$21 an Hour Is How Much a Year?
Full time, $21 an hour is $43,680 a year before taxes. After federal, Social Security and Medicare taxes, a single filer keeps about $37,277 in a state with no income tax.
| Yearly | $43,680.00 |
| Monthly | $3,640.00 |
| Twice a month | $1,820.00 |
| Every 2 weeks | $1,680.00 |
| Weekly | $840.00 |
| Daily (8 hours) | $168.00 |
| Hourly | $21.00 |
| Federal income tax | -$3,062 |
| Social Security + Medicare | -$3,342 |
| Take-home pay | $37,277 |
$21 an hour after taxes by state
Single filer, full time, no pre-tax deductions, 2026 rules. Typical local taxes included where they apply. Sorted from most to least take-home pay.
| State | Per year | Every 2 weeks | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $37,277 | $1,433.73 | $17.92 |
| Florida | $37,277 | $1,433.73 | $17.92 |
| Nevada | $37,277 | $1,433.73 | $17.92 |
| Tennessee | $37,277 | $1,433.73 | $17.92 |
| South Dakota | $37,277 | $1,433.73 | $17.92 |
| Wyoming | $37,277 | $1,433.73 | $17.92 |
| New Hampshire | $37,277 | $1,433.73 | $17.92 |
| North Dakota | $37,277 | $1,433.73 | $17.92 |
| Alaska | $37,058 | $1,425.33 | $17.82 |
| South Carolina | $36,686 | $1,411.01 | $17.64 |
| Washington | $36,671 | $1,410.42 | $17.63 |
| Arizona | $36,579 | $1,406.87 | $17.59 |
| New Mexico | $36,366 | $1,398.69 | $17.48 |
| Louisiana | $36,353 | $1,398.18 | $17.48 |
| Iowa | $36,269 | $1,394.96 | $17.44 |
| Mississippi | $36,262 | $1,394.68 | $17.43 |
| Vermont | $36,203 | $1,392.41 | $17.41 |
| Missouri | $36,197 | $1,392.20 | $17.40 |
| Nebraska | $36,169 | $1,391.11 | $17.39 |
| Arkansas | $36,148 | $1,390.32 | $17.38 |
| West Virginia | $36,099 | $1,388.44 | $17.36 |
| Idaho | $36,070 | $1,387.31 | $17.34 |
| North Carolina | $36,043 | $1,386.26 | $17.33 |
| New Jersey | $36,042 | $1,386.24 | $17.33 |
| California | $36,014 | $1,385.14 | $17.31 |
| Wisconsin | $36,012 | $1,385.06 | $17.31 |
| Montana | $35,981 | $1,383.87 | $17.30 |
| Ohio | $35,976 | $1,383.70 | $17.30 |
| Utah | $35,974 | $1,383.63 | $17.30 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,905 | $1,380.97 | $17.26 |
| Colorado | $35,871 | $1,379.66 | $17.25 |
| Kentucky | $35,866 | $1,379.45 | $17.24 |
| Oklahoma | $35,857 | $1,379.11 | $17.24 |
| Georgia | $35,846 | $1,378.68 | $17.23 |
| Rhode Island | $35,775 | $1,375.97 | $17.20 |
| Washington, D.C. | $35,756 | $1,375.23 | $17.19 |
| Maine | $35,743 | $1,374.73 | $17.18 |
| Michigan | $35,671 | $1,371.97 | $17.15 |
| Kansas | $35,639 | $1,370.74 | $17.13 |
| Virginia | $35,579 | $1,368.44 | $17.11 |
| Minnesota | $35,566 | $1,367.94 | $17.10 |
| Connecticut | $35,555 | $1,367.50 | $17.09 |
| Alabama | $35,486 | $1,364.84 | $17.06 |
| Hawaii | $35,483 | $1,364.72 | $17.06 |
| Indiana | $35,363 | $1,360.10 | $17.00 |
| Delaware | $35,355 | $1,359.80 | $17.00 |
| New York | $35,295 | $1,357.51 | $16.97 |
| Illinois | $35,260 | $1,356.13 | $16.95 |
| Massachusetts | $35,212 | $1,354.31 | $16.93 |
| Maryland | $34,382 | $1,322.37 | $16.53 |
| Oregon | $34,254 | $1,317.45 | $16.47 |
Part time and overtime
| Schedule | Per week | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week | $420.00 | $21,840 |
| 30 hours a week | $630.00 | $32,760 |
| 40 hours a week | $840.00 | $43,680 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $997.50 | $51,870 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,155.00 | $60,060 |
How $21 an hour compares
$21 an hour is above the median wage in only 2 of 51 states: Arkansas and Mississippi. It is furthest below the median in Washington, D.C., Massachusetts and Washington.
- Highest federal tax bracket: 12% for a single filer (2026 brackets).
- A $1,000 raise adds about $804 after tax in a state with no income tax, or $30.90 per paycheck.
- Total tax rate in a no-income-tax state: 14.7% of gross pay.
Median wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025. Minimum wages as of 2026.
Jobs that pay about $21 an hour
National median pay by occupation, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). Half of workers in each job earn more and half earn less; pay varies by state and experience.
| Occupation | Median hourly | Median yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing assistants | $20.32 | $42,260 |
| Tellers | $20.69 | $43,030 |
| First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers | $21.19 | $44,080 |
| Emergency medical technicians | $21.38 | $44,470 |
| Customer service representatives | $21.53 | $44,770 |
| Light truck drivers | $21.57 | $44,860 |
| Office clerks, general | $21.64 | $45,010 |
| Phlebotomists | $21.75 | $45,230 |
Compare nearby wages
Common questions
$21 an hour is how much a year?
Working full time (40 hours a week, 52 weeks), $21 an hour is $43,680 a year before taxes. That is $3,640.00 a month and $1,680.00 every two weeks.
How much is $21 an hour after taxes?
For a single filer, $21 an hour full time leaves about $37,277 a year in Texas, which has no state income tax. It ranges from $37,277 in Texas to $34,254 in Oregon once state and typical local taxes are included.
How much is $21 an hour biweekly?
$21 an hour for 80 hours is $1,680.00 every two weeks before taxes, or about $1,433.73 after federal taxes, Social Security and Medicare in a no-income-tax state.
How much is $21 an hour part time?
At 20 hours a week, $21 an hour is $21,840 a year. At 30 hours a week it is $32,760 a year.
What jobs pay $21 an hour?
Jobs with a national median of about $21 an hour include nursing assistants, tellers, first-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers, emergency medical technicians, customer service representatives, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025).
Is $21 an hour a good wage?
$21 an hour is above the median wage in only 2 of 51 states: Arkansas and Mississippi. It is furthest below the median in Washington, D.C., Massachusetts and Washington.
What is $21 an hour with overtime?
Overtime is usually paid at 1.5 times your rate, so each overtime hour pays $31.50 at $21 an hour. Five overtime hours a week adds $8,190 a year before tax.