$17 an Hour in North Dakota — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)

At $17/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $35,360. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and North Dakota state income tax, your take-home pay is $14.48/hr. In North Dakota's low cost-of-living environment, this is enough to get by in North Dakota, though budget carefully.

Gross Annual
$35,360
Net Annual
$30,110
Net Monthly
$2,509
Net Hourly
$14.48

Pay Period Breakdown

Period Gross Tax Net
Hourly $17.00 $2.52 $14.48
Daily (8 hrs) $136.00 $20.19 $115.81
Weekly (40 hrs) $680.00 $100.96 $579.04
Biweekly $1,360.00 $201.91 $1,158.09
Monthly $2,946.67 $437.48 $2,509.19
Annual $35,360 $5,250 $30,110

Full Tax Breakdown — North Dakota, Single Filer

Item Rate / Notes Amount
Gross Annual Income $17/hr × 2,080 hrs $35,360
Federal Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
Federal Taxable Income $19,260
Federal Income Tax 5.8% −$2,063.20
Social Security (6.2%) up to $168,600 −$2,192.32
Medicare (1.45%) −$512.72
North Dakota Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
North Dakota State Income Tax 1.4% −$481.50
Total Tax 14.8% effective −$5,249.74
Net Take-Home $30,110

How Does North Dakota Compare?

See how $17/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:

Equivalent Annual Salary Pages

$17/hr = $35,360/year gross. See the full state-by-state salary breakdown:

Adjacent Rates in North Dakota

Same Rate, Other States

Cost of Living in North Dakota

⚠ Tight — $17/hr is borderline in North Dakota
  • Avg 1BR rent in Fargo: $950/mo — over the 30% rule (32% of gross monthly)
  • Minimum comfortable income in North Dakota: $34,000/yr
  • Your net annual: $30,110 ($3,890 below comfortable threshold)
  • Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$21/hr

Working at $17/hr in North Dakota

This is a very comfortable income in North Dakota. The 2.5% flat tax is nearly the lowest in the US. Fargo's stable economy and low cost of living translate this wage into real financial security.

At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 66 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Fargo (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's above the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 2.3x North Dakota's federal minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in North Dakota is 14.8% -- federal income tax accounts for 5.8%, FICA 7.6%, and North Dakota state tax 1.4%.

North Dakota's economy is driven by energy (Bakken oil formation), agriculture, and healthcare. Fargo has a growing tech and healthcare sector. The oil boom/bust cycle affects wages significantly in western North Dakota.

North Dakota has one of the lowest income tax structures in the US — a flat 2.5% rate for most earners (2026). The state mirrors the federal standard deduction.

North Dakota follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr.

Monthly Budget on $17/hr in North Dakota

Based on $2,509/month take-home. Percentages follow common 50/30/20 guidelines adjusted for North Dakota's cost of living.

Category Monthly Annual % of Net
Rent / Housing $950 $11,400 37.9%
Food (groceries + dining) $301 $3,612 12.0%
Transportation $251 $3,012 10.0%
Utilities $151 $1,812 6.0%
Healthcare $125 $1,500 5.0%
Entertainment $125 $1,500 5.0%
Savings (10% target) $251 $3,012 10.0%
Remaining / Surplus $355 $4,260 14.1%

Overtime Pay — $17/hr in North Dakota

At time-and-a-half ($25.50/hr), here's what overtime adds to your annual net income in North Dakota. Your marginal tax rate at this income level is ~16.0%.

Extra Hours/Week OT Gross/Week Net/Week (est.) Added Net/Year
5 hrs/week $128 $107 $5,350
10 hrs/week $255 $214 $10,700
20 hrs/week $510 $429 $21,450

Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $17/hr

How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $14.48 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.

Purchase Price Gross Hours Net Hours
Tank of gas (12 gal) $50 3 hrs 3.5 hrs
Week of groceries $120 7.1 hrs 8.3 hrs
iPhone 16 (base) $799 47 hrs 55.2 hrs
1 month rent (Fargo) $950 55.9 hrs 65.7 hrs
Used car ($10k) $10,000 588.3 hrs 690.8 hrs
Median new car ($48k) $48,000 2823.6 hrs 3315.9 hrs

Frequently Asked Questions

17 an hour -- is it a good wage in North Dakota?

17/hr in North Dakota gives you $30,110/year after taxes -- enough to get by in North Dakota, though budget carefully. Avg 1BR rent in Fargo: $950/month (exceeds the 30% rule).

What is 17 an hour after taxes in North Dakota?

17/hr in North Dakota = $30,110/year or $2,509/month net. Effective rate: 14.8%.

How does 17/hr go further -- North Dakota or Texas?

17/hr in North Dakota has similar purchasing power to ~21/hr in Texas.

What does 17/hr look like as a monthly budget in North Dakota?

On $2,509/month in North Dakota: rent $950, food $301, transport $251, savings $251, surplus ~$355.

How much does overtime add at 17/hr in North Dakota?

At 1.5x (25.50/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$5,350/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$10,700/year.