Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Median $21.40 an hour in Alaska · 4,250 jobs
Alaska · 2026 take-home pay
$21 an hour after taxes in Alaska
At $21 an hour in Alaska you keep about $17.82 of every hour — $713 a week, $3,088 a month or $37,058 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 $21 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $43,680 | $840 | $21.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,062 | −$59 | −$1.47 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,708 | −$52 | −$1.30 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$633 | −$12 | −$0.30 |
| Unemployment Insurance employee contribution | −$218 | −$4 | −$0.11 |
| Take-home pay | $37,058 | $713 | $17.82 |
Effective tax rate 15.2% · 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) | $840.00 | $712.66 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,680.00 | $1,425.33 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,820.00 | $1,544.10 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,640.00 | $3,088.21 |
$21 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Alaska for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $21 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* | $420 | $375 | $19,486 |
| 30 hours a week | $630 | $545 | $28,339 |
| 40 hours a week | $840 | $713 | $37,058 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $998 | $838 | $43,598 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,155 | $965 | $50,167 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Alaska?
- Minimum wage: $21 an hour is 1.5 times Alaska's minimum wage of $14.00 an hour.
- Among Alaska workers: It's about the 25th percentile of hourly pay in Alaska (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 25 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 $37,058 a year buys about what $36,204 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,092 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,544 a month for needs, $926 for wants and $618 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Alaska that pay about $21 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Alaska is within 4% of $21 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Customer Service Representatives
Median $21.71 an hour in Alaska · 2,410 jobs
Tour and Travel Guides
Median $21.25 an hour in Alaska · 1,660 jobs
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Median $21.50 an hour in Alaska · 1,530 jobs
Counter and Rental Clerks
Median $20.89 an hour in Alaska · 660 jobs
Tire Repairers and Changers
Median $20.83 an hour in Alaska · 450 jobs
How Alaska compares on $21 an hour
Alaska ranks 9th of 51 for take-home pay on $21 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 | $17.82 | $37,058 | $14.00 | — |
| Washington | $17.63 | $36,671 | $17.13 | −$387 a year |
How the federal tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $27,580. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $15,180 | $1,822 |
| Total | $27,580 | $3,062 |
Common questions
How much is $21 an hour after taxes in Alaska?
About $17.82 for every hour you work, or $37,058 a year at 40 hours a week ($43,680 gross). Taxes take about 15.2% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $21 an hour a week after taxes in Alaska?
About $713 a week at 40 hours, from $840 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,425.
How much is $21 an hour a month after taxes in Alaska?
About $3,088 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,640 gross.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Alaska?
$21 an hour is 1.5 times Alaska's minimum wage of $14.00 an hour. It's about the 25th percentile of hourly pay in Alaska (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 25 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Alaska is $29.33. After taxes and local prices, $37,058 a year buys about what $36,204 would at national-average prices.
Is Alaska a high-tax state for $21 an hour?
It ranks 9th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $21 an hour. The most you'd keep is $37,277 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $34,254 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Alaska
- $17 an hour in Alaska
- $18 an hour in Alaska
- $19 an hour in Alaska
- $20 an hour in Alaska
- $22 an hour in Alaska
- $23 an hour in Alaska
- $24 an hour in Alaska
- $25 an hour in Alaska
$21 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in Alaska · $45,000 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.