Minnesota Paycheck Calculator (2026)

How the Minnesota Paycheck Calculator: Take-Home Pay Works

This Minnesota paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay in Minnesota using the 2026 federal brackets, Social Security, Medicare and Minnesota's state income tax (graduated rates from 5.35% to 9.85%). Minnesota has four graduated brackets with one of the higher top rates in the Midwest, and paid family and medical leave premiums began in 2026. Enter your salary, pay frequency, filing status and any pre-tax deduction to see net pay per paycheck and per year.

How Minnesota taxes wages

Minnesota taxes income at 5.35% on the first $33,310 of taxable income for single filers, 6.8% up to $109,430, 7.85% up to $203,150 and 9.85% above that, with joint filers using wider brackets that start the 6.8% rate at $48,700. The state standard deduction is $15,300 for single filers and $30,600 for joint filers, and Minnesota conforms closely to federal treatment of traditional 401(k) contributions.

For a $65,000 salary the marginal state rate is 6.8% and the effective rate is about 4.5%, which is higher than in neighboring Wisconsin at the same income and much higher than in North Dakota or South Dakota. Minnesota also has a 1% surcharge on unearned income over a high threshold, and a few credits such as the working family credit and the child tax credit that can offset tax for lower-income households.

How this calculator estimates your Minnesota paycheck

The calculator starts with your gross pay, subtracts the pre-tax deduction you enter, and applies the 2026 federal standard deduction of $16,100 for single filers or $32,200 for married couples filing jointly. Federal income tax comes from the seven 2026 brackets, Social Security is 6.2% up to $184,500 and Medicare is 1.45% with a 0.9% surcharge above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (joint). For Minnesota it then applies graduated rates from 5.35% to 9.85% income tax after a state standard deduction of $15,300 for single filers and $30,600 for joint filers. Pre-tax deferrals reduce state taxable income in the estimate, as they do on most state returns. The optional payroll deduction field covers minnesota paid leave. Results are estimates; your employer's payroll system and your tax return are final. See the US paycheck guide for the full method.

Typical pay in Minnesota

Employers in Minnesota reported roughly 2,949,820 jobs in May 2025. The median annual wage across all of them was $56,920 ($27.36 an hour), 12% above the national median of $50,980. The average wage was higher, at $71,160, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up; the median is the better guide to a typical paycheck.

After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and the Minnesota taxes in this calculator, a single worker on that $56,920 median takes home about $45,318 a year, or $3,776 a month and $1,742.98 every two weeks.

Wage figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Minnesota. Take-home pay: this page's 2026 calculator, single filer, no pre-tax deductions, default settings.

What Minnesota's largest occupations take home

Here are the jobs that employ the most people in Minnesota. Each row shows the median salary and what a single filer keeps after 2026 taxes in Minnesota.

The most common jobs are not the best paid ones: 11 of these 15 pay less than the $56,920 median for all workers, which is why the overall median is lower than many people expect.

Worked example: $65,000 salary in Minnesota, paid every two weeks

A single Minnesota employee earning $65,000, paid every two weeks and contributing $100 per paycheck to a traditional 401(k), has gross pay of $2,500.00 per paycheck. After the $2,600 deferral and the $16,100 federal standard deduction, taxable income is $46,300 and federal income tax is about $5,308. Social Security is $4,030 and Medicare is $943. Minnesota state income tax is about $2,720, an effective state rate of 4.18% of gross pay. Estimated state payroll deductions add about $286.

Net pay is about $49,114 a year, or $1,888.99 per paycheck, which is 75.6% of gross pay. Change any input in the calculator above to test your own situation.

Married couple example: $110,000 combined pay

A married couple filing jointly in Minnesota with $110,000 of combined wages and 6% ($6,600) going to traditional retirement plans has federal taxable income of $71,200 and pays about $8,048 in federal income tax and $8,415 in FICA. Minnesota income tax comes to roughly $4,244. Estimated take-home pay is about $82,209 a year, or $3,161.88 per biweekly paycheck.

Best-paying common jobs in Minnesota

Among occupations with at least 4,400 workers in Minnesota, these have the highest median pay. Federal tax takes a larger share at these salaries, so compare the take-home column rather than the salary when weighing offers.

What makes the Minnesota job market different

A location quotient compares how common a job is locally with its share nationwide: 2.0 means twice as concentrated as the U.S. overall. These occupations stand out in Minnesota and say a lot about which industries hire there.

How Minnesota wages compare for well-known jobs

Median annual wages for well-known jobs in Minnesota and the United States. Pay usually tracks living costs, so a higher wage does not always mean more money left over.

Entry-level and hourly pay in Minnesota

The lowest-paid 10% of workers in Minnesota earn under $16.13 an hour. Common hourly jobs pay the median rates below; a 40-hour week at that rate takes home the amount shown after 2026 taxes. Check the current Minnesota minimum wage on the U.S. Department of Labor state minimum wage page, since several states raise it each year.

Minnesota wages by type of work

BLS groups every job into broad career fields. Here is how many people work in each across Minnesota, the field's median salary and what that salary takes home in Minnesota. Management pays the most at a median of $126,620; food preparation and serving related pays the least at $33,860.

Starting vs. experienced pay in Minnesota

The median hides a wide range. The lowest-paid 10% in a job are often new to it, while the top 10% are usually experienced, specialized or in management. The ranges below for common Minnesota jobs show how much room there is to grow, with take-home pay at each level.

Minnesota take-home pay at three salaries

These estimates assume a single filer, no pre-tax deductions, 0.44% of state payroll deductions and the 2026 federal standard deduction.

• $40,000: federal income tax about $2,620, FICA $3,060, Minnesota income tax about $1,321, other state and local deductions about $176, leaving roughly $32,823 a year ($1,262.41 per biweekly paycheck).
• $65,000: federal income tax about $5,620, FICA $4,973, Minnesota income tax about $2,897, other state and local deductions about $286, leaving roughly $51,225 a year ($1,970.19 per biweekly paycheck).
• $100,000: federal income tax about $13,170, FICA $7,650, Minnesota income tax about $5,277, other state and local deductions about $440, leaving roughly $73,463 a year ($2,825.52 per biweekly paycheck).

Use the calculator to add retirement deferrals, change your filing status or switch pay frequency. For comparisons, see the national paycheck calculator and the paycheck calculators by state hub.

Where the tax goes on a $65,000 Minnesota paycheck

Of about $13,775 in total annual taxes for a single filer earning $65,000 with no pre-tax deductions, federal income tax is about 41%, Social Security and Medicare together are about 36%, Minnesota income tax is about 21%, and other state and local payroll or income taxes are about 2%. Federal taxes dominate almost everywhere, which is why federal planning tools such as the federal income tax calculator and a correctly completed W-4 matter as much as the state rate.

Minnesota local taxes and payroll deductions

Starting in 2026, Minnesota employees pay premiums for the state Paid Leave program. The total premium is 0.88% of wages up to the Social Security wage base, split between employer and employee, so the employee share is about 0.44%. The calculator's default of 0.44% reflects that, and you should confirm the premium on your stub. Minnesota has no local income taxes on wages, though a few cities levy a small payroll tax on employers.

Use Form W-4MN to set state withholding. Reciprocity with Michigan and North Dakota lets residents of those states who work in Minnesota claim exemption from Minnesota withholding, which is helpful for border commuters.

Retirement income, credits and special Minnesota rules

Minnesota historically taxed Social Security benefits for higher-income households but has been phasing out that tax through a subtraction that shelters most retirees, so check current rules. Other retirement income, such as pensions and IRA distributions, is taxed as ordinary income, with a subtraction for military retirement and some other exclusions. The state offers a homestead credit refund, a renter's property tax refund and a K-12 education credit.

Bonuses and supplemental wages are taxed as wages, with withholding at a flat supplemental rate that is only a prepayment. Minnesota's tax return is due with the federal deadline in April.

Living and working in Minnesota: how the tax burden compares

Minnesota's state sales tax is 6.875%, with local taxes bringing Minneapolis to about 9%, and clothing and most groceries are exempt. Property taxes are moderate to high, with homestead classifications that affect rates. The Twin Cities have a diverse economy including health care, retail headquarters and manufacturing, and cold winters raise heating costs.

Compare Minnesota with Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas, which have lower or no income taxes, using the calculators. Take-home pay differences of a few thousand dollars per year are common between Minneapolis and Fargo for the same salary.

Minnesota income tax at a glance

• State income tax: graduated, from 5.35% to 9.85%
• State standard deduction: $15,300 single, $30,600 joint
• State pre-tax retirement treatment: follows the federal exclusion
• Employee payroll programs: Minnesota Paid Leave, about 0.44% of wages
• Withholding form: Form W-4MN
• Agency: the Minnesota Department of Revenue

These are the assumptions built into the calculator above. Rates, exemptions and payroll premiums change from year to year, so verify each item with the agency listed before making a large financial decision.

What a $100 pre-tax contribution really costs in Minnesota

Contributing $100 per paycheck to a traditional 401(k) or HSA reduces your take-home pay by less than $100 because it lowers taxable income. In the $65,000 single-filer example for Minnesota, the annual contribution of $2,600 cuts net pay by only about $2,111, or $81.20 per biweekly paycheck, so the true cost of each $100 contribution is roughly $81.20. The saving comes from both federal and Minnesota income tax, though not from Social Security or Medicare. Use the 401(k) calculator to see how those contributions grow.

Minnesota paycheck rules: pay frequency, minimum wage and final pay

Minnesota's minimum wage is about $11 to $12 an hour statewide, indexed to inflation, with Minneapolis and St. Paul setting higher local minimums, so confirm current rates with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. State law requires employers to pay employees at least once every 31 days, with final wages due immediately upon discharge and by the next regular payday if the employee quits, subject to some exceptions. Minnesota requires earned sick and safe time of one hour per 30 hours worked, and overtime is required after 48 hours in a workweek at the state level, while federal law applies after 40 hours for covered workers.

Common mistakes with Minnesota paychecks

• Missing paid leave premiums. The new deduction reduces each paycheck starting in 2026.
• Assuming Minnesota is a flat tax. The rate steps up from 5.35% to 9.85%.
• Budgeting from gross pay. Plan with net pay per paycheck, about $1,888.99 in the $65,000 example.
• Forgetting FICA. Social Security and Medicare add 7.65% for most employees. See what is FICA tax.
• Not updating withholding. Review your W-4 and Form W-4MN after a move, marriage or new job, using the W-4 withholding calculator.

Key takeaways

• Minnesota taxes wages with graduated rates from 5.35% to 9.85%.
• Pre-tax retirement deferrals lower federal income tax but not FICA.
• A single worker earning $65,000 keeps about 76% of gross pay in the standard example.
• Compare states using total cost of living, not only income tax.
• Confirm current figures with the Minnesota Department of Revenue and IRS.gov.

Budgeting on the median Minnesota wage

On the $56,920 median, the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of gross pay on housing allows rent of about $1,423 a month. Using the 50/30/20 rule on the $3,776 monthly take-home pay, that is about $1,888 for needs such as rent, food and transport, $1,133 for wants and $755 for savings and debt payments.

If rents run above $1,423 for the home you want, the usual fixes are a roommate, a longer commute or a second income in the household; the rent affordability calculator tests your own numbers.