How $15 an hour adds up
To turn an hourly wage into a yearly salary, multiply the rate by hours worked per week, then by weeks worked per year: $15 × 40 × 52 = $31,200 before tax. That is the standard full-time assumption; if you take unpaid time off, use fewer weeks (for example 50 weeks gives $30,000).
The $31,200 figure is gross pay. After federal income tax and FICA (no state income tax), take-home is about $27,108 a year for a single US filer — $2,259 a month or $521 a week. The exact amount depends on your circumstances, so run it through the calculator below for your own numbers.
What $15 an hour looks like by pay period
Gross: $600 a week, $1,200 every two weeks, $2,600 a month, $31,200 a year. Take-home (after tax): about $521 a week, $2,259 a month, $27,108 a year.
Estimate for a single US filer, 2025, federal income tax and FICA (no state income tax). Assumes 40 hours/week × 52 weeks and no overtime, bonuses or other income. Not tax advice — verify at IRS.gov.