Retail Salespersons
Median $17.93 an hour in Alaska · 7,890 jobs
Alaska · 2026 take-home pay
$18 an hour after taxes in Alaska
At $18 an hour in Alaska you keep about $15.42 of every hour — $617 a week, $2,673 a month or $32,076 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state payroll programs. Alaska has no income tax on wages plus Unemployment Insurance employee contribution, and its minimum wage is $14.00 an hour.
Where $18 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $37,440 | $720 | $18.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,313 | −$44 | −$1.11 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,321 | −$45 | −$1.12 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$543 | −$10 | −$0.26 |
| Unemployment Insurance employee contribution | −$187 | −$4 | −$0.09 |
| Take-home pay | $32,076 | $617 | $15.42 |
Effective tax rate 14.3% · federal bracket 12% · no state income tax on wages.
Unemployment Insurance employee contribution: 0.5% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $720.00 | $616.84 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,440.00 | $1,233.69 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,560.00 | $1,336.49 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,120.00 | $2,672.99 |
$18 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Alaska for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $18 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $360 | $326 | $16,932 |
| 30 hours a week | $540 | $473 | $24,593 |
| 40 hours a week | $720 | $617 | $32,076 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $855 | $725 | $37,681 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $990 | $832 | $43,287 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Alaska?
- Minimum wage: $18 an hour is 1.3 times Alaska's minimum wage of $14.00 an hour.
- Among Alaska workers: It's about the 14th percentile of hourly pay in Alaska (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 14 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $29.33 an hour.
- Local prices: Alaska's price level is 102.4% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $32,076 a year buys about what $31,337 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $936 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,336 a month for needs, $802 for wants and $535 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Alaska that pay about $18 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Alaska is within 4% of $18 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Cashiers
Median $17.37 an hour in Alaska · 5,810 jobs
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $17.97 an hour in Alaska · 2,440 jobs
Childcare Workers
Median $17.40 an hour in Alaska · 1,340 jobs
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Median $17.88 an hour in Alaska · 970 jobs
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
Median $18.03 an hour in Alaska · 820 jobs
How Alaska compares on $18 an hour
Alaska ranks 9th of 51 for take-home pay on $18 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $15.42 | $32,076 | $14.00 | — |
| Washington | $15.26 | $31,744 | $17.13 | −$332 a year |
How the federal tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $21,340. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $8,940 | $1,073 |
| Total | $21,340 | $2,313 |
Common questions
How much is $18 an hour after taxes in Alaska?
About $15.42 for every hour you work, or $32,076 a year at 40 hours a week ($37,440 gross). Taxes take about 14.3% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $18 an hour a week after taxes in Alaska?
About $617 a week at 40 hours, from $720 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,234.
How much is $18 an hour a month after taxes in Alaska?
About $2,673 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,120 gross.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Alaska?
$18 an hour is 1.3 times Alaska's minimum wage of $14.00 an hour. It's about the 14th percentile of hourly pay in Alaska (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 14 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Alaska is $29.33. After taxes and local prices, $32,076 a year buys about what $31,337 would at national-average prices.
Is Alaska a high-tax state for $18 an hour?
It ranks 9th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $18 an hour. The most you'd keep is $32,263 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $29,764 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Alaska
- $14 an hour in Alaska
- $15 an hour in Alaska
- $16 an hour in Alaska
- $17 an hour in Alaska
- $19 an hour in Alaska
- $20 an hour in Alaska
- $21 an hour in Alaska
- $22 an hour in Alaska
$18 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in Alaska · $40,000 a year in Alaska · Alaska paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Alaska's employee payroll programs (methodology). Alaska 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.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.