How the conversion works
A full-time year is usually 2,080 hours: 40 hours a week times 52 weeks.
A full-time year is usually 2,080 hours: 40 hours a week times 52 weeks. So the quick rule is that every $1 an hour is about $2,080 a year, and $20 an hour is about $41,600. If you take unpaid time off, use fewer weeks. Overtime for hourly workers is paid at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a week under federal law, and some states add daily overtime.
Comparing job offers fairly
Look at pay per hour you actually spend on the job, including the commute. A higher salary with 10 more hours a week, or an hour more in the car each day, can pay less for your time. Then add benefits: an employer 401(k) match, a lower health insurance premium or more paid time off are worth real money. Ask for the benefits summary before you decide.
Salaried and overtime
Many salaried workers aren't owed overtime, but not all. Under federal rules, most salaried employees earning less than a set weekly amount must still get overtime. Check the Department of Labor guidance if you're paid a salary and regularly work over 40 hours.
Results are before taxes and deductions. For what lands in your bank account, use the paycheck calculator.
Sources
2 sources
Last checked October 2026. Amounts change every year.
- U.S. Department of Labor · Overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act
- U.S. Department of Labor · Fact sheet 17A: exemptions for salaried workers