Office Clerks, General
Median $21.78 an hour in Maine · 11,260 jobs
Maine · 2026 take-home pay
$21 an hour after taxes in Maine
At $21 an hour in Maine you keep about $17.18 of every hour — $687 a week, $2,979 a month or $35,743 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 $21 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $43,680 | $840 | $21.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,062 | −$59 | −$1.47 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,708 | −$52 | −$1.30 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$633 | −$12 | −$0.30 |
| Maine income tax | −$1,315 | −$25 | −$0.63 |
| Maine PFML (employee share) | −$218 | −$4 | −$0.11 |
| Take-home pay | $35,743 | $687 | $17.18 |
Effective tax rate 18.2% · 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) | $840.00 | $687.37 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,680.00 | $1,374.73 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,820.00 | $1,489.29 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,640.00 | $2,978.59 |
$21 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Maine for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $21 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* | $420 | $374 | $19,437 |
| 30 hours a week | $630 | $532 | $27,657 |
| 40 hours a week | $840 | $687 | $35,743 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $998 | $803 | $41,775 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,155 | $918 | $47,762 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Maine?
- Minimum wage: $21 an hour is 1.4 times Maine's minimum wage of $15.10 an hour. Portland sets a higher minimum.
- Among Maine workers: It's about the 33rd percentile of hourly pay in Maine (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 33 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 $35,743 a year buys about what $36,830 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,092 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,489 a month for needs, $894 for wants and $596 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Maine that pay about $21 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Maine is within 4% of $21 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Waiters and Waitresses
Median $20.85 an hour in Maine · 9,090 jobs
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Median $20.50 an hour in Maine · 6,120 jobs
Cooks, Restaurant
Median $21.78 an hour in Maine · 5,130 jobs
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Median $20.41 an hour in Maine · 3,440 jobs
Light Truck Drivers
Median $21.42 an hour in Maine · 3,120 jobs
How Maine compares on $21 an hour
Maine ranks 38th of 51 for take-home pay on $21 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 | $17.18 | $35,743 | $15.10 | — |
| New Hampshire | $17.92 | $37,277 | $7.25 | +$1,534 a year |
How the federal tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $27,580. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $15,180 | $1,822 |
| Total | $27,580 | $3,062 |
How the Maine income tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 of Maine wages minus $15,700 standard deduction minus $5,300 in exemptions = $22,680.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 5.8% | $22,680 | $1,315 |
| Total | $22,680 | $1,315 |
Common questions
How much is $21 an hour after taxes in Maine?
About $17.18 for every hour you work, or $35,743 a year at 40 hours a week ($43,680 gross). Taxes take about 18.2% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $21 an hour a week after taxes in Maine?
About $687 a week at 40 hours, from $840 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,375.
How much is $21 an hour a month after taxes in Maine?
About $2,979 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,640 gross.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Maine?
$21 an hour is 1.4 times Maine's minimum wage of $15.10 an hour. It's about the 33rd percentile of hourly pay in Maine (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 33 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Maine is $24.73. After taxes and local prices, $35,743 a year buys about what $36,830 would at national-average prices.
Is Maine a high-tax state for $21 an hour?
It ranks 38th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $21 an hour. The most you'd keep is $37,277 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $34,254 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Maine
- $17 an hour in Maine
- $18 an hour in Maine
- $19 an hour in Maine
- $20 an hour in Maine
- $22 an hour in Maine
- $23 an hour in Maine
- $24 an hour in Maine
- $25 an hour in Maine
$21 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in Maine · $45,000 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.