How much is $17 an hour annually?

$17 an hour is $35,360 a year working full-time (40 hours/week, 52 weeks). After federal and state taxes, take-home pay is typically $28,800-$32,000 depending on your state.

Is $17 an hour a good wage?

$17/hour is above the federal minimum wage and many state minimums, but still below the national median hourly wage of ~$23/hr. It's manageable in low cost-of-living areas but tight in most cities.

$17 an Hour Is How Much a Year? (2026 Salary Breakdown)

$17 an hour is a common starting wage for retail, warehouse, and entry-level positions. Here’s the full breakdown of what that means for your paycheck and budget.

$17 an Hour Annual Salary

Time Period	Gross Pay
Hourly	$17.00
Daily (8 hours)	$136
Weekly (40 hours)	$680
Biweekly	$1,360
Semi-monthly	$1,473
Monthly	$2,947
Annual	$35,360

After-Tax Take-Home Pay

Filing Status	Federal Tax	FICA (7.65%)	Estimated State Tax	Annual Take-Home	Monthly Take-Home
Single	~$2,550	$2,705	$0-$1,700	$28,400-$30,100	$2,367-$2,508
Married filing jointly	~$1,750	$2,705	$0-$1,400	$29,500-$30,900	$2,458-$2,575

Take-Home Pay by State

State	Annual Take-Home	Monthly Take-Home	Effective Tax Rate
Texas (no income tax)	$30,105	$2,509	14.9%
Florida (no income tax)	$30,105	$2,509	14.9%
Tennessee (no income tax)	$30,105	$2,509	14.9%
Washington (no income tax)	$30,105	$2,509	14.9%
Arizona	$29,570	$2,464	16.4%
Colorado	$29,200	$2,433	17.4%
North Carolina	$29,060	$2,422	17.8%
Illinois	$29,150	$2,429	17.6%
Georgia	$28,950	$2,413	18.1%
Michigan	$28,900	$2,408	18.3%
Virginia	$28,800	$2,400	18.6%
Pennsylvania	$29,050	$2,421	17.8%
Ohio	$28,980	$2,415	18.0%
New Jersey	$28,850	$2,404	18.4%
Massachusetts	$28,550	$2,379	19.3%
Minnesota	$28,500	$2,375	19.4%
New York	$28,450	$2,371	19.5%
Oregon	$28,100	$2,342	20.5%
California	$28,650	$2,388	19.0%

Monthly Budget on $17/Hour

Based on ~$2,500/month take-home:

Category	Amount	% of Take-Home
Housing (rent/mortgage)	$750-$875	30-35%
Groceries	$300-$375	12-15%
Transportation	$275-$375	11-15%
Utilities	$150-$200	6-8%
Health insurance	$150-$250	6-10%
Phone & internet	$80-$120	3-5%
Personal & misc	$100-$150	4-6%
Savings	$125-$300	5-12%

$17/Hour in Context

Benchmark	Amount	$17/hr vs.
Federal minimum wage ($7.25/hr)	$15,080	2.3× above
Federal poverty line (family of 4)	$31,200	13% above
Median individual income	$45,000	21% below
Average hourly wage	$34.50/hr	51% below

Key Takeaways

$17/hour = $35,360/year before taxes, ~$2,375-$2,509/month after taxes
It’s above the poverty line for a family of 4 but well below median income
No-income-tax states give you ~$500-$600 more per year at this wage
Budget for housing under $875/month to keep housing at 35% of take-home
Use our hourly to salary calculator to see how overtime or part-time hours change your annual pay

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