Pay & salary guides

Straightforward answers to the most common questions about salary, hourly pay and what actually lands in your bank account.

Take-home pay6 min read

State Tax Reciprocity Agreements Explained

If you commute across a state line, a reciprocity agreement can mean you only pay income tax where you live. The full state-by-state list and how to set up your withholding.

Salary basics5 min read

How Many Working Days Are in a Year?

261 weekdays a year, roughly 250 after federal holidays. How working days are counted and why the number drives prorated pay, PTO and your daily rate.

Career4 min read

How to Calculate a Pay Raise (With Examples)

Convert a percentage raise into a new salary (and back), with examples and a note on why your take-home gain is smaller.

Salary basics4 min read

What Is a Pro-Rata Salary? How to Calculate It

How a full-time salary scales down to part-time hours — the pro-rata formula, an example, and the benefits catch.

Overtime4 min read

How to Calculate Overtime Pay

The time-and-a-half formula, who qualifies under federal law, and how to turn weekly overtime into a yearly figure.

Take-home pay7 min read

Take-Home Pay by State: $50k and $100k Compared

How much of a $50k or $100k salary you actually keep in every US state — the full comparison, ranked, using federal, FICA and state tax estimates.

Salary basics3 min read

How Many Work Hours Are in a Year?

2,080 is the textbook number, but holidays and PTO change it. How to count the working hours that actually drive your hourly rate.

Take-home pay3 min read

Gross vs Net Pay: What's the Difference?

Why your paycheck is smaller than your salary — the deductions that turn gross pay into the net amount you actually keep.

Career5 min read

Salary vs Hourly Pay: Which Is Better?

Overtime, benefits, stability and flexibility — how to compare a salaried offer against hourly work on equal footing.

Take-home pay5 min read

How to Calculate Your Take-Home Pay

Gross vs net pay explained: the taxes that come out of every paycheck and how to estimate what actually lands in your account.

Salary basics4 min read

How to Convert Annual Salary to Hourly

Step-by-step instructions to turn a yearly salary into an accurate hourly wage, plus a quick reference table.

Salary basics4 min read

How to Calculate Your Hourly Rate From Salary

The exact formula to convert an annual salary into an hourly wage — plus the work-hours assumptions that quietly change your number.