Wisconsin · 2026 take-home pay

$15 an hour after taxes in Wisconsin

At $15 an hour in Wisconsin you keep about $12.79 of every hour — $512 a week, $2,217 a month or $26,599 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Wisconsin income tax. Wisconsin has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

By Work & Money Editorial Team · Last reviewed October 14, 2026

Where $15 an hour goes

$15 an hour full time in Wisconsin, single filer, 2026
A yearA weekAn hour
Gross pay$31,200$600$15.00
Federal income tax−$1,564−$30−$0.75
Social Security (6.2%)−$1,934−$37−$0.93
Medicare (1.45%+)−$452−$9−$0.22
Wisconsin income tax−$650−$13−$0.31
Take-home pay$26,599$512$12.79

Effective tax rate 14.7% · federal bracket 12% · Wisconsin bracket 4.4%.

Take-home per paycheck

40 hours a week, different pay schedules
PaidGrossTake-home
Weekly (52 paychecks)$600.00$511.52
Every two weeks (26)$1,200.00$1,023.04
Twice a month (24)$1,300.00$1,108.29
Monthly (12)$2,600.00$2,216.58

Change hours, overtime and deductions

$15 an hour at different hours

Take-home in Wisconsin for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $15 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.

$15 an hour in Wisconsin: weekly hours and take-home, 2026
ScheduleGross a weekTake-home a weekTake-home a year
20 hours a week*$300$276$14,374
30 hours a week$450$395$20,560
40 hours a week$600$512$26,599
40 hours + 5 overtime$713$596$31,011
40 hours + 10 overtime$825$681$35,423

*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.

Is $15 an hour good pay in Wisconsin?

  • Minimum wage: $15 an hour is 2.1 times Wisconsin's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
  • Among Wisconsin workers: It's about the 12th percentile of hourly pay in Wisconsin (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 12 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $24.17 an hour.
  • Local prices: Wisconsin's price level is 94.1% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $26,599 a year buys about what $28,268 would at national-average prices.
  • Rent: the 30% rule points to about $780 a month. Check it with your debts.
  • A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,108 a month for needs, $665 for wants and $443 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.

Jobs in Wisconsin that pay about $15 an hour

Occupations whose median wage in Wisconsin is within 4% of $15 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.

Cashiers

Median $14.85 an hour in Wisconsin · 65,380 jobs

How Wisconsin compares on $15 an hour

Wisconsin ranks 24th of 51 for take-home pay on $15 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.

Take-home on $15 an hour, 40 hours a week, single filer, 2026
StateAfter tax, per hourA yearMinimum wagevs Wisconsin
Wisconsin$12.79$26,599$7.25—
Iowa$12.84$26,715$7.25+$116 a year
Illinois$12.43$25,850$15.00−$749 a year
Michigan$12.58$26,174$13.73−$425 a year
Minnesota$12.63$26,261$11.41−$338 a year

How the federal tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out

Taxable income is $31,200 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $15,100. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:

2026 federal income tax by bracket, single filer
RateIncome in this bracketTax
10%$12,400$1,240
12%$2,700$324
Total$15,100$1,564

How the Wisconsin income tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out

Taxable income is $31,200 of Wisconsin wages minus $12,630 standard deduction minus $700 in exemptions = $17,870.

Wisconsin income tax by bracket, single filer, 2026 rules
RateIncome in this bracketTax
3.5%$15,110$529
4.4%$2,760$121
Total$17,870$650

Common questions

How much is $15 an hour after taxes in Wisconsin?

About $12.79 for every hour you work, or $26,599 a year at 40 hours a week ($31,200 gross). Taxes take about 14.7% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.

How much is $15 an hour a week after taxes in Wisconsin?

About $512 a week at 40 hours, from $600 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,023.

How much is $15 an hour a month after taxes in Wisconsin?

About $2,217 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,600 gross.

Is $15 an hour good pay in Wisconsin?

$15 an hour is 2.1 times Wisconsin's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 12th percentile of hourly pay in Wisconsin (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 12 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Wisconsin is $24.17. After taxes and local prices, $26,599 a year buys about what $28,268 would at national-average prices.

Is Wisconsin a high-tax state for $15 an hour?

It ranks 24th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $15 an hour. The most you'd keep is $27,249 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $25,274 in Oregon.

Sources and method

Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Wisconsin's income tax rules (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.

  1. Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  2. State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  3. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  4. Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.