Minnesota Pay Stub Generator -- Free

Minnesota's economy defies the stereotype of a cold, agricultural Midwestern state. The Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area (the "Twin Cities") is home to an extraordinary concentration of Fortune 500 company headquarters: Target, UnitedHealth Group, 3M, Best Buy, US Bancorp, Xcel Energy, General Mills, and Land O'Lakes, among many others. The Twin Cities have more Fortune 500 headquarters per capita than almost any other metro in the country. Rochester, Minnesota is home to the Mayo Clinic -- one of the world's leading medical centers and one of the largest private employers in the state -- which has driven a healthcare research and technology ecosystem of national significance. Agriculture remains important in Greater Minnesota, where the Red River Valley is among the most productive agricultural regions in the world for specialty crops like sugar beets and sunflowers.

Minnesota has one of the more progressive income tax structures in the Midwest, with four brackets reaching a top rate of 9.85% on high incomes. Minnesota also has specific statutory requirements for earnings statements. This generator calculates Minnesota's graduated income tax and all federal taxes for a complete, accurate pay stub PDF.

Minnesota Income Tax Rates

Minnesota uses four graduated income tax brackets for single filers in 2024:

• 5.35%: $0 to $30,070
• 6.8%: $30,071 to $98,760
• 7.85%: $98,761 to $183,340
• 9.85%: Above $183,340

Minnesota's 9.85% top rate is among the highest in the country for a state with graduated brackets, though it is below California's 13.3% and New York's 10.9%. The rate kicks in at a lower threshold than some states, meaning more workers in the upper-middle income range hit the higher brackets.

Minnesota provides a standard deduction ($13,825 for single filers in 2024) and various credits including a Working Family Credit (state EITC) that can reduce tax liability for lower-income workers. Minnesota has been working to reduce income taxes at lower brackets while maintaining revenue for public services -- the state consistently ranks among the highest in the nation for education funding and public service quality.

Minnesota does not have local income taxes. Minneapolis and Saint Paul do not add city-level income taxes despite being significant urban centers.

Does Minnesota Require Pay Stubs?

Yes. Minnesota Statute § 181.032 requires employers to provide employees with an earnings statement (pay stub) at the end of each pay period in which wages are paid. The statute specifically defines what the earnings statement must contain and makes violation an unfair labor practice under Minnesota law.

Minnesota's pay stub requirement is actively enforced by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Workers who do not receive required earnings statements can file complaints, and employers face penalties for non-compliance. The statute's explicit list of required elements makes Minnesota's requirements among the most detailed in the country.

Pay Stub Requirements in Minnesota

Under Minnesota Statute § 181.032, an earnings statement must contain:

• Employee's name
• Hourly rate of pay (for hourly workers)
• Total number of hours worked by the employee
• Total amount of gross pay earned by the employee
• List of deductions from pay, including:
  • Federal and state income tax
  • Social Security and Medicare
  • Any other deductions
• Net amount of pay after all deductions
• Date on which the pay period ends
• Name and address of the employer

Minnesota's specificity in requiring total hours worked is particularly notable -- this applies to hourly employees and ensures transparency about exactly how many hours were compensated.

Pay Frequency Laws in Minnesota

Minnesota Statute § 181.101 requires that employers pay wages at least once every 31 days (approximately monthly) for most employees. Many Minnesota employers pay bi-weekly as a practical standard. The law specifies that wages earned during a pay period must be paid within 15 days of the end of that pay period.

Minnesota overtime law follows the federal FLSA standard: time-and-a-half after 40 hours per week. Minnesota does not have a daily overtime rule like California. However, Minnesota has specific rules for agricultural workers, some retail workers, and hotel employees that may differ from the standard federal rules.

Minnesota's Unique Economic Profile

Fortune 500 corporate workers in the Twin Cities: The concentration of major corporate headquarters in Minneapolis-Saint Paul creates an unusual labor market -- many workers are employed by large, sophisticated companies with excellent HR and payroll systems. UnitedHealth Group alone employs approximately 140,000 people globally. Target's headquarters in Minneapolis employs thousands of corporate and technology professionals. For workers transitioning between these companies, income documentation during the transition period is needed for the Twin Cities' competitive housing market, particularly in neighborhoods like Uptown, North Loop, and the suburban communities.

Mayo Clinic employees in Rochester: The Mayo Clinic's Rochester campus employs approximately 40,000 people directly. As an employer that recruits nationally and internationally, Mayo brings workers from across the country and the world to a relatively small city. Housing in Rochester is manageable in cost compared to Minneapolis, but workers relocating from other states need income documentation immediately. Rochester's rental market has grown more competitive as the city has expanded beyond just Mayo employees.

Agricultural technology: Minnesota's agricultural economy has evolved -- precision agriculture, ag-tech startups, and the headquarters of major agricultural companies (including Cargill and Land O'Lakes) create a growing tech-meets-agriculture workforce. Workers at these companies span from truck drivers to AI researchers, each with different pay documentation needs.

Medical device industry: Minnesota is home to Medtronic (the world's largest standalone medical device company, headquartered in Fridley), Boston Scientific (has major MN operations), and dozens of smaller medical device companies. Medical device engineers, regulatory specialists, and commercial employees at these companies are well-compensated and need pay documentation for home purchases in the Twin Cities suburbs.

What a Minnesota Paycheck Looks Like -- A Worked Example

A healthcare worker earning $60,000 per year in Minnesota on a bi-weekly schedule ($2,308 gross per check) pays: $140 in Minnesota income tax (6.8% marginal bracket), $143 in Social Security (6.2%), $33 in Medicare (1.45%) -- net take-home approximately $1,791 per paycheck.

2024 minimum wage in Minnesota: $10.85/hr for large employers, $8.85/hr for small employers (2024). Minneapolis and Saint Paul have significantly higher local minimums -- Minneapolis at $15.57/hr for large employers.

Frequently Asked Questions for Minnesota Workers

Minnesota has a 9.85% top rate. At what income does that rate kick in?

For single filers in 2024, Minnesota's 9.85% rate applies to income above $183,340. This means a software engineer at Target earning $180,000 pays a top marginal rate of 7.85% in Minnesota, while one earning $200,000 pays 9.85% on income above $183,340. For a Twin Cities tech worker earning $200,000, the effective Minnesota state tax rate is approximately 7.5-8% -- significant but not as extreme as the top rate suggests, since the 9.85% only applies to the portion above the threshold.

I work at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Does being in a smaller city change my payroll situation?

Rochester follows Minnesota state laws, not any special municipal rules -- there is no Rochester city income tax, just Minnesota state tax. The payroll mechanics are identical to Minneapolis. What differs is the housing market: Rochester's rental and purchase costs are lower than Minneapolis, meaning the income-to-housing ratio is more favorable. However, as Mayo has expanded and Rochester has grown as a healthcare destination, housing costs have increased significantly. The same income that would be modest in Minneapolis provides more relative purchasing power in Rochester, but that gap has narrowed.

How does Minnesota compare to Wisconsin for workers who might live in one state and work in another?

Minnesota and Wisconsin have a reciprocity agreement for income tax purposes. If you live in Wisconsin and work in Minnesota (or vice versa), you only file a tax return in your state of residence -- you do not file in both states. Your Minnesota employer will withhold Wisconsin income tax (or no state tax if you file an exemption form), and you file and pay Wisconsin income tax on your Minnesota wages. This simplifies the cross-border situation significantly for Twin Cities metro workers who live in Wisconsin suburbs like Hudson or New Richmond and work in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. This reciprocity does not exist between Minnesota and North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, or other surrounding states.

Does Minnesota have paid family leave I should know about?

Minnesota passed the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act in 2023, with benefits beginning in January 2026. During the phase-in period (2024-2025), premium collection begins, and the employee contribution rate will be established. This will become a new line item on Minnesota pay stubs once collection begins -- similar to Massachusetts PFML or Washington's PFML program. When you see a new "MN PFML" or "MN Family Leave" deduction appear on your stub, this is the new program funding the benefit program that launches in 2026. Check the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for the current contribution rate as it is established.

I work at Best Buy corporate in Richfield. How does my total compensation compare to peers in Texas?

A Best Buy corporate employee in Richfield and a peer at a Texas company earning the same gross salary will have meaningfully different take-home pay. Minnesota's income tax on a $90,000 salary is approximately $5,400 per year (effective rate around 6%). Texas has zero state income tax. On the $90,000 salary, the Minnesota worker takes home about $450 less per month due to state income tax alone. Over a career, this adds up significantly. However, Minnesota's public services -- which the income tax funds -- are consistently rated among the best in the country, including schools, healthcare infrastructure, and public amenities. The comparison is not purely about take-home pay.

Related Tools

For neighboring state comparisons with Wisconsin reciprocity in mind, see the Wisconsin pay stub generator (reciprocal state, dairy economy), the Illinois pay stub generator (Chicago financial hub, 4.95% flat rate), or the Iowa pay stub generator (if available). For corporate salary documentation, see the salary pay stub template.