The answer
Pay by period at $15 an hour (40 hours a week)
| Period | Gross pay |
|---|---|
| Hourly | $15.00 |
| Daily (8 hours) | $120.00 |
| Weekly | $600.00 |
| Bi-weekly (26 checks) | $1,200.00 |
| Semi-monthly (24 checks) | $1,300.00 |
| Monthly | $2,600.00 |
| Annual | $31,200 |
Worked example: what a real schedule pays
$15 an hour at 32 hours a week
32 hours × $15 = $480.00 a week. Over 52 weeks that is $24,960, or $2,080.00 a month on average. With two unpaid weeks off, it falls to $24,000.
Part-time and full-time at $15
| Hours a week | Annual | Monthly | Bi-weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours | $15,600 | $1,300 | $600 |
| 30 hours | $23,400 | $1,950 | $900 |
| 32 hours | $24,960 | $2,080 | $960 |
| 35 hours | $27,300 | $2,275 | $1,050 |
| 40 hours | $31,200 | $2,600 | $1,200 |
Overtime at $15 an hour
For a non-exempt employee under the federal weekly rule, hours over 40 are paid at 1.5 times the rate, or $22.50 an hour. A 45-hour week pays $712.50 (40 × $15 + 5 × $22.50), which is $37.50 more than straight time. A 50-hour week pays $825.00. Annualised over 52 weeks, a regular 45-hour week at $15 an hour is $37,050. State daily-overtime rules can add more; use the overtime calculator.
Estimated take-home pay at $15 an hour
Our paycheck estimator (federal tax only, single filer, no deductions, IRS 2026 Publication 15-T percentage method) estimates a bi-weekly check of about $1,048.05 from $1,200.00 gross: roughly $60.15 federal income tax withholding, $74.40 Social Security and $17.40 Medicare. State and local taxes, a different W-4 and benefit deductions will change the result. This is an estimate, not a payslip.
Putting $15 in context
- $15 is 2.07 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour (U.S. Department of Labor). Your state or city minimum may be higher.
- A $1 raise from $15 adds $2,080 a year at full time, a 6.7% increase.
- You earn $0.25 per minute and need about 66.7 hours of work to gross $1,000.