Waiters and Waitresses
Median $26.98 an hour in Washington · 45,400 jobs
Washington · 2026 take-home pay
$28 an hour after taxes in Washington
At $28 an hour in Washington you keep about $23.16 of every hour — $926 a week, $4,014 a month or $48,168 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state payroll programs. Washington has no income tax on wages plus Paid Family & Medical Leave and WA Cares Fund, and its minimum wage is $17.13 an hour.
Where $28 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $58,240 | $1,120 | $28.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$4,809 | −$92 | −$2.31 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$3,611 | −$69 | −$1.74 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$844 | −$16 | −$0.41 |
| Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) | −$470 | −$9 | −$0.23 |
| WA Cares Fund (long-term care) | −$338 | −$6 | −$0.16 |
| Take-home pay | $48,168 | $926 | $23.16 |
Effective tax rate 17.3% · federal bracket 12% · no state income tax on wages.
Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share): 0.81% of wages · WA Cares Fund (long-term care): 0.58% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $1,120.00 | $926.31 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $2,240.00 | $1,852.61 |
| Twice a month (24) | $2,426.67 | $2,007.00 |
| Monthly (12) | $4,853.33 | $4,014.00 |
$28 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Washington for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $28 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* | $560 | $484 | $25,174 |
| 30 hours a week | $840 | $705 | $36,671 |
| 40 hours a week | $1,120 | $926 | $48,168 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,330 | $1,087 | $56,525 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,540 | $1,232 | $64,055 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $28 an hour good pay in Washington?
- Minimum wage: $28 an hour is 1.6 times Washington's minimum wage of $17.13 an hour. Seattle and some other cities set higher local minimums.
- Among Washington workers: It's about the 43rd percentile of hourly pay in Washington (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 43 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $30.28 an hour.
- Local prices: Washington's price level is 107% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $48,168 a year buys about what $45,011 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,456 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $2,007 a month for needs, $1,204 for wants and $803 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Washington that pay about $28 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Washington is within 4% of $28 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
Median $28.18 an hour in Washington · 32,930 jobs
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Median $28.44 an hour in Washington · 32,450 jobs
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Median $27.56 an hour in Washington · 31,710 jobs
Construction Laborers
Median $27.75 an hour in Washington · 25,060 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Median $28.56 an hour in Washington · 20,700 jobs
How Washington compares on $28 an hour
Washington ranks 10th of 51 for take-home pay on $28 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
How the federal tax on $58,240 ($28 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $58,240 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $42,140. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $29,740 | $3,569 |
| Total | $42,140 | $4,809 |
Common questions
How much is $28 an hour after taxes in Washington?
About $23.16 for every hour you work, or $48,168 a year at 40 hours a week ($58,240 gross). Taxes take about 17.3% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $28 an hour a week after taxes in Washington?
About $926 a week at 40 hours, from $1,120 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,853.
How much is $28 an hour a month after taxes in Washington?
About $4,014 a month at 40 hours a week, from $4,853 gross.
Is $28 an hour good pay in Washington?
$28 an hour is 1.6 times Washington's minimum wage of $17.13 an hour. It's about the 43rd percentile of hourly pay in Washington (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 43 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Washington is $30.28. After taxes and local prices, $48,168 a year buys about what $45,011 would at national-average prices.
Is Washington a high-tax state for $28 an hour?
It ranks 10th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $28 an hour. The most you'd keep is $48,976 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $44,730 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Washington
- $24 an hour in Washington
- $25 an hour in Washington
- $26 an hour in Washington
- $27 an hour in Washington
- $29 an hour in Washington
- $30 an hour in Washington
- $31 an hour in Washington
- $32 an hour in Washington
$28 an hour in every state · $55,000 a year in Washington · $60,000 a year in Washington · Washington paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Washington's employee payroll programs (methodology). Washington 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.