Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median $15.08 an hour in Minnesota · 58,970 jobs
Minnesota · 2026 take-home pay
$15 an hour after taxes in Minnesota
At $15 an hour in Minnesota you keep about $12.63 of every hour — $505 a week, $2,188 a month or $26,261 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 $15 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An 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 |
| Minnesota income tax | −$851 | −$16 | −$0.41 |
| Minnesota Paid Leave (employee share) — new Jan 1, 2026 | −$137 | −$3 | −$0.07 |
| Take-home pay | $26,261 | $505 | $12.63 |
Effective tax rate 15.8% · 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) | $600.00 | $505.02 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,200.00 | $1,010.05 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,300.00 | $1,094.22 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,600.00 | $2,188.44 |
$15 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Minnesota 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.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $300 | $275 | $14,322 |
| 30 hours a week | $450 | $391 | $20,344 |
| 40 hours a week | $600 | $505 | $26,261 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $713 | $589 | $30,623 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $825 | $673 | $34,985 |
*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 Minnesota?
- Minimum wage: $15 an hour is 1.3 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 $26,261 a year buys about what $26,628 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 $1,094 a month for needs, $657 for wants and $438 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Minnesota that pay about $15 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Minnesota is within 4% of $15 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Median $14.82 an hour in Minnesota · 7,880 jobs
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Median $14.52 an hour in Minnesota · 7,150 jobs
Gambling Service Workers, All Other
Median $15.16 an hour in Minnesota · 2,960 jobs
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
Median $15.32 an hour in Minnesota · 2,130 jobs
Cooks, Short Order
Median $15.46 an hour in Minnesota · 870 jobs
How Minnesota compares on $15 an hour
Minnesota ranks 43rd of 51 for take-home pay on $15 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 | $12.63 | $26,261 | $11.41 | — |
| Iowa | $12.84 | $26,715 | $7.25 | +$454 a year |
| North Dakota | $13.10 | $27,249 | $7.25 | +$988 a year |
| South Dakota | $13.10 | $27,249 | $11.85 | +$988 a year |
| Wisconsin | $12.79 | $26,599 | $7.25 | +$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:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $2,700 | $324 |
| Total | $15,100 | $1,564 |
How the Minnesota income tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $31,200 of Minnesota wages minus $15,300 standard deduction = $15,900.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 5.35% | $15,900 | $851 |
| Total | $15,900 | $851 |
Common questions
How much is $15 an hour after taxes in Minnesota?
About $12.63 for every hour you work, or $26,261 a year at 40 hours a week ($31,200 gross). Taxes take about 15.8% 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 Minnesota?
About $505 a week at 40 hours, from $600 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,010.
How much is $15 an hour a month after taxes in Minnesota?
About $2,188 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,600 gross.
Is $15 an hour good pay in Minnesota?
$15 an hour is 1.3 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, $26,261 a year buys about what $26,628 would at national-average prices.
Is Minnesota a high-tax state for $15 an hour?
It ranks 43rd 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.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Minnesota
- $12 an hour in Minnesota
- $13 an hour in Minnesota
- $14 an hour in Minnesota
- $16 an hour in Minnesota
- $17 an hour in Minnesota
- $18 an hour in Minnesota
- $19 an hour in Minnesota
$15 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.