Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Median $17.79 an hour in West Virginia · 11,300 jobs
West Virginia · 2026 take-home pay
$18 an hour after taxes in West Virginia
At $18 an hour in West Virginia you keep about $15.05 of every hour — $602 a week, $2,608 a month or $31,301 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and West Virginia income tax. West Virginia has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $8.75 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 |
| West Virginia income tax | −$962 | −$19 | −$0.46 |
| Take-home pay | $31,301 | $602 | $15.05 |
Effective tax rate 16.4% · federal bracket 12% · West Virginia bracket 3.16%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $720.00 | $601.94 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,440.00 | $1,203.87 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,560.00 | $1,304.19 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,120.00 | $2,608.39 |
$18 an hour at different hours
Take-home in West Virginia 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 | $320 | $16,626 |
| 30 hours a week | $540 | $463 | $24,067 |
| 40 hours a week | $720 | $602 | $31,301 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $855 | $706 | $36,693 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $990 | $808 | $42,038 |
*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 West Virginia?
- Minimum wage: $18 an hour is 2.1 times West Virginia's minimum wage of $8.75 an hour. Employers with 6 or more employees at one location.
- Among West Virginia workers: It's about the 36th percentile of hourly pay in West Virginia (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 36 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $21.78 an hour.
- Local prices: West Virginia's price level is 89.5% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $31,301 a year buys about what $34,974 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 $1,304 a month for needs, $783 for wants and $522 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in West Virginia that pay about $18 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in West Virginia is within 4% of $18 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Customer Service Representatives
Median $18.48 an hour in West Virginia · 9,860 jobs
Nursing Assistants
Median $17.66 an hour in West Virginia · 9,390 jobs
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Median $18.70 an hour in West Virginia · 8,060 jobs
Medical Assistants
Median $17.87 an hour in West Virginia · 4,540 jobs
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Median $18.11 an hour in West Virginia · 4,490 jobs
How West Virginia compares on $18 an hour
West Virginia ranks 26th 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 West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $15.05 | $31,301 | $8.75 | — |
| Kentucky | $14.94 | $31,070 | $7.25 | −$231 a year |
| Maryland | $14.83 | $30,851 | $15.00 | −$450 a year |
| Ohio | $15.23 | $31,684 | $11.00 | +$383 a year |
| Pennsylvania | $14.95 | $31,087 | $7.25 | −$214 a year |
| Virginia | $14.87 | $30,924 | $12.77 | −$377 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 West Virginia income tax on $37,440 ($18 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $37,440 of West Virginia wages minus $2,000 in exemptions = $35,440.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 2.11% | $10,000 | $211 |
| 2.81% | $15,000 | $422 |
| 3.16% | $10,440 | $330 |
| Total | $35,440 | $962 |
Common questions
How much is $18 an hour after taxes in West Virginia?
About $15.05 for every hour you work, or $31,301 a year at 40 hours a week ($37,440 gross). Taxes take about 16.4% 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 West Virginia?
About $602 a week at 40 hours, from $720 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,204.
How much is $18 an hour a month after taxes in West Virginia?
About $2,608 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,120 gross.
Is $18 an hour good pay in West Virginia?
$18 an hour is 2.1 times West Virginia's minimum wage of $8.75 an hour. It's about the 36th percentile of hourly pay in West Virginia (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 36 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in West Virginia is $21.78. After taxes and local prices, $31,301 a year buys about what $34,974 would at national-average prices.
Is West Virginia a high-tax state for $18 an hour?
It ranks 26th 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 West Virginia
- $14 an hour in West Virginia
- $15 an hour in West Virginia
- $16 an hour in West Virginia
- $17 an hour in West Virginia
- $19 an hour in West Virginia
- $20 an hour in West Virginia
- $21 an hour in West Virginia
- $22 an hour in West Virginia
$18 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in West Virginia · $40,000 a year in West Virginia · West Virginia paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, West Virginia'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.