Retail Salespersons
Median $17.61 an hour in Maine · 18,450 jobs
Maine · 2026 take-home pay
$17 an hour after taxes in Maine
At $17 an hour in Maine you keep about $14.22 of every hour — $569 a week, $2,465 a month or $29,582 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Maine income tax and state payroll programs. Maine has a graduated income tax plus Maine PFML, and its minimum wage is $15.10 an hour.
Where $17 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $35,360 | $680 | $17.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,063 | −$40 | −$0.99 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,192 | −$42 | −$1.05 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$513 | −$10 | −$0.25 |
| Maine income tax | −$833 | −$16 | −$0.40 |
| Maine PFML (employee share) | −$177 | −$3 | −$0.09 |
| Take-home pay | $29,582 | $569 | $14.22 |
Effective tax rate 16.3% · federal bracket 12% · Maine bracket 5.8%.
Maine PFML (employee share): 0.5% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $680.00 | $568.89 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,360.00 | $1,137.77 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,473.33 | $1,232.59 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,946.67 | $2,465.17 |
$17 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Maine for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $17 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* | $340 | $309 | $16,081 |
| 30 hours a week | $510 | $442 | $22,996 |
| 40 hours a week | $680 | $569 | $29,582 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $808 | $663 | $34,492 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $935 | $758 | $39,399 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $17 an hour good pay in Maine?
- Minimum wage: $17 an hour is 1.1 times Maine's minimum wage of $15.10 an hour. Portland sets a higher minimum.
- Among Maine workers: It's about the 11th percentile of hourly pay in Maine (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 11 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $24.73 an hour.
- Local prices: Maine's price level is 97.1% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $29,582 a year buys about what $30,481 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $884 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,233 a month for needs, $740 for wants and $493 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Maine that pay about $17 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Maine is within 4% of $17 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median $16.69 an hour in Maine · 17,250 jobs
Cashiers
Median $16.79 an hour in Maine · 14,240 jobs
Childcare Workers
Median $17.47 an hour in Maine · 4,990 jobs
Food Preparation Workers
Median $17.32 an hour in Maine · 4,560 jobs
Dishwashers
Median $17.13 an hour in Maine · 2,940 jobs
How Maine compares on $17 an hour
Maine ranks 32nd of 51 for take-home pay on $17 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $14.22 | $29,582 | $15.10 | — |
| New Hampshire | $14.71 | $30,592 | $7.25 | +$1,010 a year |
How the federal tax on $35,360 ($17 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $35,360 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $19,260. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $6,860 | $823 |
| Total | $19,260 | $2,063 |
How the Maine income tax on $35,360 ($17 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $35,360 of Maine wages minus $15,700 standard deduction minus $5,300 in exemptions = $14,360.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 5.8% | $14,360 | $833 |
| Total | $14,360 | $833 |
Common questions
How much is $17 an hour after taxes in Maine?
About $14.22 for every hour you work, or $29,582 a year at 40 hours a week ($35,360 gross). Taxes take about 16.3% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $17 an hour a week after taxes in Maine?
About $569 a week at 40 hours, from $680 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,138.
How much is $17 an hour a month after taxes in Maine?
About $2,465 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,947 gross.
Is $17 an hour good pay in Maine?
$17 an hour is 1.1 times Maine's minimum wage of $15.10 an hour. It's about the 11th percentile of hourly pay in Maine (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 11 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Maine is $24.73. After taxes and local prices, $29,582 a year buys about what $30,481 would at national-average prices.
Is Maine a high-tax state for $17 an hour?
It ranks 32nd of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $17 an hour. The most you'd keep is $30,592 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $28,267 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Maine
- $13 an hour in Maine
- $14 an hour in Maine
- $15 an hour in Maine
- $16 an hour in Maine
- $18 an hour in Maine
- $19 an hour in Maine
- $20 an hour in Maine
- $21 an hour in Maine
$17 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in Maine · $40,000 a year in Maine · Maine paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Maine's income tax rules and Maine'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.