Registered Nurses
Median $39.18 an hour in Tennessee · 72,200 jobs
Tennessee · 2026 take-home pay
$38 an hour after taxes in Tennessee
At $38 an hour in Tennessee you keep about $30.98 of every hour — $1,239 a week, $5,370 a month or $64,435 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare. Tennessee has no income tax on wages, and its minimum wage is $7.25 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 |
| Take-home pay | $64,435 | $1,239 | $30.98 |
Effective tax rate 18.5% · federal bracket 22% · no state income tax on wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $1,520.00 | $1,239.13 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $3,040.00 | $2,478.26 |
| Twice a month (24) | $3,293.33 | $2,684.78 |
| Monthly (12) | $6,586.67 | $5,369.55 |
$38 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Tennessee 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 | $653 | $33,934 |
| 30 hours a week | $1,140 | $958 | $49,811 |
| 40 hours a week | $1,520 | $1,239 | $64,435 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,805 | $1,440 | $74,861 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $2,090 | $1,640 | $85,286 |
*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 Tennessee?
- Minimum wage: $38 an hour is 5.2 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which applies in Tennessee. Tennessee has no state minimum wage law.
- Among Tennessee workers: It's about the 79th percentile of hourly pay in Tennessee (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 79 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $22.78 an hour.
- Local prices: Tennessee's price level is 91.9% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $64,435 a year buys about what $70,137 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 $2,685 a month for needs, $1,611 for wants and $1,074 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Tennessee that pay about $38 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Tennessee is within 4% of $38 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Accountants and Auditors
Median $36.94 an hour in Tennessee · 27,340 jobs
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Median $37.83 an hour in Tennessee · 11,790 jobs
Computer Occupations, All Other
Median $36.77 an hour in Tennessee · 10,930 jobs
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
Median $37.50 an hour in Tennessee · 6,390 jobs
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
Median $38.96 an hour in Tennessee · 4,670 jobs
How Tennessee compares on $38 an hour
Tennessee ranks tied for 1st of 51 (with 6 others) 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 Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $30.98 | $64,435 | $7.25 | — |
| Alabama | $29.40 | $61,151 | $7.25 | −$3,284 a year |
| Arkansas | $29.81 | $61,998 | $11.00 | −$2,437 a year |
| Georgia | $29.44 | $61,239 | $7.25 | −$3,196 a year |
| Kentucky | $29.70 | $61,786 | $7.25 | −$2,649 a year |
| Missouri | $29.64 | $61,657 | $15.00 | −$2,778 a year |
| Mississippi | $29.81 | $62,005 | $7.25 | −$2,430 a year |
| North Carolina | $29.71 | $61,790 | $7.25 | −$2,645 a year |
| Virginia | $29.18 | $60,704 | $12.77 | −$3,731 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 Tennessee?
About $30.98 for every hour you work, or $64,435 a year at 40 hours a week ($79,040 gross). Taxes take about 18.5% 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 Tennessee?
About $1,239 a week at 40 hours, from $1,520 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $2,478.
How much is $38 an hour a month after taxes in Tennessee?
About $5,370 a month at 40 hours a week, from $6,587 gross.
Is $38 an hour good pay in Tennessee?
$38 an hour is 5.2 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which applies in Tennessee. Tennessee has no state minimum wage law. It's about the 79th percentile of hourly pay in Tennessee (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 79 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Tennessee is $22.78. After taxes and local prices, $64,435 a year buys about what $70,137 would at national-average prices.
Is Tennessee a high-tax state for $38 an hour?
It ranks tied for 1st of 51 (with 6 others) 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 Tennessee, Florida, New Hampshire; the least, $58,551 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Tennessee
- $34 an hour in Tennessee
- $35 an hour in Tennessee
- $36 an hour in Tennessee
- $37 an hour in Tennessee
- $39 an hour in Tennessee
- $40 an hour in Tennessee
- $45 an hour in Tennessee
- $50 an hour in Tennessee
$38 an hour in every state · $75,000 a year in Tennessee · $80,000 a year in Tennessee · Tennessee paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare (methodology). Tennessee 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.