Driver/Sales Workers
Median $15.86 an hour in Minnesota · 9,750 jobs
Minnesota · 2026 take-home pay
$16 an hour after taxes in Minnesota
At $16 an hour in Minnesota you keep about $13.37 of every hour — $535 a week, $2,318 a month or $27,812 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Minnesota income tax and state payroll programs. Minnesota has a graduated income tax plus Minnesota Paid Leave (employee share) — new Jan 1, 2026, and its minimum wage is $11.41 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 |
| Minnesota income tax | −$962 | −$18 | −$0.46 |
| Minnesota Paid Leave (employee share) — new Jan 1, 2026 | −$146 | −$3 | −$0.07 |
| Take-home pay | $27,812 | $535 | $13.37 |
Effective tax rate 16.4% · federal bracket 12% · Minnesota bracket 5.35%.
Minnesota Paid Leave (employee share) — new Jan 1, 2026: 0.44% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $640.00 | $534.85 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,280.00 | $1,069.70 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,386.67 | $1,158.84 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,773.33 | $2,317.68 |
$16 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Minnesota 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 | $292 | $15,168 |
| 30 hours a week | $480 | $414 | $21,538 |
| 40 hours a week | $640 | $535 | $27,812 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $760 | $624 | $32,465 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $880 | $714 | $37,117 |
*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 Minnesota?
- Minimum wage: $16 an hour is 1.4 times Minnesota's minimum wage of $11.41 an hour. Minneapolis and St. Paul set higher minimums.
- Among Minnesota workers: It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Minnesota (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median is $27.36 an hour.
- Local prices: Minnesota's price level is 98.6% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $27,812 a year buys about what $28,201 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 $1,159 a month for needs, $695 for wants and $464 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Minnesota that pay about $16 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Minnesota is within 4% of $16 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Dishwashers
Median $16.38 an hour in Minnesota · 8,710 jobs
Cooks, Fast Food
Median $16.41 an hour in Minnesota · 5,190 jobs
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
Median $16.09 an hour in Minnesota · 1,880 jobs
Demonstrators and Product Promoters
Median $16.43 an hour in Minnesota · 1,400 jobs
Cooks, Short Order
Median $15.46 an hour in Minnesota · 870 jobs
How Minnesota compares on $16 an hour
Minnesota ranks 43rd 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 Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $13.37 | $27,812 | $11.41 | — |
| Iowa | $13.61 | $28,308 | $7.25 | +$496 a year |
| North Dakota | $13.90 | $28,920 | $7.25 | +$1,108 a year |
| South Dakota | $13.90 | $28,920 | $11.85 | +$1,108 a year |
| Wisconsin | $13.54 | $28,168 | $7.25 | +$356 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 Minnesota income tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 of Minnesota wages minus $15,300 standard deduction = $17,980.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 5.35% | $17,980 | $962 |
| Total | $17,980 | $962 |
Common questions
How much is $16 an hour after taxes in Minnesota?
About $13.37 for every hour you work, or $27,812 a year at 40 hours a week ($33,280 gross). Taxes take about 16.4% 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 Minnesota?
About $535 a week at 40 hours, from $640 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,070.
How much is $16 an hour a month after taxes in Minnesota?
About $2,318 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,773 gross.
Is $16 an hour good pay in Minnesota?
$16 an hour is 1.4 times Minnesota's minimum wage of $11.41 an hour. It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Minnesota (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Minnesota is $27.36. After taxes and local prices, $27,812 a year buys about what $28,201 would at national-average prices.
Is Minnesota a high-tax state for $16 an hour?
It ranks 43rd 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 Minnesota
- $12 an hour in Minnesota
- $13 an hour in Minnesota
- $14 an hour in Minnesota
- $15 an hour in Minnesota
- $17 an hour in Minnesota
- $18 an hour in Minnesota
- $19 an hour in Minnesota
- $20 an hour in Minnesota
$16 an hour in every state · $30,000 a year in Minnesota · $35,000 a year in Minnesota · Minnesota paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Minnesota's income tax rules and Minnesota'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.