How to Calculate Hourly Rate from Monthly Pay

Monthly Salary to Hourly Rate Calculator

Standard (4.33 weeks) Strictly 4 weeks Exact Yearly (4.345 weeks) *Most payroll departments use 4.33 weeks (52 weeks ÷ 12 months).

Your Estimated Hourly Rate:

$0.00

How to Calculate Hourly Rate from Monthly Pay

Understanding your hourly worth is essential when comparing job offers, calculating overtime, or managing a personal budget. While monthly salaries offer stability, the hourly rate provides a granular look at the value of your time.

The Standard Formula

Because months vary in length (28 to 31 days), we cannot simply divide a monthly salary by 4. Instead, we use the average number of weeks in a month: 4.33. This is derived from dividing the 52 weeks in a year by 12 months.

Formula: Monthly Salary ÷ (Weekly Hours × 4.333) = Hourly Rate

Practical Examples

Let's look at two common scenarios using the standard 4.33-week conversion:

• Example 1: A monthly salary of $4,000 working 40 hours per week.
  $4,000 ÷ (40 × 4.333) = $23.08 per hour.
• Example 2: A part-time monthly salary of $2,500 working 20 hours per week.
  $2,500 ÷ (20 × 4.333) = $28.85 per hour.

Why the "Weeks per Month" Variable Matters

Depending on your contract or country, "Monthly Pay" might be calculated differently:

1. Standard (4.333): This is the most accurate for annualizing your income because it accounts for the extra days beyond exactly 4 weeks in most months.
2. Fixed 4-Week (4.0): Some freelance contracts pay based on a 4-week cycle. Using 4.0 will result in a higher hourly rate calculation.
3. Working Days: Some HR departments calculate based on 21 or 22 working days per month.

Gross vs. Net Pay

When using this calculator, ensure you are consistent. Use your Gross Monthly Salary (before taxes and deductions) to find your gross hourly rate. If you use your "take-home" pay, you will find your net hourly rate, which is helpful for personal budgeting but doesn't reflect your actual market value.

function calculateHourlyRate() { var salary = document.getElementById('monthlySalary').value; var hours = document.getElementById('hoursPerWeek').value; var weeks = document.getElementById('weeksInMonth').value; var resultDiv = document.getElementById('resultArea'); var textDisplay = document.getElementById('hourlyResult'); var breakdown = document.getElementById('detailedBreakdown'); if (salary === "" || hours === "" || salary <= 0 || hours <= 0) { alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for salary and hours."); return; } var monthlySalary = parseFloat(salary); var weeklyHours = parseFloat(hours); var weeksPerMonth = parseFloat(weeks); // Calculation: Hourly Rate = Monthly Pay / (Hours per Week * Weeks per Month) var totalMonthlyHours = weeklyHours * weeksPerMonth; var hourlyRate = monthlySalary / totalMonthlyHours; // Formatting the result textDisplay.innerHTML = "$" + hourlyRate.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}); breakdown.innerHTML = "Based on " + totalMonthlyHours.toFixed(1) + " total working hours per month."; resultDiv.style.display = "block"; // Smooth scroll to result resultDiv.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' }); }