Carpenters
Median $26.77 an hour in Virginia · 20,460 jobs
Virginia · 2026 take-home pay
$26 an hour after taxes in Virginia
At $26 an hour in Virginia you keep about $20.84 of every hour — $833 a week, $3,611 a month or $43,338 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Virginia income tax. Virginia has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $12.77 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 |
| Virginia income tax | −$2,296 | −$44 | −$1.10 |
| Take-home pay | $43,338 | $833 | $20.84 |
Effective tax rate 19.9% · federal bracket 12% · Virginia bracket 5.75%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $1,040.00 | $833.42 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $2,080.00 | $1,666.84 |
| Twice a month (24) | $2,253.33 | $1,805.74 |
| Monthly (12) | $4,506.67 | $3,611.48 |
$26 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Virginia 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 | $445 | $23,137 |
| 30 hours a week | $780 | $639 | $33,252 |
| 40 hours a week | $1,040 | $833 | $43,338 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,235 | $979 | $50,902 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,430 | $1,109 | $57,681 |
*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 Virginia?
- Minimum wage: $26 an hour is 2.0 times Virginia's minimum wage of $12.77 an hour.
- Among Virginia workers: It's about the 48th percentile of hourly pay in Virginia (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 48 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $26.78 an hour.
- Local prices: Virginia's price level is 101.1% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $43,338 a year buys about what $42,865 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 $1,806 a month for needs, $1,083 for wants and $722 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Virginia that pay about $26 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Virginia is within 4% of $26 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other
Median $25.56 an hour in Virginia · 5,890 jobs
Medical Records Specialists
Median $25.62 an hour in Virginia · 4,630 jobs
Sheet Metal Workers
Median $25.10 an hour in Virginia · 4,520 jobs
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
Median $25.45 an hour in Virginia · 3,800 jobs
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Median $25.04 an hour in Virginia · 2,790 jobs
How Virginia compares on $26 an hour
Virginia ranks 44th of 51 for take-home pay on $26 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $20.84 | $43,338 | $12.77 | — |
| Washington, D.C. | $20.94 | $43,554 | $18.40 | +$216 a year |
| Kentucky | $21.09 | $43,858 | $7.25 | +$520 a year |
| Maryland | $20.88 | $43,430 | $15.00 | +$92 a year |
| North Carolina | $21.15 | $43,984 | $7.25 | +$646 a year |
| Tennessee | $21.94 | $45,633 | $7.25 | +$2,295 a year |
| West Virginia | $21.16 | $44,017 | $8.75 | +$679 a year |
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 Virginia income tax on $54,080 ($26 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $54,080 of Virginia wages minus $8,750 standard deduction minus $930 in exemptions = $44,400.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 2% | $3,000 | $60 |
| 3% | $2,000 | $60 |
| 5% | $12,000 | $600 |
| 5.75% | $27,400 | $1,576 |
| Total | $44,400 | $2,296 |
Common questions
How much is $26 an hour after taxes in Virginia?
About $20.84 for every hour you work, or $43,338 a year at 40 hours a week ($54,080 gross). Taxes take about 19.9% 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 Virginia?
About $833 a week at 40 hours, from $1,040 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,667.
How much is $26 an hour a month after taxes in Virginia?
About $3,611 a month at 40 hours a week, from $4,507 gross.
Is $26 an hour good pay in Virginia?
$26 an hour is 2.0 times Virginia's minimum wage of $12.77 an hour. It's about the 48th percentile of hourly pay in Virginia (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 48 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Virginia is $26.78. After taxes and local prices, $43,338 a year buys about what $42,865 would at national-average prices.
Is Virginia a high-tax state for $26 an hour?
It ranks 44th 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 Virginia
- $22 an hour in Virginia
- $23 an hour in Virginia
- $24 an hour in Virginia
- $25 an hour in Virginia
- $27 an hour in Virginia
- $28 an hour in Virginia
- $29 an hour in Virginia
- $30 an hour in Virginia
$26 an hour in every state · $50,000 a year in Virginia · $55,000 a year in Virginia · Virginia paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Virginia'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.