Your Real Hourly Rate at 45 Hours Per Week
Many salaried employees regularly work 45 or more hours per week without additional overtime pay. If you are exempt from overtime, your true hourly rate is lower than the standard 40-hour calculation suggests. This calculator shows your real rate at 45 hours per week across 52 weeks (2,340 hours per year).
Salaried exempt employees do not receive overtime pay, so every extra hour worked effectively reduces their hourly rate. At 45 hours per week, your hourly rate is about 11% lower than the 40-hour equivalent. For a $60,000 salary, that drops your rate from $28.85 to $25.64 per hour. Understanding your true hourly rate is essential when evaluating whether a salaried position is worth the extra time commitment.
Example Conversions at 45 Hours/Week
| Annual Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| $50,000 | $21.37 |
| $60,000 | $25.64 |
| $75,000 | $32.05 |
| $100,000 | $42.74 |
| $120,000 | $51.28 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Divide your annual salary by 2,340 (45 x 52). Example: $75,000 / 2,340 = $32.05/hour instead of $36.06 at 40 hours.
Working 45 instead of 40 hours reduces your effective hourly rate by approximately 11.1% – a significant drop.
Exempt salaried employees receive the same pay regardless of hours worked above 40. Non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay for hours over 40.
Absolutely. A $70K job requiring 45 hours ($29.91/hr real) may pay less per hour than a $60K job at 40 hours ($28.85/hr).