Retail Salespersons
Median $17.54 an hour in Connecticut · 42,410 jobs
Connecticut · 2026 take-home pay
$18 an hour after taxes in Connecticut
At $18 an hour in Connecticut you keep about $14.94 of every hour — $597 a week, $2,589 a month or $31,068 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Connecticut income tax and state payroll programs. Connecticut has a graduated income tax plus CT Paid Leave, and its minimum wage is $16.94 an hour.
Where $18 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $37,440 | $720 | $18.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,313 | −$44 | −$1.11 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,321 | −$45 | −$1.12 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$543 | −$10 | −$0.26 |
| Connecticut income tax | −$1,008 | −$19 | −$0.48 |
| CT Paid Leave | −$187 | −$4 | −$0.09 |
| Take-home pay | $31,068 | $597 | $14.94 |
Effective tax rate 17% · federal bracket 12% · Connecticut bracket 4.5%.
CT Paid Leave: 0.5% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $720.00 | $597.46 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,440.00 | $1,194.92 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,560.00 | $1,294.50 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,120.00 | $2,589.00 |
$18 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Connecticut for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $18 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $360 | $325 | $16,914 |
| 30 hours a week | $540 | $467 | $24,306 |
| 40 hours a week | $720 | $597 | $31,068 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $855 | $694 | $36,106 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $990 | $796 | $41,414 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Connecticut?
- Minimum wage: $18 an hour is 1.1 times Connecticut's minimum wage of $16.94 an hour.
- Among Connecticut workers: It's about the 16th percentile of hourly pay in Connecticut (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 16 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $28.70 an hour.
- Local prices: Connecticut's price level is 103.6% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $31,068 a year buys about what $29,986 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $936 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,295 a month for needs, $777 for wants and $518 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Connecticut that pay about $18 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Connecticut is within 4% of $18 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $18.25 an hour in Connecticut · 28,740 jobs
Waiters and Waitresses
Median $18.16 an hour in Connecticut · 22,370 jobs
Food Preparation Workers
Median $17.62 an hour in Connecticut · 12,250 jobs
Childcare Workers
Median $17.63 an hour in Connecticut · 12,020 jobs
Bartenders
Median $18.64 an hour in Connecticut · 7,680 jobs
How Connecticut compares on $18 an hour
Connecticut ranks 38th of 51 for take-home pay on $18 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Connecticut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $14.94 | $31,068 | $16.94 | — |
| Massachusetts | $14.63 | $30,439 | $15.00 | −$629 a year |
| New York | $14.73 | $30,645 | $16.00 | −$423 a year |
| Rhode Island | $14.93 | $31,064 | $16.00 | −$4 a year |
How the federal tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $21,340. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $8,940 | $1,073 |
| Total | $21,340 | $2,313 |
How the Connecticut income tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 of Connecticut wages minus $7,000 in exemptions = $30,440.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 2% | $10,000 | $200 |
| 4.5% | $20,440 | $920 |
| Personal tax credit (10% of tax) | — | −$112 |
| Total | $30,440 | $1,008 |
Common questions
How much is $18 an hour after taxes in Connecticut?
About $14.94 for every hour you work, or $31,068 a year at 40 hours a week ($37,440 gross). Taxes take about 17% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $18 an hour a week after taxes in Connecticut?
About $597 a week at 40 hours, from $720 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,195.
How much is $18 an hour a month after taxes in Connecticut?
About $2,589 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,120 gross.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Connecticut?
$18 an hour is 1.1 times Connecticut's minimum wage of $16.94 an hour. It's about the 16th percentile of hourly pay in Connecticut (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 16 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Connecticut is $28.70. After taxes and local prices, $31,068 a year buys about what $29,986 would at national-average prices.
Is Connecticut a high-tax state for $18 an hour?
It ranks 38th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $18 an hour. The most you'd keep is $32,263 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $29,764 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Connecticut
- $14 an hour in Connecticut
- $15 an hour in Connecticut
- $16 an hour in Connecticut
- $17 an hour in Connecticut
- $19 an hour in Connecticut
- $20 an hour in Connecticut
- $21 an hour in Connecticut
- $22 an hour in Connecticut
$18 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in Connecticut · $40,000 a year in Connecticut · Connecticut paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Connecticut's income tax rules and Connecticut's employee payroll programs (methodology). Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.