30 Dollars An Hour is How Much Per Year? Can You Live On It?

Whether you recently received a job offer or want to increase your yearly earnings, you may wonder about the annual salary for a position earning 30 dollars an hour. 

The exact salary depends on several factors. However, an employee earning 30 dollars hourly and working a 40-hour week will earn $62,400 over 12 months. 

 Learn more about the yearly earnings of workers paid 30 per hour in this comprehensive earnings guide that answers questions like how to calculate your annual salary based on your hourly earnings and whether you can live comfortably with a job that pays you 30 dollars or more per hour. 

is $30 an hour enough

Annual Salary for Employees Earning 30 Dollars an Hour

The annual salary you earn with a job that pays 30 dollars an hour depends on the type of position you hold. If you receive an offer paying 30 hourly, you are likely an hourly or non-exempt employee. 

That means that you earn wages for the time that you work. Assuming you work 40 hours per week for the entire year, you will earn an annual salary of $62,400 or $1,200 per week. 

Your monthly salary may vary depending on the number of weeks in the month. Most months have four weeks meaning you would earn an average of $4,800 monthly. However, depending on whether you receive weekly or bi-weekly paychecks, you will receive at least one additional paycheck per year during months with a fifth week

How Do You Calculate Yearly Earnings? 

No matter what your hourly wage and schedule are, you use the same formula to calculate the annual salary for your position. To determine how much you make throughout the year, you need to multiply your hourly rate times the number of hours you work weekly. 

30 dollars an hour

For example, if you earn $30 per hour and work 30 hours per week, your weekly salary is $900. To calculate your total annual earnings, multiply your weekly earnings by 52. So, if you work 30 hours per week, your job paying $30 per hour will earn you $46,800. 

A typical full-time job requires 40 hours per week, though. So, the total weekly earnings for a full-time job paying $30 an hour is $1,200. Once you know your weekly pay, multiply it by 52, the total number of weeks in a year. A job paying $1,200 for 52 weeks earns $62,400 per year. 

Determining Annual Salary with Overtime

If you work overtime, your annual salary will depend on how many overtime hours you work. Typically, employees earn time and a half after they work 40 hours. So, if you work 40 regular hours per week and five hours of overtime, your weekly pay is $1,425. 

Calculating your annual salary can be more challenging if you frequently work overtime and your schedule changes weekly because you cannot know precisely how many hours you will work in a given week. 

So, it is a good idea to base financial decisions on your regular annual salary of $62,400. 

Can You Live on 30 Dollars an Hour? 

The median salary in the United States is $54,132. You should be able to live more comfortably than most people by earning $30 per hour. However, there are several factors you have to consider, like: 

  • How many dependents do you have?
  • Where do you live (cost of living)? 
  • How much do you contribute to your 401k or retirement account? 
  • What is your monthly debt obligation? 
  • Do you have a car payment? 
  • How much is taken out of your check each pay period for insurance, taxes, and other required payments? 
  • Are you the only income earner in your household?

If you are a single parent, supporting your family on $62,400 with the current cost of housing and inflation in most parts of the country will likely require you to budget your money carefully. As a single person or member of a two-income household, it is easier to support yourself with a job that pays $30 per hour. 

single income household

Final Thoughts on Earning 30 Dollars an Hour

If you earn 30 dollars an hour and work full-time, you will likely make at least $62,400 annually. While that is slightly more than the median income in the United States, depending on how many dependents you have. If you support your household solely, your ability to maintain a stable financial position with a job paying $30 hourly depends on how well you budget.

The lower your salary, the more carefully you need to spend what you earn. No matter your hourly wage and annual salary, learning to live on less and reducing your monthly financial obligations will help you live more comfortably. 

Read the other posts on our site to learn about other personal finance topics, like how many people earn $100,000 annually