$42 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.
$87,360/year

gross annual salary at 40 hours/week

Hourly
$42.00
gross
Weekly
$1,680
40 hrs
Biweekly
$3,360
every 2 weeks
Monthly
$7,280
gross

Take-home pay after taxes (California)

Here's what $42/hour actually looks like after federal and state taxes:

Filing StatusAnnual GrossTotal TaxesAnnual NetBiweekly NetHourly Net
Single$87,360-$22,022$65,338$2,513$31.41
Married jointly$87,360-$15,068$72,292$2,780$34.76
Head of household$87,360-$18,722$68,638$2,640$33.00

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-$11,060-$425
California State Tax-$4,279-$165
Social Security (6.2%)-$5,416-$208
Medicare (1.45%)-$1,267-$49
Total Taxes-$22,022-$847
Net Take-Home$65,338$2,513

$42/hr at 36 hours/week (3x 12-hr shifts)

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

Annual Gross
$78,624
Annual Net
$60,005
Biweekly Net
$2,308
Effective Hourly Net
$32.05

Real jobs paying ~$42/hr in California

From verified union contracts on WAGETru:

HospitalJob TitleRateYOS
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalBIO MED TECH SPECIALIST LEAD$44.70/hr0 yrs
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalBIOMEDICAL TECH$42.10/hr4 yrs
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalBIOMEDICAL TECH SPECIALIST$41.98/hr1 yrs
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalBIOMEDICAL TECH-BEDS$42.10/hr4 yrs
Bakersfield Memorial HospitalBOILER OPERATOR$41.98/hr1 yrs

Search all 2,000+ wage entries →

Quick reference

PeriodGrossNet (Single, CA)
Hourly$42.00$31.41
Daily (8hr)$336$251
Weekly$1,680$1,257
Biweekly$3,360$2,513
Monthly$7,280$5,445
Annual$87,360$65,338

See what real workers take home

WAGETru shows verified paychecks from real employees — not estimates.
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State-by-State Comparison: $42/hr Take-Home

The same $42/hour rate gives you very different take-home pay depending on your state:

StateAnnual GrossApprox. Annual NetMonthly NetDifference vs TX
Texas (no tax)$87,360$71,067$5,922baseline
Florida (no tax)$87,360$71,067$5,922$0
Washington$87,360$70,631$5,886-$436/yr
New York$87,360$66,263$5,522-$4,804/yr
California$87,360$66,263$5,522-$4,804/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 $42/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$87,360$3,360
Light OT (5hrs)45$103,740$3,990+$16,380/yr
Moderate OT (10hrs)50$120,120$4,620+$32,760/yr
Heavy OT (20hrs)60$152,880$5,880+$65,520/yr

OT rate: $63.00/hr (1.5x). Note: you typically keep only 60-65% of overtime earnings after higher marginal taxes.

Shift Differentials at $42/hr

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

ShiftEffective RateAnnual (40hr/wk)Extra per Year
Day (base)$42.00/hr$87,360
Evening (+$2.50/hr)$44.50/hr$92,560+$5,200/yr
Night (+$4.00/hr)$46.00/hr$95,680+$8,320/yr
Weekend (+$3.00/hr, 16hrs/wk)$45.00/hr$89,856+$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 $42/hr

ScheduleHours/WeekAnnual GrossMonthly GrossNotes
Part-time20$43,680$3,640May not qualify for benefits
3x12 shifts36$78,624$6,552Common in nursing/healthcare
Standard full-time40$87,360$7,280Most common schedule
4x10 shifts40$87,360$7,280Same pay, 3-day weekends
Mandatory OT48$104,832$8,7368 OT hrs at 1.5x = $113,568

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