$30 an Hour Is How Much a Year? After-Tax Pay Breakdown

At a standard 40-hour week, $30 an hour translates to $62,400 before taxes hit. That puts you comfortably above the US median individual income, but here's what catches people off guard: the gap between gross and net is wider than most expect, and two offers at "$30/hr" can land you in completely different financial situations depending on hours, benefits, and how PTO is structured.

How the math works

The formula is straightforward: hourly rate × hours per week × weeks per year. At $30/hr with a 40-hour week across 52 weeks, you get $30 × 40 × 52 = $62,400 annually. The widget defaults to this standard full-time setup, but your actual number shifts if you're working part-time, freelance, or taking unpaid leave. A 37.5-hour week drops you to $58,500; two weeks unpaid vacation brings it to $60,000. The math is simple, but the assumptions matter.

What $30/hr actually takes home — the after-tax cut

Federal income tax and FICA (Social Security + Medicare at 7.65%) carve out a significant chunk before you see a paycheck. At $62,400 gross, you're sitting in the 22% federal bracket for most of your income, though the progressive structure means your effective rate is lower — closer to 12–14% after the standard deduction. FICA takes another $4,774. Before state tax, you're looking at roughly $50,000–$52,000 net. State tax is the wildcard that can swing your monthly budget by $200–$500. California, New York, Oregon, and New Jersey will pull another 5–9% depending on the locality. Texas, Florida, Nevada, Washington, and Tennessee charge zero state income tax, letting you keep more of that $62K.

What kinds of jobs pay $30/hr?

Is $30/hr a good salary?

$30/hr lands you at $62,400 annually, which sits above the US individual median of roughly $48,000 and below the household median of $78,000. It's a solid middle-income wage. The 30% rent rule suggests you can afford around $1,560/month in rent on this income. That works in metros like Nashville, Charlotte, Phoenix, and most of the Midwest — you'll find decent one-bedrooms and can save a bit. It gets tight in San Francisco, New York, Boston, or Seattle, where $1,560 barely covers a studio in a far-out neighborhood. You're not living paycheck-to-paycheck at this rate in most of the country, but you're also not building wealth fast. It's the zone where budgeting matters and lifestyle creep can erase your margin quickly.

The "is this a raise" trap — comparing offers at the same hourly with different hours or benefits

Two job offers both list "$30/hr" on paper, but one gives you 40 hours a week and the other caps you at 32. That's a $12,480 annual difference — nearly 20% of your gross income. Or maybe both are full-time, but one includes health insurance ($600/month value), 15 days PTO, and a 401(k) match, while the other is contract work with none of that. The contractor role needs to pay closer to $39–$42/hr to net out the same after you cover your own benefits and self-employment tax. When you're evaluating desired salary across offers, the headline hourly rate is just the starting point. Check the guaranteed weekly hours, PTO policy (paid vs. unpaid), health premiums, retirement match, and whether overtime is available. A "$28/hr" W-2 job with solid benefits often beats a "$30/hr" 1099 gig with nothing, and a "$30/hr" guarantee at 37.5 hours is objectively less money than the same rate at 40. Always multiply out the annual math and add in the benefit value before you compare.

For more rate breakdowns: $29/hr, $31/hr, $28/hr, $32/hr, $27/hr

Looking for jobs at $30/hr? Swipe through them on Sorce. 40 free a day, AI applies for you.