Cashiers
Median $16.63 an hour in New Jersey · 107,680 jobs
New Jersey · 2026 take-home pay
$17 an hour after taxes in New Jersey
At $17 an hour in New Jersey you keep about $14.31 of every hour — $572 a week, $2,480 a month or $29,762 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 $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 |
| New Jersey income tax | −$531 | −$10 | −$0.26 |
| TDI (Temporary Disability Insurance) | −$67 | −$1 | −$0.03 |
| FLI (Family Leave Insurance) | −$81 | −$2 | −$0.04 |
| UI (Unemployment Insurance) employee share | −$135 | −$3 | −$0.07 |
| WF/SWF (Workforce Development / Supplemental Workforce Fund) employee share | −$15 | −$0 | −$0.01 |
| Take-home pay | $29,762 | $572 | $14.31 |
Effective tax rate 15.8% · 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) | $680.00 | $572.34 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,360.00 | $1,144.68 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,473.33 | $1,240.07 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,946.67 | $2,480.14 |
$17 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 $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 | $304 | $15,787 |
| 30 hours a week | $510 | $439 | $22,849 |
| 40 hours a week | $680 | $572 | $29,762 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $808 | $669 | $34,792 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $935 | $764 | $39,713 |
*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 New Jersey?
- Minimum wage: $17 an hour is 1.1 times New Jersey's minimum wage of $15.92 an hour. $15.23 for employers with fewer than 6 employees and for seasonal work.
- Among New Jersey workers: It's about the 13th percentile of hourly pay in New Jersey (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 13 in 100 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 $29,762 a year buys about what $27,353 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 $1,240 a month for needs, $744 for wants and $496 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in New Jersey that pay about $17 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in New Jersey is within 4% of $17 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
Retail Salespersons
Median $17.56 an hour in New Jersey · 72,530 jobs
Childcare Workers
Median $17.49 an hour in New Jersey · 25,070 jobs
Food Preparation Workers
Median $17.09 an hour in New Jersey · 24,730 jobs
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
Median $16.43 an hour in New Jersey · 16,490 jobs
How New Jersey compares on $17 an hour
New Jersey ranks 23rd 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 New Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $14.31 | $29,762 | $15.92 | — |
| Delaware | $14.02 | $29,165 | $15.00 | −$597 a year |
| New York | $13.99 | $29,095 | $16.00 | −$667 a year |
| Pennsylvania | $14.17 | $29,481 | $7.25 | −$281 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 New Jersey income tax on $35,360 ($17 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $35,360 of New Jersey wages minus $1,000 in exemptions = $34,360.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4% | $20,000 | $280 |
| 1.75% | $14,360 | $251 |
| Total | $34,360 | $531 |
Common questions
How much is $17 an hour after taxes in New Jersey?
About $14.31 for every hour you work, or $29,762 a year at 40 hours a week ($35,360 gross). Taxes take about 15.8% 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 New Jersey?
About $572 a week at 40 hours, from $680 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,145.
How much is $17 an hour a month after taxes in New Jersey?
About $2,480 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,947 gross.
Is $17 an hour good pay in New Jersey?
$17 an hour is 1.1 times New Jersey's minimum wage of $15.92 an hour. It's about the 13th percentile of hourly pay in New Jersey (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 13 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in New Jersey is $28.16. After taxes and local prices, $29,762 a year buys about what $27,353 would at national-average prices.
Is New Jersey a high-tax state for $17 an hour?
It ranks 23rd 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 New Jersey
- $13 an hour in New Jersey
- $14 an hour in New Jersey
- $15 an hour in New Jersey
- $16 an hour in New Jersey
- $18 an hour in New Jersey
- $19 an hour in New Jersey
- $20 an hour in New Jersey
- $21 an hour in New Jersey
$17 an hour in every state · $35,000 a year in New Jersey · $40,000 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.