Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median $18.13 an hour in Washington · 94,710 jobs
Washington · 2026 take-home pay
$18 an hour after taxes in Washington
At $18 an hour in Washington you keep about $15.26 of every hour — $610 a week, $2,645 a month or $31,744 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.
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 |
| Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) | −$302 | −$6 | −$0.15 |
| WA Cares Fund (long-term care) | −$217 | −$4 | −$0.10 |
| Take-home pay | $31,744 | $610 | $15.26 |
Effective tax rate 15.2% · 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
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $720.00 | $610.46 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,440.00 | $1,220.91 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,560.00 | $1,322.65 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,120.00 | $2,645.31 |
$18 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Washington 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 | $322 | $16,766 |
| 30 hours a week | $540 | $468 | $24,344 |
| 40 hours a week | $720 | $610 | $31,744 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $855 | $717 | $37,287 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $990 | $824 | $42,830 |
*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 Washington?
- Minimum wage: $18 an hour is 1.1 times Washington's minimum wage of $17.13 an hour. 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 $31,744 a year buys about what $29,663 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 $1,323 a month for needs, $794 for wants and $529 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Washington that pay about $18 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Washington is within 4% of $18 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Cashiers
Median $18.62 an hour in Washington · 61,050 jobs
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Median $17.92 an hour in Washington · 9,530 jobs
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
Median $18.69 an hour in Washington · 8,050 jobs
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Median $18.17 an hour in Washington · 7,000 jobs
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
Median $18.16 an hour in Washington · 4,720 jobs
How Washington compares on $18 an hour
Washington ranks 11th of 51 for take-home pay on $18 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
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 Washington?
About $15.26 for every hour you work, or $31,744 a year at 40 hours a week ($37,440 gross). Taxes take about 15.2% 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 Washington?
About $610 a week at 40 hours, from $720 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,221.
How much is $18 an hour a month after taxes in Washington?
About $2,645 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,120 gross.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Washington?
$18 an hour is 1.1 times Washington's minimum wage of $17.13 an hour. 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, $31,744 a year buys about what $29,663 would at national-average prices.
Is Washington a high-tax state for $18 an hour?
It ranks 11th 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 Washington
- $14 an hour in Washington
- $15 an hour in Washington
- $16 an hour in Washington
- $17 an hour in Washington
- $19 an hour in Washington
- $20 an hour in Washington
- $21 an hour in Washington
- $22 an hour in Washington
$18 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in Washington · $40,000 a year in Washington · Washington paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
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.
- 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.