (2026, no deductions).
What is $12 an hour biweekly after tax?
At 40 hours a week, $12 an hour is $960 gross every two weeks. After federal tax and FICA that is about $852 biweekly with no state income tax, and $835 in California.
Which state keeps the most from $12 an hour?
Alaska and the other states without a wage income tax keep the most, $22,165 a year. Oregon keeps the least of all states and DC, $20,667.
What if I work overtime at $12 an hour?
Overtime is paid at 1.5 times your rate ($18.00 an hour) and taxed like the rest of your pay. With 10 overtime hours a week, gross rises to $34,320 a year and take-home to about $29,756 with no state income tax.
Is $12 an hour a good wage?
It depends on where you live and your expenses. For context, $12 an hour at full time ($24,960 a year) takes home $21,748 in the median state for a single filer. Compare your state and price level on the state pages.
Sources & methodology
- IRS โ Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods
- IRS โ Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates
- U.S. Department of Labor โ Overtime pay
- PaycheckByState โ Methodology and data sources
Single filer, standard withholding, no pre-tax deductions, no local taxes, 2026 rules. Estimates for information only, not tax advice. See our disclaimer.