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Hourly Wage Calculator Guide
Convert between an annual salary and an hourly rate in either direction, with overtime at time-and-a-half.
Hourly = annual salary ÷ (hours per week × paid weeks)
$52,000 ÷ (40 × 52) = $52,000 ÷ 2,080 = $25/hour
Going the other way: $25 × 2,080 = $52,000.
2,080 Is the Number to Remember
40 hours × 52 weeks = 2,080 hours a year. That's why the quick trick works: halve your hourly rate and add three zeros. $25/hour ≈ $50,000. It's close enough for a conversation and it's the sum most people do in their head during an interview.
Where the Comparison Breaks
The arithmetic is easy. The comparison it enables usually isn't, because an hourly rate and a salary aren't the same thing even when the annual number matches.
The salaried person gets paid holiday, sick leave, and typically employer contributions to pension and health cover. Work 50 hours and the pay doesn't move — the real hourly rate quietly drops to $20.
The contractor at the same $25/hour gets paid for exactly the hours worked and nothing else. No holiday, no sick pay, no employer contributions, plus self-employment tax and unpaid gaps between contracts. This is why contract rates run 20–50% above the equivalent salary — it's compensation for everything that isn't there.
Paid Weeks Matter More Than People Think
If you take four unpaid weeks off, you're working 48 weeks, not 52 — that's 1,920 hours, and the same $52,000 becomes $27.08/hour. Salaried employees should leave this at 52 because holiday is paid; contractors should set it to the weeks they actually expect to bill.
Overtime
This uses 1.5×, the common standard for non-exempt hourly work in many places. Rules on who qualifies, what counts as overtime and when double time applies vary by country and by state, and salaried "exempt" roles typically get nothing for the extra hours. Check your own contract rather than assuming.
This Is All Gross
Every number here is before tax, and take-home depends on where you live, your filing situation and your deductions. Comparing two gross figures is fine; assuming either one lands in your account is not.
Related: time card calculator, percentage calculator.
These results are estimates for education and planning, not financial advice. Actual returns, rates, and terms vary — check with a qualified professional before making decisions.
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