Office Clerks, General
Median $21.00 an hour in Ohio · 89,310 jobs
Ohio · 2026 take-home pay
$21 an hour after taxes in Ohio
At $21 an hour in Ohio you keep about $17.56 of every hour — $702 a week, $3,043 a month or $36,519 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Ohio income tax. Ohio has a flat 2.75% income tax, and its minimum wage is $11.00 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 |
| Ohio income tax | −$758 | −$15 | −$0.36 |
| Take-home pay | $36,519 | $702 | $17.56 |
Effective tax rate 16.4% · federal bracket 12% · Ohio bracket 2.75%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $840.00 | $702.29 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,680.00 | $1,404.58 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,820.00 | $1,521.63 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,640.00 | $3,043.27 |
$21 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Ohio 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 | $377 | $19,595 |
| 30 hours a week | $630 | $539 | $28,052 |
| 40 hours a week | $840 | $702 | $36,519 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $998 | $825 | $42,875 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,155 | $947 | $49,230 |
*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 Ohio?
- Minimum wage: $21 an hour is 1.9 times Ohio's minimum wage of $11.00 an hour. Employers with annual gross receipts of $405,000 or more; $7.25 for smaller employers.
- Among Ohio workers: It's about the 39th percentile of hourly pay in Ohio (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 39 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $23.74 an hour.
- Local prices: Ohio's price level is 92.8% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $36,519 a year buys about what $39,364 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 $1,522 a month for needs, $913 for wants and $609 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Ohio that pay about $21 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Ohio is within 4% of $21 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
Median $21.76 an hour in Ohio · 35,880 jobs
Light Truck Drivers
Median $20.48 an hour in Ohio · 35,130 jobs
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Median $21.29 an hour in Ohio · 29,110 jobs
Medical Assistants
Median $20.58 an hour in Ohio · 28,950 jobs
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
Median $20.82 an hour in Ohio · 17,850 jobs
How Ohio compares on $21 an hour
Ohio ranks 13th 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 Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $17.56 | $36,519 | $11.00 | — |
| Indiana | $17.32 | $36,018 | $7.25 | −$501 a year |
| Kentucky | $17.24 | $35,866 | $7.25 | −$653 a year |
| Michigan | $17.15 | $35,671 | $13.73 | −$848 a year |
| Pennsylvania | $17.26 | $35,905 | $7.25 | −$614 a year |
| West Virginia | $17.36 | $36,099 | $8.75 | −$420 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 |
How the Ohio income tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 of Ohio wages minus $2,150 in exemptions = $41,530.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | $26,050 | $0 |
| Fixed amount on the first $26,050 | — | +$332 |
| 2.75% | $15,480 | $426 |
| Total | $41,530 | $758 |
Common questions
How much is $21 an hour after taxes in Ohio?
About $17.56 for every hour you work, or $36,519 a year at 40 hours a week ($43,680 gross). Taxes take about 16.4% 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 Ohio?
About $702 a week at 40 hours, from $840 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,405.
How much is $21 an hour a month after taxes in Ohio?
About $3,043 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,640 gross.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Ohio?
$21 an hour is 1.9 times Ohio's minimum wage of $11.00 an hour. It's about the 39th percentile of hourly pay in Ohio (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 39 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Ohio is $23.74. After taxes and local prices, $36,519 a year buys about what $39,364 would at national-average prices.
Is Ohio a high-tax state for $21 an hour?
It ranks 13th 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 Ohio
- $17 an hour in Ohio
- $18 an hour in Ohio
- $19 an hour in Ohio
- $20 an hour in Ohio
- $22 an hour in Ohio
- $23 an hour in Ohio
- $24 an hour in Ohio
- $25 an hour in Ohio
$21 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in Ohio · $45,000 a year in Ohio · Ohio paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Ohio's income tax rules (methodology). 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.