Security Guards
Median $30.87 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 15,880 jobs
Washington, D.C. · 2026 take-home pay
$30 an hour after taxes in Washington, D.C.
At $30 an hour in Washington, D.C. you keep about $23.90 of every hour — $956 a week, $4,142 a month or $49,709 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Washington, D.C. income tax. Washington, D.C. has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $18.40 an hour.
Where $30 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $62,400 | $1,200 | $30.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$5,308 | −$102 | −$2.55 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$3,869 | −$74 | −$1.86 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$905 | −$17 | −$0.44 |
| Washington, D.C. income tax | −$2,610 | −$50 | −$1.25 |
| Take-home pay | $49,709 | $956 | $23.90 |
Effective tax rate 20.3% · federal bracket 12% · Washington, D.C. bracket 6.5%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $1,200.00 | $955.94 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $2,400.00 | $1,911.88 |
| Twice a month (24) | $2,600.00 | $2,071.20 |
| Monthly (12) | $5,200.00 | $4,142.41 |
$30 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Washington, D.C. for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $30 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* | $600 | $510 | $26,543 |
| 30 hours a week | $900 | $733 | $38,142 |
| 40 hours a week | $1,200 | $956 | $49,709 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,425 | $1,107 | $57,589 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,650 | $1,247 | $64,866 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $30 an hour good pay in Washington, D.C.?
- Minimum wage: $30 an hour is 1.6 times Washington, D.C.'s minimum wage of $18.40 an hour. From July 1, 2026.
- Among Washington, D.C. workers: It's about the 30th percentile of hourly pay in Washington, D.C. (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 30 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $44.01 an hour.
- Local prices: Washington, D.C.'s price level is 109.9% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $49,709 a year buys about what $45,231 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,560 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $2,071 a month for needs, $1,243 for wants and $828 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Washington, D.C. that pay about $30 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Washington, D.C. is within 4% of $30 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Median $28.80 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 11,800 jobs
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Median $29.00 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 4,860 jobs
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Median $29.88 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 2,350 jobs
Carpenters
Median $29.67 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 1,540 jobs
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
Median $29.06 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 1,260 jobs
How Washington, D.C. compares on $30 an hour
Washington, D.C. ranks 39th of 51 for take-home pay on $30 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
How the federal tax on $62,400 ($30 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $62,400 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $46,300. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $33,900 | $4,068 |
| Total | $46,300 | $5,308 |
How the Washington, D.C. income tax on $62,400 ($30 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $62,400 of D.C. wages minus $16,100 standard deduction = $46,300.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 4% | $10,000 | $400 |
| 6% | $30,000 | $1,800 |
| 6.5% | $6,300 | $410 |
| Total | $46,300 | $2,610 |
Common questions
How much is $30 an hour after taxes in Washington, D.C.?
About $23.90 for every hour you work, or $49,709 a year at 40 hours a week ($62,400 gross). Taxes take about 20.3% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $30 an hour a week after taxes in Washington, D.C.?
About $956 a week at 40 hours, from $1,200 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,912.
How much is $30 an hour a month after taxes in Washington, D.C.?
About $4,142 a month at 40 hours a week, from $5,200 gross.
Is $30 an hour good pay in Washington, D.C.?
$30 an hour is 1.6 times Washington, D.C.'s minimum wage of $18.40 an hour. It's about the 30th percentile of hourly pay in Washington, D.C. (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 30 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Washington, D.C. is $44.01. After taxes and local prices, $49,709 a year buys about what $45,231 would at national-average prices.
Is Washington, D.C. a high-tax place for $30 an hour?
It ranks 39th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $30 an hour. The most you'd keep is $52,318 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $47,723 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Washington, D.C.
- $26 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $27 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $28 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $29 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $31 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $32 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $33 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $34 an hour in Washington, D.C.
$30 an hour in every state · $60,000 a year in Washington, D.C. · $65,000 a year in Washington, D.C. · Washington, D.C. paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Washington, D.C.'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.