Salary Calculator
Convert between hourly and annual salary
Multiple time periods
Custom work hours
Weeks per year option
All periods at once
The job offer says $75,000 annual salary. Your current contract pays $40 per hour. Which is better? The freelance gig offers $500 per day but only 200 days per year. Your brain is doing math that doesn't quite work out.
Comparing compensation across different time periods—hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly—requires consistent calculation. This converter translates any salary format to all the others, making job offers and freelance rates directly comparable.
What is a Salary Calculator?
A salary calculator converts compensation between time periods: hourly, daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and annual. By standardizing to a common basis, you can compare job offers, freelance rates, and contract terms accurately.
Conversion example:
$75,000/year (40 hrs/week, 52 weeks)
= $6,250/month
= $2,884.62/bi-weekly
= $1,442.31/weekly
= $288.46/day
= $36.06/hour
Conversions depend on assumptions: hours per week (40? 37.5?), weeks per year (52? 50 with vacation?). Be clear about your assumptions when comparing offers.
Why People Actually Need This Tool
Different employers quote in different formats. Contractors think hourly. Employees think annually. Making apples-to-apples comparisons requires conversion.
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Job offer comparison — Compare offers quoted in different time periods.
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Freelance rate setting — Calculate hourly rate needed to match salary goals.
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Contract evaluation — Convert day rates to annual equivalent.
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Budget planning — Understand monthly income from annual salary.
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Raise negotiation — Calculate actual impact of percentage increases.
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Part-time calculation — Figure out earnings for reduced hours.
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International comparison — Convert between monthly (common elsewhere) and annual (US standard).
How to Use the Salary Calculator
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Enter your salary — In any time period you know.
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Set work parameters — Hours per week and weeks per year.
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View all conversions — See equivalent values across all periods.
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Compare offers — Put different offers on the same basis.
| Time Period | Standard Calculation | Typical Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Annual ÷ (hours × weeks) | Freelance, part-time, overtime |
| Daily | Annual ÷ work days | Contract work, consulting |
| Weekly | Annual ÷ 52 | Some contractor arrangements |
| Bi-weekly | Annual ÷ 26 | Common US pay schedule |
| Monthly | Annual ÷ 12 | European standard, budgeting |
| Annual | Base figure | US salary standard |
These conversions show gross (pre-tax) salary. Your take-home pay depends on taxes, deductions, and benefits—which vary significantly by location and situation.
Real-World Use Cases
1. The Job Offer Decision
Context: Current job pays $85,000/year. New offer is $45/hour contract.
Problem: Is the new offer actually better?
Solution: $45 × 40 × 52 = $93,600 annual equivalent. But contractor pays own benefits and taxes.
Outcome: After factoring benefits (~20-30% of salary), offers are roughly equivalent. Decision based on other factors.
2. The Freelance Rate Calculation
Context: Leaving $90,000 salaried job to freelance full-time.
Problem: What hourly rate replaces current income?
Solution: Need to cover: salary ($90K) + benefits ($25K) + taxes ($15K) + business costs = ~$130K. At 1,500 billable hours = $87/hour minimum.
Outcome: Realistic freelance rate established, not the naive $43/hour ($90K ÷ 2080).
3. The Part-Time Comparison
Context: Offered part-time role at $60,000 for 30 hours/week.
Problem: How does this compare to full-time $75,000?
Solution: Part-time hourly: $60,000 ÷ (30 × 52) = $38.46/hour. Full-time: $75,000 ÷ (40 × 52) = $36.06/hour.
Outcome: Part-time rate is actually higher per hour. Plus better work-life balance.
4. The International Job Offer
Context: Remote job offer from European company: €5,500/month.
Problem: How does this compare to US salaries quoted annually?
Solution: €5,500 × 12 = €66,000/year ≈ $71,000 (at exchange rate).
Outcome: Direct comparison possible. Consider cost of living differences too.
5. The Raise Impact
Context: Offered 4% raise on $80,000 salary.
Problem: What's that actually worth in monthly and hourly terms?
Solution: 4% of $80,000 = $3,200/year = $267/month = $1.54/hour.
Outcome: Concrete numbers help evaluate if the raise is worth staying for.
6. The Contractor Day Rate
Context: Consulting firm offers $750/day for a 6-month project.
Problem: Is this good compared to permanent roles?
Solution: $750 × 5 × 52 = $195,000 annual equivalent (if working full year).
Outcome: Great day rate, but factor in gaps between contracts, self-employment taxes.
7. The Overtime Calculation
Context: Salaried exempt employee working 50+ hours regularly.
Problem: What's the effective hourly rate?
Solution: $100,000 ÷ (50 × 52) = $38.46 effective rate vs $48.08 at standard 40 hours.
Outcome: 20% reduction in effective hourly rate. Worth discussing with employer.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Benefits, bonuses, equity, retirement matching, and perks can add 20-50% to base salary value. Compare total compensation, not just salary.
Privacy and Data Handling
This Salary Calculator operates entirely in your browser.
- No salary data is sent to any server.
- No income information is stored.
- No account required.
- Works completely offline.
Your compensation details stay private.
Conclusion
Salary comparisons shouldn't require a spreadsheet. Whether you're evaluating job offers, setting freelance rates, or planning budgets, you need to compare compensation on the same basis.
This calculator converts instantly between hourly, daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and annual figures. Know exactly what any rate means in every time period.
Your time is valuable. Know exactly how valuable.