$21 an hour: gross pay by period
| Period | Gross | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $21.00 | $17.92 |
| Weekly | $840 | $717 |
| Biweekly | $1,680 | $1,434 |
| Semi-monthly | $1,820 | $1,553 |
| Monthly | $3,640 | $3,106 |
| Yearly | $43,680 | $37,277 |
Federal income tax takes $3,062 and Social Security plus Medicare $3,342 of that $43,680 (14.7% in total). The $43,680 salary has its own page: $45,000 after tax in Texas is the closest salary level.
$21 an hour after tax in every state
Take-home pay for a single filer working 40 hours a week at $21 an hour, highest first. Alaska and the other no-wage-tax states lead with $37,277; Oregon is lowest at $34,029.
| # | State | Take-home / year | Per week | Per hour after tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $37,277 | $717 | $17.92 |
| 2 | Florida | $37,277 | $717 | $17.92 |
| 3 | Nevada | $37,277 | $717 | $17.92 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $37,277 | $717 | $17.92 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $37,277 | $717 | $17.92 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $37,277 | $717 | $17.92 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $37,277 | $717 | $17.92 |
| 8 | Texas | $37,277 | $717 | $17.92 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $37,277 | $717 | $17.92 |
| 10 | South Carolina | $36,706 | $706 | $17.65 |
| 11 | Washington | $36,671 | $705 | $17.63 |
| 12 | Arizona | $36,587 | $704 | $17.59 |
| 13 | Ohio | $36,526 | $702 | $17.56 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $36,366 | $699 | $17.48 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $36,353 | $699 | $17.48 |
| 16 | Iowa | $36,269 | $697 | $17.44 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $36,262 | $697 | $17.43 |
| 18 | Vermont | $36,251 | $697 | $17.43 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $36,228 | $697 | $17.42 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $36,169 | $696 | $17.39 |
| 21 | Missouri | $36,161 | $695 | $17.39 |
| 22 | Arkansas | $36,148 | $695 | $17.38 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $36,099 | $694 | $17.36 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $36,043 | $693 | $17.33 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $36,018 | $693 | $17.32 |
| 26 | Indiana | $36,018 | $693 | $17.32 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $36,012 | $693 | $17.31 |
| 28 | Montana | $35,981 | $692 | $17.30 |
| 29 | California | $35,979 | $692 | $17.30 |
| 30 | Utah | $35,968 | $692 | $17.29 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $35,936 | $691 | $17.28 |
| 32 | Colorado | $35,871 | $690 | $17.25 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $35,866 | $690 | $17.24 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $35,857 | $690 | $17.24 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $35,822 | $689 | $17.22 |
| 36 | Idaho | $35,815 | $689 | $17.22 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $35,775 | $688 | $17.20 |
| 38 | Maine | $35,743 | $687 | $17.18 |
| 39 | Georgia | $35,696 | $686 | $17.16 |
| 40 | Michigan | $35,671 | $686 | $17.15 |
| 41 | Kansas | $35,639 | $685 | $17.13 |
| 42 | Virginia | $35,579 | $684 | $17.11 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $35,566 | $684 | $17.10 |
| 44 | Maryland | $35,566 | $684 | $17.10 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $35,483 | $682 | $17.06 |
| 46 | Alabama | $35,358 | $680 | $17.00 |
| 47 | Delaware | $35,355 | $680 | $17.00 |
| 48 | New York | $35,295 | $679 | $16.97 |
| 49 | Illinois | $35,260 | $678 | $16.95 |
| 50 | Massachusetts | $35,112 | $675 | $16.88 |
| 51 | Oregon | $34,029 | $654 | $16.36 |
If you work fewer or more than 40 hours
| Hours / week | Gross / year | Take-home / year (no state tax) | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $21,840 | $19,595 | $377 |
| 30 | $32,760 | $28,503 | $548 |
| 35 | $38,220 | $32,890 | $633 |
| 40 | $43,680 | $37,277 | $717 |
| 45 | $49,140 | $41,664 | $801 |
Overtime pays $31.50 an hour (1.5ร). Ten overtime hours a week lift take-home to about $50,438 a year. See the overtime pay calculator and overtime and taxes.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $21 an hour per year?
$21 an hour is $43,680 a year before tax at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours), or $3,640 a month and $840 a week.
How much is $21 an hour after taxes?
A single filer earning $21 an hour for 40 hours a week takes home about $37,277 a year ($717 a week) in a state with no income tax, about $35,979 in California and $35,295 in New York (2026, no deductions).
What is $21 an hour biweekly after tax?
At 40 hours a week, $21 an hour is $1,680 gross every two weeks. After federal tax and FICA that is about $1,434 biweekly with no state income tax, and $1,384 in California.
Which state keeps the most from $21 an hour?
Alaska and the other states without a wage income tax keep the most, $37,277 a year. Oregon keeps the least of all states and DC, $34,029.
What if I work overtime at $21 an hour?
Overtime is paid at 1.5 times your rate ($31.50 an hour) and taxed like the rest of your pay. With 10 overtime hours a week, gross rises to $60,060 a year and take-home to about $50,438 with no state income tax.
Is $21 an hour a good wage?
It depends on where you live and your expenses. For context, $21 an hour at full time ($43,680 a year) takes home $36,018 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.