New clients, unlock 10% off all plans 🔥 at checkout with code: CEO10SPECIAL (Limited Time Offer)
New clients, unlock 10% off all plans 🔥 at checkout with code: CEO10SPECIAL (Limited Time Offer)
New clients, unlock 10% off all plans 🔥 at checkout with code: CEO10SPECIAL (Limited Time Offer)
New clients, unlock 10% off all plans 🔥 at checkout with code: CEO10SPECIAL (Limited Time Offer)
So, congratulations you just landed your new role and told you’ll be paid $17 an hour. But you feel puzzled and ask questions such as; what is 17/hr yearly salary? $17 an hour is how much a year? Can I actually live on this pay or do I need to identify ways to increase my hourly wage?
Seatback and relax because in this article, we’ll be detailing the following:
Want to land higher paying jobs with an interview-ready resume?
Let our CEOMichaelHR affordable resume service craft you a branded and powerful resume that land interviews 3x faster.
One of our clients, Ashphu, had this to say:
My resume writer Rolyns, did a great job with the format, as well as the content. He wonderfully conveyed my skills in a concise and direct manner. I started getting phone calls from potential employers almost immediately after the resume rewrite.
See more success stories
While it is normal for you to wonder if $17 an hour is enough to cover your cost of living, usually, the determinant factor is based on where you live. In the United States, there are different minimum wages based on various state requirements.
For instance, minimum wage in Washington DC is $16.10 per hour. So, if you’re making $17 an hour, you’re earning just slightly above the living wage.
Fortunately for you, we’ve curated a list of our top recommended tools that can help you live on this hourly wage. This section can be found later on in this post.
Furthermore, we added sample calculations for how much you will have to pay in taxes for 10 different states.
This way, anyone making $17 an hour will have a proper sense of what their estimated after-tax income would be based on their respective states.
| $17 An Hour | Pretax Income | After-Tax Income | |
| Yearly (52 Weeks) | $35,360 | $26,520 | |
| Monthly (160 Hours) | $2,720 | $2,040 | |
| Biweekly (80 Hours) | $1,360 | $1,020 | |
| Weekly (40 Hours) | $680 | $510 | |
| Daily (8 Hours) | $136 | $102 | |
| Hourly (1 Hour) | $17 | $12.75 |
To have a full grasp of how much $17 an hour is annually, you simply multiply $17 by 40 hours and 52 weeks (17×40×52).
Meaning if you were to work full-time, i.e 40 hours a week, making $17 an hour, you would be earning $35,360 annually.
Considering a total of 52 weeks in a year, if you’re working a full-time job, you’ll be working on an average of 40 hours per week. When you multiply 40 hours by the 52 weeks, you would have worked 2,080 total hours in a year.
However, if you work fewer weeks or take some PTO’s or personal days, you’ll expect to earn less than the expected amount each year.
If you make $17 an hour, your original salary before tax deduction is $35,360. However, your take home pay would be $26,520 per year after tax deduction.
There are various factors that affects how much you pay in tax. You can however assume a reasonable rate of 25-30%.
This means that around one-third of your salary will be deducted by taxes for a $17 an hour job. While there are various strategies you can implement to reduce how much you pay in taxes, assuming the 25-30% rate for an average individual is best practice.
Assuming you’re working full-time; around 40 hours a week, if you’re on a $17 an hour job, you would be making a total amount of $2,720 per month.
This amount will vary if you are a full-time worker working slightly over or under the 40 hours a week standard.
You may likely be qualified for an overtime pay earning 1.5 times your usual pay if you work over 40 hours a week.
Opting for an overtime payment structure can help you earn something more reasonable than the standard pay listed above.
With an assumption you’re working full-time at 40 hours per week, if you’re on a $17 an hour job, you’ll be earning $1,360 biweekly before tax deduction and approx. $1,020 after tax deduction.
The calculation for biweekly payment is multiplying $17 by 40 hours and 2 weeks. You can also use a time card calculator to calculate your wages.
You will earn $680 in a week if you make $17 an hour.
Provided you are working full-time, this earning is calculated by multiplying 40 hours by $17 an hour.
With a standard workday of 8 hours if you’re on $17 an hour, you’ll be making $136 per day.
If you also consider working 5.88 hours at $17 an hour, you can make $100 a day.
The calculation is thus, by multiplying 8 hours by $17 an hour to get $136 or 5.88 hours by $17 an hour to get $100.
You might like: 6 Proven Strategies for Building Career Resilience
An employee on a $17 an hour wage earns $35,360 annual salary.
Considering a typical full-time working schedule, the calculation will be by multiplying $17 by 52 weeks and 40 hours to arrive at the $35,360 amount annually.
However, when about 25% of taxes are deducted each year, the after-tax payment becomes roughly $26,520.
Let’s consider two spectrums of working $17 an hour annually part-time.
One, if you work 20 hours per week for 52 weeks, you would earn $340 per week, and earn a total of $17,680 annually.
On the other spectrum, working 35 hours a week which is still technically part-time, can make you $595 per week or roughly $30,940 per year.
Find out: Top 6 High Income Skills That Will Make You Money In 2023
Find below a full list of your estimated $17 an hour annual salary after tax deduction in 2022 for each state in the US.
Note that before tax deduction, your original salary is $35,360. However, after tax deduction, amount varies based on your state taxes.
Without much ado, let’s dive in:
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (4.03%) + FICA (7.65%) = 18.86%
Take home salary % (100 – 18.86) = 81.14%
Yearly Salary in Alabama: 35,360 (81.14%) = $28,691
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (0.00%) + FICA (7.65%) = 14.83%
Take home salary % (100-14.83) = 85.17%
Yearly Salary in Alaska: 35,360 (85.17%) = $30,116
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (1.67%) + FICA (7.65%) = 16.50%
Take home salary % (100 – 16.50) = 83.50%
Yearly Salary in Arizona: 35,360 (83.50%) = $29,526
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (2.97%) + FICA (7.65%) = 17.80%
Take home salary % (100 – 17.80) = 82.20%
Yearly Salary in Arkansas: 35,360 (82.20%) = $29,066
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (1.93%) + FICA (7.65%) = 16.76%
Take home salary % (100 – 16.76) = 83.24%
Yearly Salary in California: 35,360 (83.24%) = $29,434
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (2.90%) + FICA (7.65%) = 17.73%
Take home salary % (100 – 17.73) = 82.27%
Yearly Salary in Colorado: 35,360 (82.27%) = $29,091
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (3.16%) + FICA (7.65%) = 17.99%
Take home salary % (100 – 17.99) = 82.01%
Yearly Salary in Connecticut: 35,360 (82.01%) = $28,999
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (3.93%) + FICA (7.65%) = 18.76%
Take home salary % (100 – 18.76) = 81.24%
Yearly Salary in Delaware: 35,360 (81.24%) = $28,726
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (0.00%) + FICA (7.65%) = 14.83%
Take home salary % (100 – 14.83) = 85.17%
Yearly Salary in Florida: 35,360 (85.17%) = $30,116
Federal Income Tax (7.18%) + State Income Tax (4.08) + FICA (7.65%) = 18.91%
Take home salary % (100 – 18.91) = 81.09%
Yearly Salary in Georgia: 35,360 (81.09%) = $28,673
Chances are you are wondering; how can I live on 17$ an hour? How much rent can I afford to pay? Etc.
According to Cents Plan Formula, using the best-case scenario, let’s examine how you can effectively budget your $17 per hour wages.
Ensure to use net income when using these recommended percentages. This is due to taxes that will be deducted.
Therefore, this example calculated $17 an hour was $12.98 after tax deduction which would average $2,947 in a month.
So, by the Cents Plan Formula, here is an example of a $17 per hour budget.
50% for basic expenses = $1,124.89
20% for savings = $449.96
10% for charity = $224.98
20% for miscellaneous = $449.96
0% debt = $0.00
This strategy will definitely not be realistic and achievable by everyone living just above the poverty line. So, it is important you focus on ways to reduce your basic expenditure and debt to allow more money for savings and miscellaneous.
Let’s further elaborate an example budget of $17 per hour using the ideal household percentages. This example is better used for comparison.
Find out: 6 Tips to Create a Powerful Wealth Management Resume
| Category | Ideal Percentages | Sample Monthly Budget |
| Giving | 10% | $147 |
| Savings | 15-25% | $442 |
| Housing | 20-30% | $796 |
| Utilities | 4-7% | $147 |
| Groceries | 5-12% | $236 |
| Clothing | 1-4% | $29 |
| Transportation | 4-10% | $118 |
| Medical | 5-12% | $147 |
| Life Insurance | 1% | $15 |
| Education | 1-4% | $29 |
| Personal | 2-7% | $55 |
| Recreation / Entertainment | 3-8% | $88 |
| Debts | 0% – Goal | $0 |
| Government Tax (including Income Tatumx Social Security & Medicare) | 15-25% | $697 |
| Total Gross Income | $2,947 |
Unfortunately, it can be very challenging to even live above the minimum wage by $7-8.
But this doesn’t mean you cannot live on the $17 per hour wage. As a matter of fact, you can do it based on the sample budget we showed above.
Of course, when you live in a high-cost area, you may find it difficult to cope. So, you may have to get a bit creative such as moving in to a low-cost area and probably having a roommate to ease the amount you pay for rent.
Furthermore, it is important you evaluate how much you spend for fun or miscellaneous as excessive spending in this area can break your budget. By doing this, you’ll realize in most cases there was no need to spend that money in the first place.
You might like: Land Interviews Faster with LinkedIn Easy Apply
Now, to the best part of this article.
Considering the increase in our daily financial responsibilities and quest to live a better and more fulfilled life, the need to find ways to increase our income has become more important than ever.
Consider the following tips below to help you increase your hourly wage.
While you might feel unsure and skeptical about doing this, it’s however a sure-fire way to increase your hourly wage.
Be bold enough to ask your manager for a raise. Afterall, you never know what the answer will be until you ask.
So, why not shoot your shot on this?
Looking for a new job perhaps in a completely new sector is another great way to increase your hourly wage.
While seeking to land a new role in perhaps a totally different industry might take you off balance from your comfort zone, you never know what good might accompany this shift.
Usually in many cases, if you are looking to change your financial situation, you must begin with a career transition or change.
You might also like: The 5 Best Job-Search Apps to Find Your Dream Job
With recent uncertain economy, it has become almost mandatory to find alternative sources of income if you desire to live life at your own terms.
You need to get on other hustles outside your traditional 40-hour a week job. In most cases you’ll get to a point where you are maxed on what you can make in your current role.
While there may be some advancement, in many cases, there just isn’t much room for growth.
So, as a matter of importance, you need to find other ways to make money. Few tips to help is by doing things you enjoy, and turning your hobbies into ways to make money.
In today’s society, there is no limit on how you can earn a freelance income.
This section details essential tips to help you live on $17 an hour wage.
Find below the most important tips you should consider to live on $17 an hour wage.
Always remember the golden rule; never spend more than you make.
This rule is important to obey if you don’t want to be caught in that dreadful debt cycle. You must always ensure that your expenditure is less than your income.
And talking about Income, I do not mean your $17 per hour wage. I’m referring to the amount left after taxes deduction which is your net income.
Happiness must be at the top of your priority. And living below your means can actually make you happier according to science, proving less is better.
The quest for contentment has been a struggle for most people over the years. This struggle is fueled by our desire to own that new shiny bracelet, the thing next door, or the stuff your friend or family member got etc.
Beside all these, our society and social media has trained our minds that we need all of this stuff.
Have you ever taken a break to realize what you really need?
As you come in tune with contentment, you’ll begin to focus on the important things you need and less on what you want. This way, you’ll be in more control of your finances.
It is vital you make saving money fun. By doing this you can be able to keep your expenses low, while identifying more ways to make your savings fun.
Consider the following tips to make your savings fun:
The simple logic here is, do you want more out of life? Or you never want to settle for less? Then find ways to make more money. Period.
Finding ways to make more money could be through starting a side hustle, a second job, asking for a raise, changing careers, or picking up extra hours.
Whatever route you take, ensure you look for ways to earn extra money.
It is essential you take into consideration the amount of State taxes paid compared to a state with income taxes.
Also, if you are living in one of the higher taxes State, you might want to consider relocating to no taxed states.
Higher taxed states include; California, New Jersey, Oregon, Minnesota, District of Columbia, New York, Vermont, Iowa, and Wisconsin. These states tax income around 7.65% – 13.30%.
States that do not pay State Income taxes on wages include:
Not paying taxes is a great option to increase your paycheck.
Budgeting is an essential skill that’ll help you manage your finances and also help you live on your $17 an hour wage.
While developing a budget is great, you must learn how to use it.
You also must not budget down to every last penny. Let the goal of your budgeting be to ensure your expenditure is less than your income.
You might like: 50+ Best Inspirational Career Quotes for Your Career
Interests on debt is ridiculous. Unfortunately, that is how many of these company’s make their money.
If you find yourself paying within 5-20% interest rate, then it’s high time you had quickly cut down on your debt.
You’ll find out how easy it’ll be for you to start saving money once you are debt free.
While you might suffer some setbacks trying to offset these debts, don’t worry, with patience and persistence you’ll be able to overcome in no time.
With a professionally written resume, cover letter, and interview skills, you can land jobs that pay $17 an hour.
Jobs that pay $17 an hour include the following:
The list includes;
Throughout this comprehensive article, we discussed extensively on 17 an hour is how much a year, along with all the possible factors that can affect your net income.
We also went further to establish that you can live on $17 an hour wage.
17/hr yearly salary is $35,360.
In this article, we identified proven ways you can increase your income as well as strategies to live off your salary.
We also furnished a sample budget you can use to guide your expenditure.
Earning $17 an hour is moderate. And since you are paid based on the number of hours worked, you can increase your working hour to increase your paycheck as well.
Essentially, when you work part-time or full-time at 17 dollars an hour, you will get paid a good amount of money.
WRITTEN BY
CEOMichaelHR is made up of professional resume writers and career experts with backgrounds in HR, recruiting, career coaching, and job placement.
Is your resume getting ignored?
Land higher paying jobs with a professional resume overhaul by one of our certified senior writers today.
Share
Further Reading
*The names and logos of the companies referred to in this page are all trademarks of their respective holders. Unless specifically stated otherwise, such references are not intended to imply any affiliation or association with CEOMichaelHR.
Land interviews 3x faster while submitting fewer resumes
Copyright © 2023, ceomichaelhr.com.
All rights reserved.
Land interviews 3x faster while submitting fewer resumes
Copyright © 2023, ceomichaelhr.com.
All rights reserved.
Learn the same techniques our expert resume writers have used to get thousands of clients closer to their next job
Unlock expert resume tips, start landing multiple interviews!
Stay connected to receive powerful career insights, updates, and inspiration that’ll help you hit your 2023 career goals.
