The standard conversion
A full-time year of 40 hours a week for 52 weeks is 2,080 hours.
- Hourly = yearly salary ÷ 2,080. 52,000 a year is 25 an hour.
- Yearly = hourly × 2,080. 20 an hour is 41,600 a year.
- Monthly = yearly ÷ 12, not weekly × 4, because a month is about 4.33 weeks.
For a quick mental estimate, double the hourly rate and add three zeros: 20 an hour is about 40,000 a year.
Adjust for your real hours
If you work 37.5 hours a week, or take unpaid weeks off, use your own numbers. A salaried job that regularly runs to 50 hours a week pays less per hour than it looks.
Overtime
Overtime is often paid at time and a half: at 20 an hour, each overtime hour pays 30. Rules on who qualifies and when differ by country and by contract.
Gross and net
These figures are gross pay, before tax. What reaches your account depends on income tax, social security or national insurance, and deductions such as pension contributions.
Calculators
The Salary to Hourly Calculator converts between hourly, daily, weekly, every two weeks, monthly and yearly. The Take-Home Pay Calculator estimates net pay, the Overtime Calculator totals a week with overtime, and the Raise Calculator shows what a raise is worth.
Common salaries per hour
| Yearly | Hourly at 2,080 hours |
|---|---|
| 30,000 | 14.42 |
| 50,000 | 24.04 |
| 75,000 | 36.06 |
| 100,000 | 48.08 |
Paid time off changes the real rate
The 2,080 hours include paid holidays and vacation. With 25 days off a year, you actually work 2,080 − 200 = 1,880 hours, so 52,000 a year is 27.66 for each hour worked. This matters when comparing a salary with freelance or hourly work that has no paid leave.
Paychecks per year
- Every two weeks: 26 paychecks. 52,000 ÷ 26 = 2,000 each, and two months a year have three paychecks.
- Twice a month: 24 paychecks. 52,000 ÷ 24 = 2,166.67 each.
In the UK and elsewhere, full-time is often 37.5 hours a week, which makes 1,950 hours a year.