Bartenders
Median $25.92 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 5,760 jobs
Washington, D.C. · 2026 take-home pay
$26 an hour after taxes in Washington, D.C.
At $26 an hour in Washington, D.C. you keep about $20.94 of every hour — $838 a week, $3,630 a month or $43,554 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Washington, D.C. income tax. Washington, D.C. has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $18.40 an hour.
Where $26 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $54,080 | $1,040 | $26.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$4,310 | −$83 | −$2.07 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$3,353 | −$64 | −$1.61 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$784 | −$15 | −$0.38 |
| Washington, D.C. income tax | −$2,079 | −$40 | −$1.00 |
| Take-home pay | $43,554 | $838 | $20.94 |
Effective tax rate 19.5% · federal bracket 12% · Washington, D.C. bracket 6%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $1,040.00 | $837.59 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $2,080.00 | $1,675.17 |
| Twice a month (24) | $2,253.33 | $1,814.77 |
| Monthly (12) | $4,506.67 | $3,629.54 |
$26 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Washington, D.C. for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $26 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* | $520 | $450 | $23,421 |
| 30 hours a week | $780 | $644 | $33,502 |
| 40 hours a week | $1,040 | $838 | $43,554 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,235 | $982 | $51,053 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,430 | $1,111 | $57,755 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $26 an hour good pay in Washington, D.C.?
- Minimum wage: $26 an hour is 1.4 times Washington, D.C.'s minimum wage of $18.40 an hour. From July 1, 2026.
- Among Washington, D.C. workers: It's about the 24th percentile of hourly pay in Washington, D.C. (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 24 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $44.01 an hour.
- Local prices: Washington, D.C.'s price level is 109.9% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $43,554 a year buys about what $39,631 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,352 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,815 a month for needs, $1,089 for wants and $726 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Washington, D.C. that pay about $26 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Washington, D.C. is within 4% of $26 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Office Clerks, General
Median $26.46 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 5,670 jobs
Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
Median $26.88 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 1,380 jobs
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Median $26.23 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 870 jobs
Passenger Attendants
Median $25.35 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 710 jobs
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Median $26.68 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 540 jobs
How Washington, D.C. compares on $26 an hour
Washington, D.C. ranks 38th of 51 for take-home pay on $26 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
How the federal tax on $54,080 ($26 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $54,080 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $37,980. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $25,580 | $3,070 |
| Total | $37,980 | $4,310 |
How the Washington, D.C. income tax on $54,080 ($26 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $54,080 of D.C. wages minus $16,100 standard deduction = $37,980.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 4% | $10,000 | $400 |
| 6% | $27,980 | $1,679 |
| Total | $37,980 | $2,079 |
Common questions
How much is $26 an hour after taxes in Washington, D.C.?
About $20.94 for every hour you work, or $43,554 a year at 40 hours a week ($54,080 gross). Taxes take about 19.5% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $26 an hour a week after taxes in Washington, D.C.?
About $838 a week at 40 hours, from $1,040 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,675.
How much is $26 an hour a month after taxes in Washington, D.C.?
About $3,630 a month at 40 hours a week, from $4,507 gross.
Is $26 an hour good pay in Washington, D.C.?
$26 an hour is 1.4 times Washington, D.C.'s minimum wage of $18.40 an hour. It's about the 24th percentile of hourly pay in Washington, D.C. (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 24 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Washington, D.C. is $44.01. After taxes and local prices, $43,554 a year buys about what $39,631 would at national-average prices.
Is Washington, D.C. a high-tax place for $26 an hour?
It ranks 38th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $26 an hour. The most you'd keep is $45,633 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $41,736 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Washington, D.C.
- $22 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $23 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $24 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $25 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $27 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $28 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $29 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $30 an hour in Washington, D.C.
$26 an hour in every state · $50,000 a year in Washington, D.C. · $55,000 a year in Washington, D.C. · Washington, D.C. paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Washington, D.C.'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.