What Hourly Wage Do I Need?

Enter your monthly expenses and see the hourly wage you need to support your lifestyle (after taxes).

Interactive Tool
Disclaimer: This calculator is for planning and education only. It uses 2026 federal tax brackets and a simplified tax model. Your actual take-home depends on your state, deductions, and credits. Not tax or financial advice.
💰 Your Monthly Spending
Take-home you need: rent, bills, food, etc.
Optional: add if you want to save too
⏰ Work Schedule
Full-time is usually 40
52 = no unpaid time off
📋 Filing Status
🏛️ State
Select your state for automatic state income tax calculation
📊 Your Required Wage
You need to make at least
$—
per hour (before taxes)
Annual salary
$—
Monthly take-home needed
$—
💳 Gross Pay Per Paycheck
Weekly
$—
Bi-Weekly
$—
Semi-Monthly
$—
Monthly
$—

📚 How It Works

You tell us how much you need in your pocket each month (expenses + any savings). We then find the gross (before-tax) income that, after federal tax, FICA (Social Security & Medicare), and state tax, leaves you with exactly that amount. That gross is converted to an hourly wage using your work schedule.

So the number we show is the minimum hourly wage you’d need to earn (before taxes) to support your current budget. If you make more, you’re ahead; if you make less, you’ll need to cut spending or add income.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How is the required hourly wage calculated?

We start with your required monthly take-home (expenses plus any savings goal), then work backward: we estimate federal tax, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), and state tax on different gross incomes until we find the gross pay that leaves you with exactly that take-home. That gross is converted to an hourly rate using your hours per week and weeks per year.

Why is the hourly rate higher than my expenses divided by hours?

Taxes. Your gross pay is reduced by federal income tax, FICA (about 7.65% for most people), and state tax before it hits your bank. So you need to earn more per hour than your take-home per hour to cover those deductions.

Should I include savings in my monthly amount?

Yes, if you want your wage to cover both expenses and saving. Add your target monthly savings to the cushion field, or include it in your total monthly expenses. That way the required wage reflects a budget that actually builds wealth, not just breaks even.

What if I have a side hustle or two incomes?

This tool assumes one job. If you have other income, you could enter only the expenses you want this job to cover, or use it to see the minimum this job needs to pay so the rest can come from elsewhere.