Massachusetts · 2026 take-home pay

$23 an hour after taxes in Massachusetts

At $23 an hour in Massachusetts you keep about $18.38 of every hour — $735 a week, $3,186 a month or $38,227 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Massachusetts income tax and state payroll programs. Massachusetts has a graduated income tax plus PFML (Paid Family & Medical Leave) employee share, and its minimum wage is $15.00 an hour.

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

Where $23 an hour goes

$23 an hour full time in Massachusetts, single filer, 2026
A yearA weekAn hour
Gross pay$47,840$920$23.00
Federal income tax−$3,561−$68−$1.71
Social Security (6.2%)−$2,966−$57−$1.43
Medicare (1.45%+)−$694−$13−$0.33
Massachusetts income tax−$2,172−$42−$1.04
PFML (Paid Family & Medical Leave) employee share−$220−$4−$0.11
Take-home pay$38,227$735$18.38

Effective tax rate 20.1% · federal bracket 12% · Massachusetts bracket 5%.

PFML (Paid Family & Medical Leave) employee share: 0.46% of wages.

Take-home per paycheck

40 hours a week, different pay schedules
PaidGrossTake-home
Weekly (52 paychecks)$920.00$735.14
Every two weeks (26)$1,840.00$1,470.28
Twice a month (24)$1,993.33$1,592.81
Monthly (12)$3,986.67$3,185.61

Change hours, overtime and deductions

$23 an hour at different hours

Take-home in Massachusetts for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $23 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.

$23 an hour in Massachusetts: weekly hours and take-home, 2026
ScheduleGross a weekTake-home a weekTake-home a year
20 hours a week*$460$389$20,222
30 hours a week$690$563$29,271
40 hours a week$920$735$38,227
40 hours + 5 overtime$1,093$864$44,945
40 hours + 10 overtime$1,265$994$51,663

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

Is $23 an hour good pay in Massachusetts?

  • Minimum wage: $23 an hour is 1.5 times Massachusetts's minimum wage of $15.00 an hour.
  • Among Massachusetts workers: It's about the 29th percentile of hourly pay in Massachusetts (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 29 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $30.57 an hour.
  • Local prices: Massachusetts's price level is 105.8% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $38,227 a year buys about what $36,146 would at national-average prices.
  • Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,196 a month. Check it with your debts.
  • A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,593 a month for needs, $956 for wants and $637 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.

Jobs in Massachusetts that pay about $23 an hour

Occupations whose median wage in Massachusetts is within 4% of $23 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.

How Massachusetts compares on $23 an hour

Massachusetts ranks 50th of 51 for take-home pay on $23 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.

Take-home on $23 an hour, 40 hours a week, single filer, 2026
StateAfter tax, per hourA yearMinimum wagevs Massachusetts
Massachusetts$18.38$38,227$15.00—
Connecticut$18.59$38,668$16.94+$441 a year
New Hampshire$19.53$40,619$7.25+$2,392 a year
New York$18.46$38,395$16.00+$168 a year
Rhode Island$18.71$38,916$16.00+$689 a year
Vermont$18.97$39,451$14.42+$1,224 a year

How the federal tax on $47,840 ($23 an hour) is worked out

Taxable income is $47,840 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $31,740. 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%$19,340$2,321
Total$31,740$3,561

How the Massachusetts income tax on $47,840 ($23 an hour) is worked out

Taxable income is $47,840 of Massachusetts wages minus $4,400 in exemptions = $43,440.

Massachusetts income tax by bracket, single filer, 2026 rules
RateIncome in this bracketTax
5%$43,440$2,172
Total$43,440$2,172

Common questions

How much is $23 an hour after taxes in Massachusetts?

About $18.38 for every hour you work, or $38,227 a year at 40 hours a week ($47,840 gross). Taxes take about 20.1% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.

How much is $23 an hour a week after taxes in Massachusetts?

About $735 a week at 40 hours, from $920 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,470.

How much is $23 an hour a month after taxes in Massachusetts?

About $3,186 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,987 gross.

Is $23 an hour good pay in Massachusetts?

$23 an hour is 1.5 times Massachusetts's minimum wage of $15.00 an hour. It's about the 29th percentile of hourly pay in Massachusetts (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 29 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Massachusetts is $30.57. After taxes and local prices, $38,227 a year buys about what $36,146 would at national-average prices.

Is Massachusetts a high-tax state for $23 an hour?

It ranks 50th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $23 an hour. The most you'd keep is $40,619 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $37,247 in Oregon.

Sources and method

Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Massachusetts's income tax rules and Massachusetts's employee payroll programs (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.

  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.