Waiters and Waitresses
Median $12.25 an hour in Minnesota · 37,630 jobs
Minnesota · 2026 take-home pay
$12 an hour after taxes in Minnesota
At $12 an hour in Minnesota you keep about $10.35 of every hour — $414 a week, $1,795 a month or $21,538 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 $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 |
| Minnesota income tax | −$517 | −$10 | −$0.25 |
| Minnesota Paid Leave (employee share) — new Jan 1, 2026 | −$110 | −$2 | −$0.05 |
| Take-home pay | $21,538 | $414 | $10.35 |
Effective tax rate 13.7% · federal bracket 10% · 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) | $480.00 | $414.19 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $960.00 | $828.38 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,040.00 | $897.41 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,080.00 | $1,794.83 |
$12 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Minnesota 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 | $221 | $11,470 |
| 30 hours a week | $360 | $322 | $16,761 |
| 40 hours a week | $480 | $414 | $21,538 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $570 | $483 | $25,098 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $660 | $550 | $28,588 |
*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 Minnesota?
- Minimum wage: $12 an hour is 1.1 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 $21,538 a year buys about what $21,839 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 $897 a month for needs, $538 for wants and $359 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Minnesota that pay about $12 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Minnesota is within 4% of $12 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
How Minnesota compares on $12 an hour
Minnesota ranks 38th 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 Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $10.35 | $21,538 | $11.41 | — |
| Iowa | $10.51 | $21,868 | $7.25 | +$330 a year |
| North Dakota | $10.66 | $22,165 | $7.25 | +$627 a year |
| South Dakota | $10.66 | $22,165 | $11.85 | +$627 a year |
| Wisconsin | $10.47 | $21,784 | $7.25 | +$246 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 Minnesota income tax on $24,960 ($12 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $24,960 of Minnesota wages minus $15,300 standard deduction = $9,660.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 5.35% | $9,660 | $517 |
| Total | $9,660 | $517 |
Common questions
How much is $12 an hour after taxes in Minnesota?
About $10.35 for every hour you work, or $21,538 a year at 40 hours a week ($24,960 gross). Taxes take about 13.7% 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 Minnesota?
About $414 a week at 40 hours, from $480 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $828.
How much is $12 an hour a month after taxes in Minnesota?
About $1,795 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,080 gross.
Is $12 an hour good pay in Minnesota?
$12 an hour is 1.1 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, $21,538 a year buys about what $21,839 would at national-average prices.
Is Minnesota a high-tax state for $12 an hour?
It ranks 38th 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, 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.