How to Convert an Hourly Wage to an Annual Salary

Turn an hourly rate into weekly, monthly and yearly pay — and back — with the simple formula, plus what gross vs net really means.

Whether you are comparing a job offer or setting a freelance rate, it helps to move between hourly, monthly and yearly pay quickly. It all rests on one number: how many hours you work in a year.

The simple formula

Annual pay = hourly rate × hours per week × weeks per year. At 25 an hour, 40 hours a week and 52 weeks, that is 25 × 40 × 52 = 52,000 a year. To go the other way, divide the annual figure by your yearly hours to get the hourly rate. The salary calculator converts in every direction as you type.

Monthly and weekly

Divide the annual figure by 12 for a month and by 52 for a week. Because months are not the same length, the monthly amount is an average, not the exact size of any single paycheck.

Part-time and unpaid weeks

Lower the hours per week for part-time work, and drop the weeks per year if you take unpaid leave — for example 48 weeks instead of 52. Both change every figure, so the result reflects your real schedule.

Gross vs net

These are gross amounts, before income tax and social contributions. Your take-home (net) pay depends on your country, allowances and deductions, so treat the result as pre-tax and check your local tax rules for the amount that lands in your account.

A quick sanity check

A handy shortcut in the US and UK: an hourly rate roughly doubled gives thousands per year at full time — 15 an hour is about 30,000, 25 an hour about 50,000. It is only an approximation, but it is close enough to sense-check an offer.