| Pre-tax | After tax | |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $38.46 | $30.98 |
| Weekly | $1,538 | $1,239 |
| Biweekly | $3,077 | $2,478 |
| Monthly | $6,667 | $5,370 |
| Annual | $80,000 | $64,439 |
At a standard 40-hour week, $80,000 a year works out to $38.46 per hour before taxes. That puts you squarely in mid-career territory — above the US individual median but not quite into six-figure comfort. The catch most people miss: federal and state tax will shave off $17K–$20K depending on where you live, so the number that hits your bank account looks closer to $60K–$63K.
How the math works
Divide the annual salary by the number of hours worked in a year. A full-time schedule is 40 hours per week for 52 weeks, which equals 2,080 hours annually. So $80,000 ÷ 2,080 = $38.46 per hour. The widget uses this 40-hour, 52-week default. If you're part-time, freelance, or taking unpaid leave, the effective hourly rate changes — fewer hours worked means a higher per-hour equivalent to hit the same annual number, and vice versa.
What $80K actually takes home — the after-tax cut
Federal income tax at $80K puts you in the 22% marginal bracket for single filers, though your effective rate is lower because of the progressive structure. FICA (Social Security and Medicare) takes another 7.65% flat. Combined, federal tax and FICA pull out roughly $17,000–$18,000, leaving you with about $62,000–$63,000 before state tax. State tax is where things diverge: California, New York, Oregon, and New Jersey will take another 5–7%, cutting your monthly take-home by $300–$500. Texas, Florida, Nevada, Washington, and Tennessee have no state income tax, so your net stays closer to $5,250/month. The difference between a high-tax and zero-tax state at this salary is around $4,000–$5,000 a year.
What kinds of jobs pay $80K/yr?
| Job title | Typical setting | Why this rate fits |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer (entry) | Tech startup, SaaS company | Standard new-grad offer in mid-tier markets |
| Registered Nurse (5+ years) | Hospital, clinic | Mid-career RN with some specialty certifications |
| Marketing Manager | Small to mid-size company | Managing campaigns, small team, limited budget |
| Accountant (CPA) | Firm, corporate finance | Licensed accountant with 3–5 years experience |
| High School Teacher (10+ years) | Public school district | Senior step on salary schedule in decent-paying states |
| Sales Account Executive | B2B SaaS, enterprise sales | Base salary before commission in competitive markets |
| Project Coordinator (senior) | Construction, engineering firm | Managing timelines, budgets, subcontractors |
| Physical Therapist (entry) | Outpatient clinic, sports medicine | New DPT grad in smaller metro area |
| UX Designer | Agency, in-house product team | 2–4 years experience, consumer-facing products |
| Data Analyst | Corporate, consulting | SQL, Tableau, reporting — pre-senior level |
| Paralegal (senior) | Law firm, corporate legal | 7+ years, managing discovery, filings, client intake |
| HR Generalist | Mid-size company | Benefits admin, recruiting, employee relations |
Is $80K/yr a good salary?
$80,000 is above the US individual median of roughly $48,000 and just slightly above the household median of ~$78,000. It's a comfortable single-person income in most mid-size metros — think Charlotte, Austin (pre-boom prices), Denver suburbs, Tampa. The 30% rent rule suggests spending no more than $2,000/month on housing; that gets you a decent one-bedroom in those markets. In San Francisco, Seattle, or Manhattan, $2,000/month barely covers a studio with roommates, so $80K feels paycheck-to-paycheck. In lower-cost cities like Pittsburgh, Nashville, or Raleigh, it's genuinely comfortable — you can rent a nice place, save, and still go out. At this rate, you're past survival mode but not yet "buy whatever" territory. Lifestyle upgrades start requiring deliberate tradeoffs.
PTO conversion — what does an unpaid day off actually cost at $80K
At $38.46 per hour, every unpaid day off costs you $307.68 (eight hours). That's the real price of taking a sick day, jury duty, or an extra long weekend when you're out of PTO. Over a year, five unpaid days total $1,538 — not catastrophic, but enough to notice. If you're weighing two offers at the same $80K salary, the one with 15 days PTO versus 10 is effectively worth an extra $1,538 in paid time. Contractor and freelance roles rarely include PTO, which is why the big-law salary scale and other high-pay 1099 gigs price in a buffer — you're eating the cost of every vacation day, sick day, and holiday. For W-2 employees, the difference between generous and stingy PTO policies at this rate is a weekend trip or two per year. When you're comparing offers, convert the PTO gap into dollars; it clarifies whether the "better" offer actually is.
Sibling rate links
For more rate breakdowns: $75K/yr, $85K/yr, $70K/yr, $90K/yr, $65K/yr
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How much is $80,000 a year per hour?
- $80,000 a year equals $38.46 per hour when working a standard 40-hour week for 52 weeks. This assumes full-time employment with no unpaid time off.
- What is the take-home pay on $80K a year?
- After federal tax and FICA, expect roughly $60,000–$63,000 annually, or about $5,000–$5,250 per month. State income tax can reduce this by another $200–$500/month depending on where you live.
- Is $80,000 a year a good salary?
- $80K is above the US individual median of ~$48K and close to the household median of ~$78K. It's comfortable in most mid-size cities but tight in expensive metros like SF or NYC.