Take-Home Pay on $15 an Hour (2026): After-Tax Pay by State
How much is $15 an hour after taxes? See yearly, monthly, and biweekly take-home pay in all 50 states.
Earning $15 an hour comes to $31,200 a year at 2,080 hours, but that is a gross amount. In a state with no income tax, a single filer keeps about $27,249 a year, or $2,271 a month. After taxes, that works out to about $13.10 an hour. In a state with income tax, the number is lower. This guide shows exactly where the money goes and what you keep in all 50 states.
Federal tax and FICA on $31,200 a year
Using 2026 rules for a single filer with no pre-tax deductions, the first step is the standard deduction of $16,100. That leaves $15,100 of taxable income. Your top federal bracket is 12%, but only the income above each bracket's threshold is taxed at that rate, so your overall federal rate is much lower.
| Item | Amount per year |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | $31,200 |
| Federal income tax | -$1,564 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$1,934 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$452 |
| Take-home before state tax | $27,249 |
Federal income tax takes about 5.0% of your gross pay, and payroll taxes take 7.65%. Together that is 12.7% before any state tax.
Take-home pay on $31,200 in every state
State income tax is the biggest reason take-home pay varies. These figures use simplified effective state rates for a single filer, so your own result may differ.
| State | State rate | State tax | Take-home / year | Per month | Per biweekly check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 4.5% | $1,404 | $25,845 | $2,154 | $994 |
| Alaska | 0% | $0 | $27,249 | $2,271 | $1,048 |
| Arizona | 2.5% | $780 | $26,469 | $2,206 | $1,018 |
| Arkansas | 3.9% | $1,217 | $26,032 | $2,169 | $1,001 |
| California | 5.0% | $1,560 | $25,689 | $2,141 | $988 |
| Colorado | 4.4% | $1,373 | $25,876 | $2,156 | $995 |
| Connecticut | 5.0% | $1,560 | $25,689 | $2,141 | $988 |
| Delaware | 5.0% | $1,560 | $25,689 | $2,141 | $988 |
| Florida | 0% | $0 | $27,249 | $2,271 | $1,048 |
| Georgia | 5.0% | $1,560 | $25,689 | $2,141 | $988 |
| Hawaii | 6.5% | $2,028 | $25,221 | $2,102 | $970 |
| Idaho | 5.3% | $1,654 | $25,596 | $2,133 | $984 |
| Illinois | 4.95% | $1,544 | $25,705 | $2,142 | $989 |
| Indiana | 3.0% | $936 | $26,313 | $2,193 | $1,012 |
| Iowa | 3.8% | $1,186 | $26,064 | $2,172 | $1,002 |
| Kansas | 5.0% | $1,560 | $25,689 | $2,141 | $988 |
| Kentucky | 4.0% | $1,248 | $26,001 | $2,167 | $1,000 |
| Louisiana | 3.0% | $936 | $26,313 | $2,193 | $1,012 |
| Maine | 5.5% | $1,716 | $25,533 | $2,128 | $982 |
| Maryland | 4.75% | $1,482 | $25,767 | $2,147 | $991 |
| Massachusetts | 5.0% | $1,560 | $25,689 | $2,141 | $988 |
| Michigan | 4.25% | $1,326 | $25,923 | $2,160 | $997 |
| Minnesota | 5.5% | $1,716 | $25,533 | $2,128 | $982 |
| Mississippi | 4.0% | $1,248 | $26,001 | $2,167 | $1,000 |
| Missouri | 4.7% | $1,466 | $25,783 | $2,149 | $992 |
| Montana | 5.0% | $1,560 | $25,689 | $2,141 | $988 |
| Nebraska | 4.5% | $1,404 | $25,845 | $2,154 | $994 |
| Nevada | 0% | $0 | $27,249 | $2,271 | $1,048 |
| New Hampshire | 0% | $0 | $27,249 | $2,271 | $1,048 |
| New Jersey | 4.5% | $1,404 | $25,845 | $2,154 | $994 |
| New Mexico | 4.5% | $1,404 | $25,845 | $2,154 | $994 |
| New York | 5.0% | $1,560 | $25,689 | $2,141 | $988 |
| North Carolina | 3.99% | $1,245 | $26,004 | $2,167 | $1,000 |
| North Dakota | 2.0% | $624 | $26,625 | $2,219 | $1,024 |
| Ohio | 2.75% | $858 | $26,391 | $2,199 | $1,015 |
| Oklahoma | 4.5% | $1,404 | $25,845 | $2,154 | $994 |
| Oregon | 7.0% | $2,184 | $25,065 | $2,089 | $964 |
| Pennsylvania | 3.07% | $958 | $26,291 | $2,191 | $1,011 |
| Rhode Island | 4.5% | $1,404 | $25,845 | $2,154 | $994 |
| South Carolina | 5.0% | $1,560 | $25,689 | $2,141 | $988 |
| South Dakota | 0% | $0 | $27,249 | $2,271 | $1,048 |
| Tennessee | 0% | $0 | $27,249 | $2,271 | $1,048 |
| Texas | 0% | $0 | $27,249 | $2,271 | $1,048 |
| Utah | 4.5% | $1,404 | $25,845 | $2,154 | $994 |
| Vermont | 5.5% | $1,716 | $25,533 | $2,128 | $982 |
| Virginia | 5.5% | $1,716 | $25,533 | $2,128 | $982 |
| Washington | 0% | $0 | $27,249 | $2,271 | $1,048 |
| West Virginia | 4.0% | $1,248 | $26,001 | $2,167 | $1,000 |
| Wisconsin | 4.5% | $1,404 | $25,845 | $2,154 | $994 |
| Wyoming | 0% | $0 | $27,249 | $2,271 | $1,048 |
The highest take-home pay is in states without an income tax, such as Texas and Florida, at $27,249 a year. The lowest among these estimates is Oregon at $25,065, a difference of $2,184 a year. Click any state to run the exact numbers in its paycheck calculator.
Paycheck by pay frequency
In a no-income-tax state, the same $27,249 a year is paid out as follows:
| Frequency | Paychecks per year | Take-home per paycheck |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 | $524 |
| Biweekly | 26 | $1,048 |
| Semi-monthly | 24 | $1,135 |
| Monthly | 12 | $2,271 |
How to budget $2,271 a month
A common starting point is the 50/30/20 rule: 50% of take-home pay for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings and debt. On $2,271 a month, that is about $1,135 for needs such as rent, utilities, food, and transport, $681 for wants, and $454 for savings.
Landlords often ask for gross monthly income of about three times the rent. At $2,600 gross a month, that points to rent of roughly $867. Many people prefer to stay near 30% of take-home pay, which is about $681.
How a 401(k) changes the number
Putting 6% of your pay ($1,872 a year) into a traditional 401(k) lowers your federal income tax. In a no-income-tax state, your take-home pay falls from $27,249 to $25,602, a drop of only $1,647, even though you saved $1,872. If your employer matches part of the contribution, the benefit is larger still. Read more in our guide on how a 401(k) changes take-home pay.
Frequently asked questions
What percent of $31,200 goes to taxes?
In a state with no income tax, about 12.7% goes to federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare. A state with a 5% income tax adds roughly another 5% of income, minus deductions.
Is $31,200 a good income?
That depends on where you live and your household. Your take-home pay is $2,271 a month in a no-income-tax state, so local rent and living costs matter as much as the headline salary.
Do these numbers apply to married filers?
No. These estimates are for a single filer. Married couples filing jointly have a larger standard deduction and wider brackets, so take-home pay is usually higher. Switch the filing status in the paycheck calculator to compare.
Try your own hours, state, and deductions in the paycheck calculator, or convert wages with the hourly to salary calculator.
Updated October 2026. For information only, not tax advice.