Cashiers
Median $16.63 an hour in New Jersey · 107,680 jobs
New Jersey · 2026 take-home pay
$16 an hour after taxes in New Jersey
At $16 an hour in New Jersey you keep about $13.53 of every hour — $541 a week, $2,345 a month or $28,144 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, New Jersey income tax and state payroll programs. New Jersey has a graduated income tax plus TDI, FLI, UI (Unemployment Insurance) employee share and WF/SWF (Workforce Development / Supplemental Workforce Fund) employee share, and its minimum wage is $15.92 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 |
| New Jersey income tax | −$495 | −$10 | −$0.24 |
| TDI (Temporary Disability Insurance) | −$63 | −$1 | −$0.03 |
| FLI (Family Leave Insurance) | −$77 | −$1 | −$0.04 |
| UI (Unemployment Insurance) employee share | −$127 | −$2 | −$0.06 |
| WF/SWF (Workforce Development / Supplemental Workforce Fund) employee share | −$14 | −$0 | −$0.01 |
| Take-home pay | $28,144 | $541 | $13.53 |
Effective tax rate 15.4% · federal bracket 12% · New Jersey bracket 1.75%.
TDI (Temporary Disability Insurance): 0.19% of wages · FLI (Family Leave Insurance): 0.23% of wages · UI (Unemployment Insurance) employee share: 0.38% of wages · WF/SWF (Workforce Development / Supplemental Workforce Fund) employee share: 0.04% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $640.00 | $541.24 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,280.00 | $1,082.48 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,386.67 | $1,172.68 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,773.33 | $2,345.36 |
$16 an hour at different hours
Take-home in New Jersey 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 | $288 | $14,953 |
| 30 hours a week | $480 | $415 | $21,604 |
| 40 hours a week | $640 | $541 | $28,144 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $760 | $633 | $32,935 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $880 | $723 | $37,585 |
*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 New Jersey?
- Minimum wage: $16 an hour is just above New Jersey's minimum wage of $15.92 an hour ($0.08 more). $15.23 for employers with fewer than 6 employees and for seasonal work.
- Among New Jersey workers: It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in New Jersey (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median is $28.16 an hour.
- Local prices: New Jersey's price level is 108.8% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $28,144 a year buys about what $25,867 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 $1,173 a month for needs, $704 for wants and $469 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in New Jersey that pay about $16 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in New Jersey is within 4% of $16 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median $16.42 an hour in New Jersey · 93,730 jobs
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
Median $16.43 an hour in New Jersey · 16,490 jobs
Amusement and Recreation Attendants
Median $16.59 an hour in New Jersey · 14,060 jobs
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Median $16.37 an hour in New Jersey · 9,420 jobs
Cooks, Fast Food
Median $15.49 an hour in New Jersey · 3,440 jobs
How New Jersey compares on $16 an hour
New Jersey ranks 26th 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 New Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $13.53 | $28,144 | $15.92 | — |
| Delaware | $13.28 | $27,617 | $15.00 | −$527 a year |
| New York | $13.24 | $27,545 | $16.00 | −$599 a year |
| Pennsylvania | $13.40 | $27,875 | $7.25 | −$269 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 New Jersey income tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 of New Jersey wages minus $1,000 in exemptions = $32,280.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4% | $20,000 | $280 |
| 1.75% | $12,280 | $215 |
| Total | $32,280 | $495 |
Common questions
How much is $16 an hour after taxes in New Jersey?
About $13.53 for every hour you work, or $28,144 a year at 40 hours a week ($33,280 gross). Taxes take about 15.4% 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 New Jersey?
About $541 a week at 40 hours, from $640 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,082.
How much is $16 an hour a month after taxes in New Jersey?
About $2,345 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,773 gross.
Is $16 an hour good pay in New Jersey?
$16 an hour is just above New Jersey's minimum wage of $15.92 an hour ($0.08 more). It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in New Jersey (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in New Jersey is $28.16. After taxes and local prices, $28,144 a year buys about what $25,867 would at national-average prices.
Is New Jersey a high-tax state for $16 an hour?
It ranks 26th 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 New Jersey
- $12 an hour in New Jersey
- $13 an hour in New Jersey
- $14 an hour in New Jersey
- $15 an hour in New Jersey
- $17 an hour in New Jersey
- $18 an hour in New Jersey
- $19 an hour in New Jersey
- $20 an hour in New Jersey
$16 an hour in every state · $30,000 a year in New Jersey · $35,000 a year in New Jersey · New Jersey paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, New Jersey's income tax rules and New Jersey'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.