Cashiers
Median $16.58 an hour in Illinois · 139,630 jobs
Illinois · 2026 take-home pay
$16 an hour after taxes in Illinois
At $16 an hour in Illinois you keep about $13.18 of every hour — $527 a week, $2,285 a month or $27,418 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Illinois income tax. Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax, and its minimum wage is $15.00 an hour.
Where $16 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $33,280 | $640 | $16.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,814 | −$35 | −$0.87 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,063 | −$40 | −$0.99 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$483 | −$9 | −$0.23 |
| Illinois income tax | −$1,503 | −$29 | −$0.72 |
| Take-home pay | $27,418 | $527 | $13.18 |
Effective tax rate 17.6% · federal bracket 12% · Illinois bracket 4.95%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $640.00 | $527.27 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,280.00 | $1,054.53 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,386.67 | $1,142.41 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,773.33 | $2,284.83 |
$16 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Illinois for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $16 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* | $320 | $281 | $14,634 |
| 30 hours a week | $480 | $405 | $21,074 |
| 40 hours a week | $640 | $527 | $27,418 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $760 | $618 | $32,123 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $880 | $708 | $36,828 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $16 an hour good pay in Illinois?
- Minimum wage: $16 an hour is 1.1 times Illinois's minimum wage of $15.00 an hour. Employers with 4 or more employees. Chicago sets a higher minimum.
- Among Illinois workers: It's about the 11th percentile of hourly pay in Illinois (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 11 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $24.98 an hour.
- Local prices: Illinois's price level is 100% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $27,418 a year buys about what $27,429 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $832 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,142 a month for needs, $685 for wants and $457 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Illinois that pay about $16 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Illinois is within 4% of $16 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median $16.30 an hour in Illinois · 127,590 jobs
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Median $16.37 an hour in Illinois · 13,190 jobs
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Median $15.75 an hour in Illinois · 11,660 jobs
School Bus Monitors
Median $16.27 an hour in Illinois · 6,930 jobs
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
Median $16.21 an hour in Illinois · 5,880 jobs
How Illinois compares on $16 an hour
Illinois ranks 49th of 51 for take-home pay on $16 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $13.18 | $27,418 | $15.00 | — |
| Iowa | $13.61 | $28,308 | $7.25 | +$890 a year |
| Indiana | $13.45 | $27,968 | $7.25 | +$550 a year |
| Kentucky | $13.40 | $27,873 | $7.25 | +$455 a year |
| Missouri | $13.60 | $28,294 | $15.00 | +$876 a year |
| Wisconsin | $13.54 | $28,168 | $7.25 | +$750 a year |
How the federal tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $17,180. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $4,780 | $574 |
| Total | $17,180 | $1,814 |
How the Illinois income tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 of Illinois wages minus $2,925 in exemptions = $30,355.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 4.95% | $30,355 | $1,503 |
| Total | $30,355 | $1,503 |
Common questions
How much is $16 an hour after taxes in Illinois?
About $13.18 for every hour you work, or $27,418 a year at 40 hours a week ($33,280 gross). Taxes take about 17.6% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $16 an hour a week after taxes in Illinois?
About $527 a week at 40 hours, from $640 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,055.
How much is $16 an hour a month after taxes in Illinois?
About $2,285 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,773 gross.
Is $16 an hour good pay in Illinois?
$16 an hour is 1.1 times Illinois's minimum wage of $15.00 an hour. It's about the 11th percentile of hourly pay in Illinois (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 11 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Illinois is $24.98. After taxes and local prices, $27,418 a year buys about what $27,429 would at national-average prices.
Is Illinois a high-tax state for $16 an hour?
It ranks 49th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $16 an hour. The most you'd keep is $28,920 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $26,771 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Illinois
- $12 an hour in Illinois
- $13 an hour in Illinois
- $14 an hour in Illinois
- $15 an hour in Illinois
- $17 an hour in Illinois
- $18 an hour in Illinois
- $19 an hour in Illinois
- $20 an hour in Illinois
$16 an hour in every state · $30,000 a year in Illinois · $35,000 a year in Illinois · Illinois paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Illinois'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.
- 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.