Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median $18.29 an hour in Maryland · 46,560 jobs
Maryland · 2026 take-home pay
$18 an hour after taxes in Maryland
At $18 an hour in Maryland you keep about $14.83 of every hour — $593 a week, $2,571 a month or $30,851 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Maryland income tax. Maryland has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $15.00 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 |
| Maryland income tax | −$1,412 | −$27 | −$0.68 |
| Take-home pay | $30,851 | $593 | $14.83 |
Effective tax rate 17.6% · federal bracket 12% · Maryland bracket 4.75%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $720.00 | $593.28 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,440.00 | $1,186.56 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,560.00 | $1,285.44 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,120.00 | $2,570.89 |
$18 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Maryland 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 | $317 | $16,503 |
| 30 hours a week | $540 | $457 | $23,766 |
| 40 hours a week | $720 | $593 | $30,851 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $855 | $695 | $36,158 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $990 | $797 | $41,465 |
*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 Maryland?
- Minimum wage: $18 an hour is 1.2 times Maryland's minimum wage of $15.00 an hour. Montgomery and Howard counties set higher minimums.
- Among Maryland workers: It's about the 19th percentile of hourly pay in Maryland (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 19 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $28.61 an hour.
- Local prices: Maryland's price level is 105% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $30,851 a year buys about what $29,393 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 $1,285 a month for needs, $771 for wants and $514 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Maryland that pay about $18 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Maryland is within 4% of $18 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $17.61 an hour in Maryland · 40,390 jobs
Waiters and Waitresses
Median $17.67 an hour in Maryland · 38,120 jobs
Stockers and Order Fillers
Median $18.12 an hour in Maryland · 34,980 jobs
Security Guards
Median $18.37 an hour in Maryland · 27,670 jobs
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Median $18.32 an hour in Maryland · 18,390 jobs
How Maryland compares on $18 an hour
Maryland ranks 45th 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 Maryland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $14.83 | $30,851 | $15.00 | — |
| Washington, D.C. | $14.99 | $31,183 | $18.40 | +$332 a year |
| Delaware | $14.77 | $30,712 | $15.00 | −$139 a year |
| Pennsylvania | $14.95 | $31,087 | $7.25 | +$236 a year |
| Virginia | $14.87 | $30,924 | $12.77 | +$73 a year |
| West Virginia | $15.05 | $31,301 | $8.75 | +$450 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 Maryland income tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 of Maryland wages minus $3,400 standard deduction minus $3,200 in exemptions = $30,840.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 2% | $1,000 | $20 |
| 3% | $1,000 | $30 |
| 4% | $1,000 | $40 |
| 4.75% | $27,840 | $1,322 |
| Total | $30,840 | $1,412 |
Common questions
How much is $18 an hour after taxes in Maryland?
About $14.83 for every hour you work, or $30,851 a year at 40 hours a week ($37,440 gross). Taxes take about 17.6% 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 Maryland?
About $593 a week at 40 hours, from $720 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,187.
How much is $18 an hour a month after taxes in Maryland?
About $2,571 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,120 gross.
Is $18 an hour good pay in Maryland?
$18 an hour is 1.2 times Maryland's minimum wage of $15.00 an hour. It's about the 19th percentile of hourly pay in Maryland (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 19 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Maryland is $28.61. After taxes and local prices, $30,851 a year buys about what $29,393 would at national-average prices.
Is Maryland a high-tax state for $18 an hour?
It ranks 45th 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 Maryland
- $14 an hour in Maryland
- $15 an hour in Maryland
- $16 an hour in Maryland
- $17 an hour in Maryland
- $19 an hour in Maryland
- $20 an hour in Maryland
- $21 an hour in Maryland
- $22 an hour in Maryland
$18 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in Maryland · $40,000 a year in Maryland · Maryland paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Maryland's income tax rules (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.