Accountants and Auditors
Median $38.17 an hour in Wisconsin · 25,100 jobs
Wisconsin · 2026 take-home pay
$38 an hour after taxes in Wisconsin
At $38 an hour in Wisconsin you keep about $29.45 of every hour — $1,178 a week, $5,104 a month or $61,251 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Wisconsin income tax. Wisconsin has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Where $38 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $79,040 | $1,520 | $38.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$8,559 | −$165 | −$4.11 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$4,900 | −$94 | −$2.36 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$1,146 | −$22 | −$0.55 |
| Wisconsin income tax | −$3,183 | −$61 | −$1.53 |
| Take-home pay | $61,251 | $1,178 | $29.45 |
Effective tax rate 22.5% · federal bracket 22% · Wisconsin bracket 5.3%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $1,520.00 | $1,177.91 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $3,040.00 | $2,355.82 |
| Twice a month (24) | $3,293.33 | $2,552.14 |
| Monthly (12) | $6,586.67 | $5,104.28 |
$38 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Wisconsin for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $38 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* | $760 | $632 | $32,874 |
| 30 hours a week | $1,140 | $919 | $47,777 |
| 40 hours a week | $1,520 | $1,178 | $61,251 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,805 | $1,361 | $70,797 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $2,090 | $1,545 | $80,344 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $38 an hour good pay in Wisconsin?
- Minimum wage: $38 an hour is 5.2 times Wisconsin's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among Wisconsin workers: It's about the 76th percentile of hourly pay in Wisconsin (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 76 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $24.17 an hour.
- Local prices: Wisconsin's price level is 94.1% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $61,251 a year buys about what $65,095 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,976 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $2,552 a month for needs, $1,531 for wants and $1,021 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Wisconsin that pay about $38 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Wisconsin is within 4% of $38 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Electricians
Median $36.80 an hour in Wisconsin · 14,310 jobs
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Median $37.55 an hour in Wisconsin · 12,320 jobs
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Median $39.04 an hour in Wisconsin · 10,210 jobs
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
Median $37.58 an hour in Wisconsin · 8,760 jobs
Insurance Sales Agents
Median $38.20 an hour in Wisconsin · 7,860 jobs
How Wisconsin compares on $38 an hour
Wisconsin ranks 32nd of 51 for take-home pay on $38 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
How the federal tax on $79,040 ($38 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $79,040 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $62,940. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $38,000 | $4,560 |
| 22% | $12,540 | $2,759 |
| Total | $62,940 | $8,559 |
How the Wisconsin income tax on $79,040 ($38 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $79,040 of Wisconsin wages minus $6,890 standard deduction minus $700 in exemptions = $71,450.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5% | $15,110 | $529 |
| 4.4% | $36,840 | $1,621 |
| 5.3% | $19,500 | $1,034 |
| Total | $71,450 | $3,183 |
Common questions
How much is $38 an hour after taxes in Wisconsin?
About $29.45 for every hour you work, or $61,251 a year at 40 hours a week ($79,040 gross). Taxes take about 22.5% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $38 an hour a week after taxes in Wisconsin?
About $1,178 a week at 40 hours, from $1,520 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $2,356.
How much is $38 an hour a month after taxes in Wisconsin?
About $5,104 a month at 40 hours a week, from $6,587 gross.
Is $38 an hour good pay in Wisconsin?
$38 an hour is 5.2 times Wisconsin's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 76th percentile of hourly pay in Wisconsin (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 76 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Wisconsin is $24.17. After taxes and local prices, $61,251 a year buys about what $65,095 would at national-average prices.
Is Wisconsin a high-tax state for $38 an hour?
It ranks 32nd of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $38 an hour. The most you'd keep is $64,435 a year, in 7 places including Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada; the least, $58,551 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Wisconsin
- $34 an hour in Wisconsin
- $35 an hour in Wisconsin
- $36 an hour in Wisconsin
- $37 an hour in Wisconsin
- $39 an hour in Wisconsin
- $40 an hour in Wisconsin
- $45 an hour in Wisconsin
- $50 an hour in Wisconsin
$38 an hour in every state · $75,000 a year in Wisconsin · $80,000 a year in Wisconsin · Wisconsin paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Wisconsin'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.