Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Median $37.41 an hour in Alaska · 3,050 jobs
Alaska · 2026 take-home pay
$38 an hour after taxes in Alaska
At $38 an hour in Alaska you keep about $30.85 of every hour — $1,234 a week, $5,347 a month or $64,164 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state payroll programs. Alaska has no income tax on wages plus Unemployment Insurance employee contribution, and its minimum wage is $14.00 an hour.
Where $38 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $79,040 | $1,520 | $38.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$8,559 | −$165 | −$4.11 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$4,900 | −$94 | −$2.36 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$1,146 | −$22 | −$0.55 |
| Unemployment Insurance employee contribution | −$271 | −$5 | −$0.13 |
| Take-home pay | $64,164 | $1,234 | $30.85 |
Effective tax rate 18.8% · federal bracket 22% · no state income tax on wages.
Unemployment Insurance employee contribution: 0.5% of wages (capped).
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $1,520.00 | $1,233.92 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $3,040.00 | $2,467.83 |
| Twice a month (24) | $3,293.33 | $2,673.49 |
| Monthly (12) | $6,586.67 | $5,346.97 |
$38 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Alaska for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $38 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* | $760 | $649 | $33,737 |
| 30 hours a week | $1,140 | $953 | $49,540 |
| 40 hours a week | $1,520 | $1,234 | $64,164 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,805 | $1,434 | $74,590 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $2,090 | $1,635 | $85,015 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $38 an hour good pay in Alaska?
- Minimum wage: $38 an hour is 2.7 times Alaska's minimum wage of $14.00 an hour.
- Among Alaska workers: It's about the 64th percentile of hourly pay in Alaska (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 64 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $29.33 an hour.
- Local prices: Alaska's price level is 102.4% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $64,164 a year buys about what $62,685 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,976 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $2,673 a month for needs, $1,604 for wants and $1,069 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Alaska that pay about $38 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Alaska is within 4% of $38 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Human Resources Specialists
Median $37.02 an hour in Alaska · 1,420 jobs
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
Median $38.83 an hour in Alaska · 1,290 jobs
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
Median $37.17 an hour in Alaska · 1,120 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
Median $37.48 an hour in Alaska · 1,110 jobs
Compliance Officers
Median $36.75 an hour in Alaska · 920 jobs
How Alaska compares on $38 an hour
Alaska ranks 8th of 51 for take-home pay on $38 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $30.85 | $64,164 | $14.00 | — |
| Washington | $30.45 | $63,338 | $17.13 | −$826 a year |
How the federal tax on $79,040 ($38 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $79,040 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $62,940. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $38,000 | $4,560 |
| 22% | $12,540 | $2,759 |
| Total | $62,940 | $8,559 |
Common questions
How much is $38 an hour after taxes in Alaska?
About $30.85 for every hour you work, or $64,164 a year at 40 hours a week ($79,040 gross). Taxes take about 18.8% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $38 an hour a week after taxes in Alaska?
About $1,234 a week at 40 hours, from $1,520 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $2,468.
How much is $38 an hour a month after taxes in Alaska?
About $5,347 a month at 40 hours a week, from $6,587 gross.
Is $38 an hour good pay in Alaska?
$38 an hour is 2.7 times Alaska's minimum wage of $14.00 an hour. It's about the 64th percentile of hourly pay in Alaska (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 64 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Alaska is $29.33. After taxes and local prices, $64,164 a year buys about what $62,685 would at national-average prices.
Is Alaska a high-tax state for $38 an hour?
It ranks 8th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $38 an hour. The most you'd keep is $64,435 a year, in 7 places including Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada; the least, $58,551 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Alaska
- $34 an hour in Alaska
- $35 an hour in Alaska
- $36 an hour in Alaska
- $37 an hour in Alaska
- $39 an hour in Alaska
- $40 an hour in Alaska
- $45 an hour in Alaska
- $50 an hour in Alaska
$38 an hour in every state · $75,000 a year in Alaska · $80,000 a year in Alaska · Alaska paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Alaska's employee payroll programs (methodology). Alaska 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.