$38 an hour is how much a year?

Full breakdown: gross pay, taxes, and take-home for California workers (2024 tax year)

ⓘ Note: The take-home and net pay figures on this page are calculated estimates based on 2025-2026 tax brackets for a single filer. Your actual net pay will vary based on your state, filing status, dependents, and pre-tax deductions (health insurance, 401k, etc.). For verified real paychecks, browse WAGETru wage data or use our net pay calculator.
$79,040/year

gross annual salary at 40 hours/week

Hourly
$38.00
gross
Weekly
$1,520
40 hrs
Biweekly
$3,040
every 2 weeks
Monthly
$6,587
gross

Take-home pay after taxes (California)

Here's what $38/hour actually looks like after federal and state taxes:

Filing StatusAnnual GrossTotal TaxesAnnual NetBiweekly NetHourly Net
Single$79,040-$18,781$60,259$2,318$28.97
Married jointly$79,040-$13,100$65,940$2,536$31.70
Head of household$79,040-$16,077$62,963$2,422$30.27

Based on 40 hours/week, 52 weeks/year. Taxes include federal income tax (2024 brackets), California state tax, Social Security (6.2%), and Medicare (1.45%). Does not include health insurance, 401k, or union dues.

Tax breakdown (Single filer, 40 hrs/wk)

DeductionAnnualPer Paycheck
Federal Income Tax-$9,230-$355
California State Tax-$3,505-$135
Social Security (6.2%)-$4,900-$188
Medicare (1.45%)-$1,146-$44
Total Taxes-$18,781-$722
Net Take-Home$60,259$2,318

$38/hr at 36 hours/week (3x 12-hr shifts)

Many healthcare and shift workers do 36-hour weeks. Here's the difference:

Annual Gross
$71,136
Annual Net
$55,401
Biweekly Net
$2,131
Effective Hourly Net
$29.59

Real jobs paying ~$38/hr in California

From verified union contracts on WAGETru:

HospitalJob TitleRateYOS
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalADMIN ASSISTANT (UNION)$35.56/hr16 yrs
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalBIOMEDICAL TECH$38.17/hr1 yrs
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalBIOMEDICAL TECH SPECIALIST$40.63/hr0 yrs
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalBIOMEDICAL TECH-BEDS$38.17/hr1 yrs
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalBOILER OPERATOR$40.63/hr0 yrs

Search all 2,000+ wage entries →

Quick reference

PeriodGrossNet (Single, CA)
Hourly$38.00$28.97
Daily (8hr)$304$232
Weekly$1,520$1,159
Biweekly$3,040$2,318
Monthly$6,587$5,022
Annual$79,040$60,259

See what real workers take home

WAGETru shows verified paychecks from real employees — not estimates.
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State-by-State Comparison: $38/hr Take-Home

The same $38/hour rate gives you very different take-home pay depending on your state:

StateAnnual GrossApprox. Annual NetMonthly NetDifference vs TX
Texas (no tax)$79,040$64,299$5,358baseline
Florida (no tax)$79,040$64,299$5,358$0
Washington$79,040$63,904$5,325-$395/yr
New York$79,040$59,952$4,996-$4,347/yr
California$79,040$59,952$4,996-$4,347/yr

Estimates for single filer with standard deduction. Use our Net Pay Calculator for exact figures with your specific state and deductions.

Overtime Scenarios at $38/hr

Overtime at 1.5x adds significantly to your income — but you keep less of each OT dollar due to higher tax brackets:

ScheduleHours/WeekAnnual GrossBiweekly GrossExtra vs 40hr
Standard40$79,040$3,040
Light OT (5hrs)45$93,860$3,610+$14,820/yr
Moderate OT (10hrs)50$108,680$4,180+$29,640/yr
Heavy OT (20hrs)60$138,320$5,320+$59,280/yr

OT rate: $57.00/hr (1.5x). Note: you typically keep only 60-65% of overtime earnings after higher marginal taxes.

Shift Differentials at $38/hr

Working evenings, nights, or weekends adds premium pay on top of your base rate:

ShiftEffective RateAnnual (40hr/wk)Extra per Year
Day (base)$38.00/hr$79,040
Evening (+$2.50/hr)$40.50/hr$84,240+$5,200/yr
Night (+$4.00/hr)$42.00/hr$87,360+$8,320/yr
Weekend (+$3.00/hr, 16hrs/wk)$41.00/hr$81,536+$2,496/yr

Differentials vary by employer. Common ranges: evening $1.50-$5/hr, night $2.50-$8/hr, weekend $1-$4/hr. See our differential guide for real hospital data.

Different Work Schedules at $38/hr

ScheduleHours/WeekAnnual GrossMonthly GrossNotes
Part-time20$39,520$3,293May not qualify for benefits
3x12 shifts36$71,136$5,928Common in nursing/healthcare
Standard full-time40$79,040$6,587Most common schedule
4x10 shifts40$79,040$6,587Same pay, 3-day weekends
Mandatory OT48$94,848$7,9048 OT hrs at 1.5x = $102,752

Other hourly rates

Related Resources

Net Pay Calculator All Employers Salary by Job Hourly Pay Calculator Annual salary guide Salary After Taxes by State Guides & Articles Union Wage Lookup