Kailua Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Kailua, HI: $27.51/hr median hourly wage, $57,220 median annual salary, cost of living index 195.5, and $14.00/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Hawaii taxes.
Kailua Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Kailua, HI is $27.51/hr,and the median annual wage is $57,220. Entry-level pay estimates around $17.06/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $39.06/hr, and the local minimum wage is $14.00/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Urban Honolulu, HI metropolitan statistical area (446,380 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Kailua shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$57,220
$27.51/hr
Cost of Living
195.5
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$14.00
per hour
Unemployment
3.4%
rate
Kailua, HI Overview
Population
40,514
Median Salary
$57,220
Average Salary
$71,940
Avg Commute
17 min
Median Home Price
$920,000
Median Rent
$3,700/mo
Job Growth
+0.9%
Sales Tax
4%
Kailua is located in Hawaii with a population of 40,514. The median annual wage across all occupations is $57,220 ($27.51/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Urban Honolulu, HI metro), which is $6,240 above the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 17 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.9%.
Kailua Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Kailua, HI built around the $57,220 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Urban Honolulu, HI metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $35,476 | $17.06/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $57,220 | $27.51/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $81,252 | $39.06/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $101,852 | $48.97/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Kailua Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Kailua, HI, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$45,524
$3,793.70/month · $1,750.94/biweekly · Effective Rate: 20.4%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,750.94 take-home per paycheck after estimated Hawaii and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$57,220
Federal Tax
-$4,686
State Tax
-$2,632
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$4,377
Net Pay
$45,524
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,768.33 | $57,220.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$390.53 | -$4,686.40 |
| Hawaii State Tax (4.60% eff.) | -$219.33 | -$2,631.92 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$295.64 | -$3,547.64 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$69.14 | -$829.69 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,793.70 | $45,524.35 |
Salary Comparison: Kailua vs Other Cities
See how Kailua's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kailua, HI | $57,220 | 195.5 | $29,269 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Honolulu, HI | $57,220 | 186 | $30,763 |
| Pearl City, HI | $57,220 | 175 | $32,697 |
| Waipahu, HI | $57,220 | 182.5 | $31,353 |
| Kaneohe, HI | $57,220 | 190.2 | $30,084 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Kailua
Kailua's cost of living index is 195.5 (national average = 100). Living in Kailua is 95.5% more expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$920,000
Median Monthly Rent
$3,700
Annual Rent Cost
$44,400
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $45,524 annual take-home pay in Kailua has the purchasing power of approximately $23,286 in an average-cost US area. You would need to earn $111,865 in Kailua to match a $57,220 salary in an average-cost city.
Top Industries in Kailua
Kailua's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $57,220.
Salary Tips for Kailua Workers
- Negotiate for cost of living. Kailua has a cost of living 95.5% above the national average. When negotiating salary, factor in the higher housing and living costs to ensure your real purchasing power stays competitive.
- Maximize pre-tax deductions. With a top 11% state income tax rate, maximizing 401(k) contributions (up to $24,500 in 2026) and HSA contributions can significantly reduce both your federal and state tax burden.
- Research top industries. Kailua's top industries include Tourism, Military, Agriculture. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $57,220 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Kailua salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Urban Honolulu, HI metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Kailua indexed at 195.5.
- Median salary: $57,220 annual, $27.51 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Urban Honolulu, HI MSA (446,380 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $71,940 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Kailua was $74,907.
- Tax burden reflects Hawaii 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 11%) (no local income tax), sales tax (4%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Kailua: 3.4%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Tourism, Military, Agriculture, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.9% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Hawaii.
- Housing context: median home price $920,000, median rent $3,700/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Kailua, HI:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Kailua unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Kailua QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Hawaii, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Kailua's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Hawaii labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Kailua, HI?
The median hourly wage in Kailua, HI is $27.51 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Urban Honolulu, HI metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $57,220. Entry-level workers are estimated around $17.06/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $39.06/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Kailua, HI?
The median salary in Kailua, HI is $57,220 per year, or $27.51 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Urban Honolulu, HI metro area). The BLS mean salary is $71,940. This is $6,240 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Kailua, HI?
Kailua's cost of living index is 195.5 (national average = 100), meaning it is 95.5% more expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $920,000 and the median monthly rent is $3,700.
What are the best industries in Kailua?
The top industries in Kailua, HI include Tourism, Military, Agriculture. The city has a job growth rate of 0.9% and an unemployment rate of 3.4%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $57,220.
How does Kailua's salary compare to other cities?
Kailua's median salary of $57,220 is 12.2% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 195.5), the real purchasing power is approximately $29,269.
What is the minimum wage in Kailua, HI?
The minimum wage in Kailua, HI is $14.00 per hour. This equals approximately $29,120 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $6.75 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.