$15 an Hour Is How Much a Year?
Compare gross earnings at $15/hour with full-time, part-time, unpaid-week and overtime examples.
A realistic range for $15 an hour
The headline $31,200 assumes every one of 52 weeks is paid. At this rate, two unpaid 40-hour weeks remove $1,200 from gross annual earnings. A shorter regular schedule changes the comparison more than merely changing the number of paychecks.
| Schedule | Hours/week | Paid weeks | Annual gross | Monthly average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full time, all weeks paid | 40 | 52 | $31,200 | $2,600.00 |
| Full time, two unpaid weeks | 40 | 50 | $30,000 | $2,500.00 |
| Full time, four unpaid weeks | 40 | 48 | $28,800 | $2,400.00 |
| 30-hour week | 30 | 52 | $23,400 | $1,950.00 |
| 20-hour week, two unpaid weeks | 20 | 50 | $15,000 | $1,250.00 |
Two paid weeks versus an annual biweekly average
Two fully paid 40-hour weeks at $15.00 total $1,200.00 gross. The displayed biweekly annual average is annual earnings divided by 26. They coincide in the 52-week example, but two unpaid weeks reduce the annualized average to $1,153.85 while a particular pair of fully paid weeks still totals $1,200.00.
Five overtime hours at this rate
If a 1.5× overtime multiplier applies, the example overtime rate is $22.50. Forty regular hours plus five overtime hours produce $15.00 × 40 + $22.50 × 5 = $712.50 gross per week. Repeating that same schedule for 52 paid weeks gives $37,050, including $5,850 of extra overtime earnings.
This example assumes the entered overtime multiplier applies; it does not decide eligibility or the legal regular rate. The schedule comparison above contains only base-rate hours. Use the overtime calculator to enter overtime separately.
Questions about $15 an hour
What is $15 an hour per month?
$15.00 × 40 hours × 52 paid weeks ÷ 12 = $2,600.00 gross per month on average. With only 50 paid weeks, the monthly average falls to $2,500.00. Individual monthly paychecks depend on payroll frequency.
How much is a five-day week at $15 an hour?
Five 8-hour days make a 40-hour week: $120.00 gross per day and $600.00 per paid working week. A five-day schedule does not itself guarantee eight paid hours per day.
What would a raise from $15 to $16 add?
At 40 hours for 52 weeks, a $1 hourly increase adds $2,080 annual gross pay, taking this example from $31,200 to $33,280. Relative to $15/hour, that is about 6.67%. It does not establish the after-tax increase.
Is $31,200 the amount I take home?
No. It is gross earnings under the stated schedule. Income-tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, benefits and other supported deductions affect net pay. Choose a state calculator only if its documented residency and payroll assumptions fit.
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Adjust hours, paid weeks and overtime · Compare a part-time schedule · Calculate regular and overtime pay · Open supported net-pay tools