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Take-home pay after federal, state and local taxes — salary or hourly, with overtime and pre-tax deductions.
New Jersey · 2026 take-home pay
$12 an hour after taxes in New Jersey
At $12 an hour in New Jersey you keep about $10.39 of every hour — $415 a week, $1,800 a month or $21,604 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, New Jersey income tax and state payroll programs. New Jersey has a graduated income tax plus TDI, FLI, UI (Unemployment Insurance) employee share and WF/SWF (Workforce Development / Supplemental Workforce Fund) employee share, and its minimum wage is $15.92 an hour.
Where $12 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $24,960 | $480 | $12.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$886 | −$17 | −$0.43 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$1,548 | −$30 | −$0.74 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$362 | −$7 | −$0.17 |
| New Jersey income tax | −$349 | −$7 | −$0.17 |
| TDI (Temporary Disability Insurance) | −$47 | −$1 | −$0.02 |
| FLI (Family Leave Insurance) | −$57 | −$1 | −$0.03 |
| UI (Unemployment Insurance) employee share | −$95 | −$2 | −$0.05 |
| WF/SWF (Workforce Development / Supplemental Workforce Fund) employee share | −$11 | −$0 | −$0.01 |
| Take-home pay | $21,604 | $415 | $10.39 |
Effective tax rate 13.4% · federal bracket 10% · New Jersey bracket 1.75%.
TDI (Temporary Disability Insurance): 0.19% of wages · FLI (Family Leave Insurance): 0.23% of wages · UI (Unemployment Insurance) employee share: 0.38% of wages · WF/SWF (Workforce Development / Supplemental Workforce Fund) employee share: 0.04% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $480.00 | $415.47 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $960.00 | $830.94 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,040.00 | $900.18 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,080.00 | $1,800.36 |
$12 an hour at different hours
Take-home in New Jersey for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $12 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* | $240 | $217 | $11,259 |
| 30 hours a week | $360 | $320 | $16,620 |
| 40 hours a week | $480 | $415 | $21,604 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $570 | $487 | $25,314 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $660 | $557 | $28,953 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $12 an hour good pay in New Jersey?
- Minimum wage: $12 an hour is below New Jersey's minimum wage of $15.92 an hour, so most employers there can't pay it. $15.23 for employers with fewer than 6 employees and for seasonal work.
- Among New Jersey workers: It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in New Jersey (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median is $28.16 an hour.
- Local prices: New Jersey's price level is 108.8% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $21,604 a year buys about what $19,856 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $624 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $900 a month for needs, $540 for wants and $360 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
How New Jersey compares on $12 an hour
New Jersey ranks 34th of 51 for take-home pay on $12 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs New Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $10.39 | $21,604 | $15.92 | — |
| Delaware | $10.26 | $21,345 | $15.00 | −$259 a year |
| New York | $10.23 | $21,275 | $16.00 | −$329 a year |
| Pennsylvania | $10.28 | $21,381 | $7.25 | −$223 a year |
How the federal tax on $24,960 ($12 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $24,960 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $8,860. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $8,860 | $886 |
| Total | $8,860 | $886 |
How the New Jersey income tax on $24,960 ($12 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $24,960 of New Jersey wages minus $1,000 in exemptions = $23,960.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4% | $20,000 | $280 |
| 1.75% | $3,960 | $69 |
| Total | $23,960 | $349 |
Common questions
How much is $12 an hour after taxes in New Jersey?
About $10.39 for every hour you work, or $21,604 a year at 40 hours a week ($24,960 gross). Taxes take about 13.4% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $12 an hour a week after taxes in New Jersey?
About $415 a week at 40 hours, from $480 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $831.
How much is $12 an hour a month after taxes in New Jersey?
About $1,800 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,080 gross.
Is $12 an hour good pay in New Jersey?
$12 an hour is below New Jersey's minimum wage of $15.92 an hour, so most employers there can't pay it. It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in New Jersey (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in New Jersey is $28.16. After taxes and local prices, $21,604 a year buys about what $19,856 would at national-average prices.
Is New Jersey a high-tax state for $12 an hour?
It ranks 34th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $12 an hour. The most you'd keep is $22,165 a year, in 9 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $20,720 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, New Jersey's income tax rules and New Jersey's employee payroll programs (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.