Washington · 2026 take-home pay

$16 an hour after taxes in Washington

At $16 an hour in Washington you keep about $13.68 of every hour — $547 a week, $2,372 a month or $28,459 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state payroll programs. Washington has no income tax on wages plus Paid Family & Medical Leave and WA Cares Fund, and its minimum wage is $17.13 an hour.

By Work & Money Editorial Team · Last reviewed October 14, 2026

Where $16 an hour goes

$16 an hour full time in Washington, single filer, 2026
A yearA weekAn hour
Gross pay$33,280$640$16.00
Federal income tax−$1,814−$35−$0.87
Social Security (6.2%)−$2,063−$40−$0.99
Medicare (1.45%+)−$483−$9−$0.23
Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share)−$269−$5−$0.13
WA Cares Fund (long-term care)−$193−$4−$0.09
Take-home pay$28,459$547$13.68

Effective tax rate 14.5% · federal bracket 12% · no state income tax on wages.

Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share): 0.81% of wages · WA Cares Fund (long-term care): 0.58% of wages.

Take-home per paycheck

40 hours a week, different pay schedules
PaidGrossTake-home
Weekly (52 paychecks)$640.00$547.29
Every two weeks (26)$1,280.00$1,094.57
Twice a month (24)$1,386.67$1,185.78
Monthly (12)$2,773.33$2,371.57

Change hours, overtime and deductions

$16 an hour at different hours

Take-home in Washington for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $16 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.

$16 an hour in Washington: weekly hours and take-home, 2026
ScheduleGross a weekTake-home a weekTake-home a year
20 hours a week*$320$290$15,082
30 hours a week$480$420$21,818
40 hours a week$640$547$28,459
40 hours + 5 overtime$760$642$33,386
40 hours + 10 overtime$880$737$38,313

*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.

Is $16 an hour good pay in Washington?

  • Minimum wage: $16 an hour is below Washington's minimum wage of $17.13 an hour, so most employers there can't pay it. Seattle and some other cities set higher local minimums.
  • Among Washington workers: It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Washington (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median is $30.28 an hour.
  • Local prices: Washington's price level is 107% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $28,459 a year buys about what $26,594 would at national-average prices.
  • Rent: the 30% rule points to about $832 a month. Check it with your debts.
  • A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,186 a month for needs, $711 for wants and $474 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.

How Washington compares on $16 an hour

Washington ranks 12th of 51 for take-home pay on $16 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.

Take-home on $16 an hour, 40 hours a week, single filer, 2026
StateAfter tax, per hourA yearMinimum wagevs Washington
Washington$13.68$28,459$17.13—
Idaho$13.59$28,265$7.25−$194 a year
Oregon$12.87$26,771$15.55−$1,688 a year

How the federal tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out

Taxable income is $33,280 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $17,180. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:

2026 federal income tax by bracket, single filer
RateIncome in this bracketTax
10%$12,400$1,240
12%$4,780$574
Total$17,180$1,814

Common questions

How much is $16 an hour after taxes in Washington?

About $13.68 for every hour you work, or $28,459 a year at 40 hours a week ($33,280 gross). Taxes take about 14.5% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.

How much is $16 an hour a week after taxes in Washington?

About $547 a week at 40 hours, from $640 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,095.

How much is $16 an hour a month after taxes in Washington?

About $2,372 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,773 gross.

Is $16 an hour good pay in Washington?

$16 an hour is below Washington's minimum wage of $17.13 an hour, so most employers there can't pay it. It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Washington (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Washington is $30.28. After taxes and local prices, $28,459 a year buys about what $26,594 would at national-average prices.

Is Washington a high-tax state for $16 an hour?

It ranks 12th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $16 an hour. The most you'd keep is $28,920 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $26,771 in Oregon.

Sources and method

Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Washington's employee payroll programs (methodology). Washington doesn't tax wages. Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.

  1. Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  2. State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  3. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  4. Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.