TaxWren2026 tax year · updated
$42 an hour is how much a year?
$42 an hour is $87,360 a year before taxes at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks: $7,280 a month, $3,360 every two weeks and $1,680 a week. After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, a single filer keeps about $70,288 a year ($5,857 a month) in a state without income tax.
$42 an hour by pay period
| Before tax | After federal tax | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | $87,360 | $70,288 |
| Month | $7,280 | $5,857 |
| Every two weeks | $3,360 | $2,703 |
| Week | $1,680 | $1,352 |
| Day (5-day week) | $336 | $270 |
| Hour | $42 | $33.79 |
After tax: single filer, 2026 federal income tax after the $16,100 standard deduction, Social Security 6.2% and Medicare 1.45%, no state income tax. Total $17,072 (19.5%).
If you work fewer hours
| Hours a week | Yearly pay | Monthly pay |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | $43,680 | $3,640 |
| 25 | $54,600 | $4,550 |
| 30 | $65,520 | $5,460 |
| 32 | $69,888 | $5,824 |
| 35 | $76,440 | $6,370 |
| 37.5 | $81,900 | $6,825 |
| 40 | $87,360 | $7,280 |
Unpaid time off lowers the total: 50 paid weeks give $84,000, 48 paid weeks give $80,640.
$42 an hour and the minimum wage
$42 an hour is above the minimum wage in every state. The highest is District of Columbia ($18.40), so this rate is 128% above it.
It is 5.8 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which is still the minimum in 20 states. A full-time job at the federal minimum pays $15,080 a year before tax, against $87,360 here.
Minimum wages from the US Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws (updated July 1, 2026); some states have different rates for small employers or certain cities.
How $42 an hour compares with US pay
$42 an hour is between the 75th and 90th percentile of US hourly wages. It is 71% above the median of $24.51 (OEWS May 2025, all occupations).
| Percentile | Hourly wage | Full-time yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $15 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $18.07 | $37,586 |
| Median | $24.51 | $50,981 |
| 75th | $38.71 | $80,517 |
| 90th | $61.81 | $128,565 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 national estimates (all occupations). Percentiles cover wage and salary workers in all occupations; they exclude the self-employed.
$42 an hour after taxes in every state
Take-home pay on $87,360 a year for a single filer in 2026, after federal, state and state payroll taxes. The gap between Alaska and Oregon is $6,049 a year. Local income taxes are not included.
| State | State taxes | Take-home a year | A month | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $0 | $70,288 | $5,857 | $33.79 |
| Florida | $0 | $70,288 | $5,857 | $33.79 |
| Nevada | $0 | $70,288 | $5,857 | $33.79 |
| New Hampshire | $0 | $70,288 | $5,857 | $33.79 |
| South Dakota | $0 | $70,288 | $5,857 | $33.79 |
| Tennessee | $0 | $70,288 | $5,857 | $33.79 |
| Texas | $0 | $70,288 | $5,857 | $33.79 |
| Wyoming | $0 | $70,288 | $5,857 | $33.79 |
| North Dakota | $444 | $69,843 | $5,820 | $33.58 |
| Washington | $507 | $69,781 | $5,815 | $33.55 |
| Arizona | $1,782 | $68,506 | $5,709 | $32.94 |
| Ohio | $1,966 | $68,322 | $5,693 | $32.85 |
| Louisiana | $2,235 | $68,053 | $5,671 | $32.72 |
| Indiana | $2,548 | $67,740 | $5,645 | $32.57 |
| Rhode Island | $2,659 | $67,629 | $5,636 | $32.51 |
| Iowa | $2,668 | $67,620 | $5,635 | $32.51 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,682 | $67,606 | $5,634 | $32.50 |
| Arkansas | $2,745 | $67,543 | $5,629 | $32.47 |
| Mississippi | $2,762 | $67,525 | $5,627 | $32.46 |
| Kentucky | $2,940 | $67,348 | $5,612 | $32.38 |
| New Mexico | $2,950 | $67,338 | $5,612 | $32.37 |
| North Carolina | $2,977 | $67,311 | $5,609 | $32.36 |
| Missouri | $3,095 | $67,192 | $5,599 | $32.30 |
| Nebraska | $3,095 | $67,192 | $5,599 | $32.30 |
| West Virginia | $3,112 | $67,176 | $5,598 | $32.30 |
| Colorado | $3,135 | $67,152 | $5,596 | $32.28 |
| Vermont | $3,306 | $66,982 | $5,582 | $32.20 |
| New Jersey | $3,375 | $66,913 | $5,576 | $32.17 |
| Oklahoma | $3,386 | $66,902 | $5,575 | $32.16 |
| Michigan | $3,462 | $66,826 | $5,569 | $32.13 |
| South Carolina | $3,477 | $66,811 | $5,568 | $32.12 |
| Idaho | $3,522 | $66,766 | $5,564 | $32.10 |
| Montana | $3,575 | $66,713 | $5,559 | $32.07 |
| Alabama | $3,609 | $66,679 | $5,557 | $32.06 |
| Georgia | $3,611 | $66,677 | $5,556 | $32.06 |
| Wisconsin | $3,701 | $66,586 | $5,549 | $32.01 |
| Maryland | $3,786 | $66,502 | $5,542 | $31.97 |
| Utah | $3,820 | $66,467 | $5,539 | $31.96 |
| Kansas | $4,075 | $66,213 | $5,518 | $31.83 |
| New York | $4,120 | $66,167 | $5,514 | $31.81 |
| Illinois | $4,180 | $66,108 | $5,509 | $31.78 |
| Virginia | $4,209 | $66,079 | $5,507 | $31.77 |
| Maine | $4,225 | $66,063 | $5,505 | $31.76 |
| Connecticut | $4,230 | $66,058 | $5,505 | $31.76 |
| Minnesota | $4,417 | $65,871 | $5,489 | $31.67 |
| Delaware | $4,425 | $65,863 | $5,489 | $31.66 |
| District of Columbia | $4,457 | $65,831 | $5,486 | $31.65 |
| Massachusetts | $4,550 | $65,738 | $5,478 | $31.60 |
| Hawaii | $4,836 | $65,452 | $5,454 | $31.47 |
| California | $5,015 | $65,273 | $5,439 | $31.38 |
| Oregon | $6,049 | $64,239 | $5,353 | $30.88 |
By filing status (no state income tax)
| Status | Take-home | Month | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $70,288 | $5,857 | 19.5% |
| Married filing jointly | $74,554 | $6,213 | 14.7% |
| Head of household | $73,446 | $6,120 | 15.9% |
Married filing jointly assumes this is the household's only income.
How we calculate this
Yearly pay = hourly rate × 40 hours × 52 weeks; a month is a twelfth of the year. Taxes use the same engine as our take-home pay calculator: 2026 federal brackets, FICA and each state's income tax. Overtime pay and pre-tax deductions such as a 401(k) or health insurance are not included. Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. Methodology.
Paid overtime? The no tax on overtime calculator shows what the overtime deduction saves.
$42 an hour: FAQ
How much is $42 an hour a month?
$7,280 a month before taxes at 40 hours a week ($87,360 ÷ 12), and about $5,857 after federal taxes for a single filer in a state without income tax.
How much is $42 an hour every two weeks?
$3,360 gross for 80 hours. After federal income tax and FICA, a single filer's paycheck is about $2,703 before any state tax, 401(k) or insurance deductions.
How much is $42 an hour after taxes?
About $33.79 an hour ($70,288 a year) for a single filer with no state income tax. With state tax it ranges from $70,288 in Alaska to $64,239 in Oregon a year.
How much is $42 an hour part time?
At 20 hours a week, $42 an hour is $43,680 a year or $3,640 a month; at 30 hours it is $65,520 a year.