Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median $16.46 an hour in Arizona · 77,210 jobs
Arizona · 2026 take-home pay
$16 an hour after taxes in Arizona
At $16 an hour in Arizona you keep about $13.69 of every hour — $548 a week, $2,374 a month or $28,482 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Arizona income tax. Arizona has a flat 2.5% income tax, and its minimum wage is $15.15 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 |
| Arizona income tax | −$438 | −$8 | −$0.21 |
| Take-home pay | $28,482 | $548 | $13.69 |
Effective tax rate 14.4% · federal bracket 12% · Arizona bracket 2.5%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $640.00 | $547.74 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,280.00 | $1,095.47 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,386.67 | $1,186.76 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,773.33 | $2,373.52 |
$16 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Arizona 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 | $294 | $15,291 |
| 30 hours a week | $480 | $422 | $21,934 |
| 40 hours a week | $640 | $548 | $28,482 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $760 | $641 | $33,340 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $880 | $735 | $38,198 |
*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 Arizona?
- Minimum wage: $16 an hour is 1.1 times Arizona's minimum wage of $15.15 an hour. Flagstaff and Tucson set higher minimums.
- Among Arizona workers: It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Arizona (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median is $24.07 an hour.
- Local prices: Arizona's price level is 100.7% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $28,482 a year buys about what $28,291 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 $1,187 a month for needs, $712 for wants and $475 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Arizona that pay about $16 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Arizona is within 4% of $16 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Cashiers
Median $16.64 an hour in Arizona · 72,570 jobs
Cooks, Fast Food
Median $15.70 an hour in Arizona · 11,210 jobs
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Median $16.14 an hour in Arizona · 6,930 jobs
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
Median $15.63 an hour in Arizona · 3,540 jobs
Parking Attendants
Median $16.46 an hour in Arizona · 3,130 jobs
How Arizona compares on $16 an hour
Arizona ranks 11th 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 Arizona |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $13.69 | $28,482 | $15.15 | — |
| California | $13.55 | $28,174 | $16.90 | −$308 a year |
| Colorado | $13.47 | $28,018 | $15.16 | −$464 a year |
| New Mexico | $13.68 | $28,457 | $12.00 | −$25 a year |
| Nevada | $13.90 | $28,920 | $12.00 | +$438 a year |
| Utah | $13.56 | $28,210 | $7.25 | −$272 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 Arizona income tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 of Arizona wages minus $15,750 standard deduction = $17,530.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5% | $17,530 | $438 |
| Total | $17,530 | $438 |
Common questions
How much is $16 an hour after taxes in Arizona?
About $13.69 for every hour you work, or $28,482 a year at 40 hours a week ($33,280 gross). Taxes take about 14.4% 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 Arizona?
About $548 a week at 40 hours, from $640 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,095.
How much is $16 an hour a month after taxes in Arizona?
About $2,374 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,773 gross.
Is $16 an hour good pay in Arizona?
$16 an hour is 1.1 times Arizona's minimum wage of $15.15 an hour. It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Arizona (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Arizona is $24.07. After taxes and local prices, $28,482 a year buys about what $28,291 would at national-average prices.
Is Arizona a high-tax state for $16 an hour?
It ranks 11th 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 Arizona
- $12 an hour in Arizona
- $13 an hour in Arizona
- $14 an hour in Arizona
- $15 an hour in Arizona
- $17 an hour in Arizona
- $18 an hour in Arizona
- $19 an hour in Arizona
- $20 an hour in Arizona
$16 an hour in every state · $30,000 a year in Arizona · $35,000 a year in Arizona · Arizona paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Arizona'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.