Direct answer
To convert hourly wage to salary, multiply your hourly rate by weekly hours, then multiply by paid weeks per year.
The common full-time shortcut is hourly wage times 40 hours times 52 weeks. For example, $25 per hour at 40 hours per week equals $1,000 per week and $52,000 per year before taxes and deductions.
If you work fewer hours, unpaid weeks, seasonal schedules, or regular overtime, the annual salary equivalent changes.
Formula and example
Use gross hourly wage, not take-home pay. Then choose realistic weekly hours and paid weeks per year.
The 40-hour, 52-week formula is useful, but it can overstate income when unpaid time off, seasonal work, or reduced schedules apply.
Comparison table
| Hourly wage | Weekly hours | Paid weeks | Annual salary estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $18/hour | 40 | 52 | $37,440 |
| $25/hour | 40 | 52 | $52,000 |
| $30/hour | 37.5 | 52 | $58,500 |
| $40/hour | 40 | 50 | $80,000 |
Step-by-step calculation
Key checks
- Start with the hourly wage before taxes, not the take-home amount after deductions.
- Choose realistic weekly hours, especially if the schedule is part-time, variable, or often above 40 hours.
- Choose paid weeks per year, using 52 only when all weeks are paid or expected to be worked.
- Multiply hourly rate by weekly hours to get weekly gross pay, then multiply by paid weeks for annual gross pay.
- Compare the annual estimate with benefits, overtime eligibility, unpaid time off, and schedule stability before making a job decision.
Worked example
A useful example is easier to trust when each assumption is visible. The sample below follows the same order you should use for your own numbers.
Key checks
- At $25 per hour and 40 hours per week, weekly gross pay is $1,000.
- Using 52 paid weeks, the annual salary estimate is $52,000 before taxes and deductions.
- If unpaid weeks are expected, reduce the weeks per year before relying on the estimate.
What can change the result
Overtime, unpaid time off, seasonal breaks, reduced schedules, shift premiums, bonuses, and unpaid holidays all change the annual total.
Benefits also matter when comparing hourly and salary offers. A salary with better paid time off or health benefits may be worth more than the gross number suggests.
An hourly role with reliable overtime may produce more income than the base conversion shows.
Common mistakes to avoid
Key checks
- Do not use 52 weeks automatically when you expect unpaid time off or seasonal gaps.
- Do not compare hourly gross pay with salaried take-home pay.
- Do not ignore overtime if the hourly job regularly includes overtime and the salary job does not.
- Do not ignore benefits, paid leave, retirement match, or health costs when comparing offers.
- Do not assume 40 hours if the real schedule is usually 35, 37.5, 45, or variable.
When to use the calculator
Use the hourly to salary calculator when comparing an hourly job to a salary offer, estimating annual income, or checking whether a raise changes yearly pay enough to matter.
A good workflow is to answer the narrow question first, then open Hourly to Salary Calculator when you need to test different inputs or carry the result into another work decision.
Open Hourly to Salary Calculator