Minnesota Unemployment Calculator
Figure basis: Official U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment InsuranceThis calculator estimates your Minnesota unemployment insurance (UI) weekly benefit for 2026. Enter your usual gross weekly pay to see an estimated weekly benefit, alongside the official Minnesota minimum ($37) and maximum ($611) weekly benefit amounts and the 9 to 26 weeks of benefits payable. The weekly amount is an estimate: it uses about 50% wage replacement (which matches the common "one twenty-sixth of high-quarter wages" rule) and is capped at the state minimum and maximum. Your state agency sets the exact figure from your base-period wage history, and eligibility rules apply. The minimum, maximum, and number of weeks are the official 2026 figures, sourced from U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance.
In Minnesota, the weekly unemployment benefit ranges from $37 to $611, payable for 9 to 26 weeks (up to $15,886 in total). On $1,000 a week, the estimated benefit is about $500.00 per week.
How Minnesota unemployment benefits work
Minnesota pays a weekly benefit amount (WBA) based on your earnings during the base period (usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters). The WBA is subject to a state minimum of $37 and a maximum of $611 (up to $948 with the maximum dependents' allowance), and is payable for 9 to 26 weeks.
estimated weekly benefit = min(max(weekly wage x 50%, $37), $611)
estimated maximum total = estimated weekly benefit x 26 weeks
The 50% figure is an approximation of the common state formula; your state agency sets the exact WBA from your wage records.
Minnesota unemployment figures (2026)
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum weekly benefit | $37 | U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance |
| Maximum weekly benefit | $611 | U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance |
| Maximum with dependents' allowance | $948 | U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance |
| Weeks payable | 9 to 26 weeks | U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance |
Minnesota indexes its ceiling to the statewide wage
Minnesota sets its maximum weekly benefit as a fixed share of the statewide average weekly wage, which means the ceiling is recalculated every year rather than frozen in statute. That indexing is why Minnesota's top figure sits well above what neighboring farm-belt states pay, and why it tends to rise a little each year as wage data updates. If you are comparing this page against an older screenshot, expect the maximum to have moved.
The floor is the eye-catching number: a minimum weekly benefit of just $37. That is among the lowest starting points in the country and reflects Minnesota's willingness to pay very small awards to workers with brief or thin earnings histories rather than denying them outright. Duration is flexible too, running from as few as 9 weeks up to 26, with the exact length driven by how much you earned across your base period relative to your highest quarter.
One caution when reading the figures below: the higher maximum shown is not a universal payout, and Minnesota does not add a dependents' allowance the way Maine does. Both maximum lines should be checked against the current state schedule before you rely on either. Use the estimate as a rough half-pay guide, then let the agency compute your actual weekly amount from your reported wage records.
Minnesota unemployment: frequently asked questions
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Minnesota for 2026?
The maximum weekly benefit amount in Minnesota is $611 for 2026 (up to $948 with the maximum dependents' allowance). The minimum is $37. Over the maximum 26 weeks, that is up to $15,886 in total benefits.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Minnesota?
Minnesota pays benefits for 9 to 26 weeks; the exact number depends on your base-period wages and, in some states, the state unemployment rate.
How much unemployment will I get in Minnesota?
Your weekly benefit is roughly half your usual gross weekly pay, subject to the Minnesota minimum of $37 and maximum of $611. For example, on $1,000 a week the estimate is about $500.00. This is an estimate; Minnesota sets your exact amount from your base-period wage history.
Is this the exact unemployment amount I will receive?
No. The minimum, maximum, and weeks shown are the official 2026 figures, but the weekly amount here is an estimate (about 50% wage replacement, which matches the common "one twenty-sixth of high-quarter wages" rule). Your state agency computes the exact figure from your reported wages, and eligibility rules apply.
Official sources
- Minnesota unemployment weekly benefit and duration (tax year 2026): U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance, as at Jul 15, 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 15 July 2026. See our methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice; file your claim with your state agency.