Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Median $21.22 an hour in Illinois · 76,460 jobs
Illinois · 2026 take-home pay
$21 an hour after taxes in Illinois
At $21 an hour in Illinois you keep about $16.95 of every hour — $678 a week, $2,938 a month or $35,260 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 $21 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $43,680 | $840 | $21.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,062 | −$59 | −$1.47 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,708 | −$52 | −$1.30 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$633 | −$12 | −$0.30 |
| Illinois income tax | −$2,017 | −$39 | −$0.97 |
| Take-home pay | $35,260 | $678 | $16.95 |
Effective tax rate 19.3% · federal bracket 12% · Illinois bracket 4.95%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $840.00 | $678.07 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,680.00 | $1,356.13 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,820.00 | $1,469.15 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,640.00 | $2,938.29 |
$21 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Illinois for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $21 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* | $420 | $359 | $18,659 |
| 30 hours a week | $630 | $520 | $27,026 |
| 40 hours a week | $840 | $678 | $35,260 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $998 | $797 | $41,435 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,155 | $916 | $47,610 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Illinois?
- Minimum wage: $21 an hour is 1.4 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 35th percentile of hourly pay in Illinois (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 35 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 $35,260 a year buys about what $35,274 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,092 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,469 a month for needs, $881 for wants and $588 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Illinois that pay about $21 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Illinois is within 4% of $21 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
Median $21.05 an hour in Illinois · 34,780 jobs
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
Median $20.75 an hour in Illinois · 29,400 jobs
Self-Enrichment Teachers
Median $21.26 an hour in Illinois · 15,030 jobs
Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
Median $20.42 an hour in Illinois · 13,550 jobs
Parts Salespersons
Median $20.31 an hour in Illinois · 8,500 jobs
How Illinois compares on $21 an hour
Illinois ranks 49th of 51 for take-home pay on $21 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 | $16.95 | $35,260 | $15.00 | — |
| Iowa | $17.44 | $36,269 | $7.25 | +$1,009 a year |
| Indiana | $17.32 | $36,018 | $7.25 | +$758 a year |
| Kentucky | $17.24 | $35,866 | $7.25 | +$606 a year |
| Missouri | $17.39 | $36,161 | $15.00 | +$901 a year |
| Wisconsin | $17.31 | $36,012 | $7.25 | +$752 a year |
How the federal tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $27,580. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $15,180 | $1,822 |
| Total | $27,580 | $3,062 |
How the Illinois income tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 of Illinois wages minus $2,925 in exemptions = $40,755.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 4.95% | $40,755 | $2,017 |
| Total | $40,755 | $2,017 |
Common questions
How much is $21 an hour after taxes in Illinois?
About $16.95 for every hour you work, or $35,260 a year at 40 hours a week ($43,680 gross). Taxes take about 19.3% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $21 an hour a week after taxes in Illinois?
About $678 a week at 40 hours, from $840 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,356.
How much is $21 an hour a month after taxes in Illinois?
About $2,938 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,640 gross.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Illinois?
$21 an hour is 1.4 times Illinois's minimum wage of $15.00 an hour. It's about the 35th percentile of hourly pay in Illinois (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 35 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Illinois is $24.98. After taxes and local prices, $35,260 a year buys about what $35,274 would at national-average prices.
Is Illinois a high-tax state for $21 an hour?
It ranks 49th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $21 an hour. The most you'd keep is $37,277 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $34,254 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Illinois
- $17 an hour in Illinois
- $18 an hour in Illinois
- $19 an hour in Illinois
- $20 an hour in Illinois
- $22 an hour in Illinois
- $23 an hour in Illinois
- $24 an hour in Illinois
- $25 an hour in Illinois
$21 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in Illinois · $45,000 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.