Exhibit 12(b).
Norwest Corporation and Subsidiaries    
COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
(Unaudited)



                            Quarter Ended                     
                               March 31,                         Year Ended December 31            
In thousands                1997       1996        1996       1995       1994       1993       1992

                                                                     
Computation of Income:
 Income before
  income taxes        $  492,379    412,552   1,781,509  1,422,814  1,180,601    879,755    645,568
 Capitalized interest          -        (14)        (14)      (112)       (69)       (65)       (24)
 Income before income
  taxes and capitalized
  interest               492,379    412,538   1,781,495  1,422,702  1,180,532    879,690    645,544
 Fixed charges           665,686    648,396   2,685,447  2,503,603  1,640,049  1,485,936  1,651,664
 Total income for
  computation         $1,158,065  1,060,934   4,466,942  3,926,305  2,820,581  2,365,626  2,297,208
 Total income for
  computation excluding 
  interest on deposits
  from fixed charges  $  801,948    750,949   3,142,024  2,770,005  1,957,224  1,513,317  1,281,619

Computation of Fixed
 Charges:
 Net rental
  expense (a)         $   49,641     45,614     205,409    166,591    149,462    128,573    123,342
 Portion of rentals
  deemed 
  representative
  of interest         $   16,547     15,205      68,470     55,530     49,821     42,858     41,114
 Interest:
  Interest on
   deposits              356,117    309,985   1,324,918  1,156,300    863,357    852,309  1,015,589
  Interest on
   federal funds
   and other 
   short-term
   borrowings             99,089    110,776     454,013    515,646    290,211    238,046    277,835
  Interest on
   long-term debt        193,933    212,416     838,032    776,015    436,591    352,658    317,102
  Capitalized
   interest                    -         14          14        112         69         65         24
  Total interest         649,139    633,191   2,616,977  2,448,073  1,590,228  1,443,078  1,610,550
 Total fixed
  charges             $  665,686    648,396   2,685,447  2,503,603  1,640,049  1,485,936  1,651,664
 Total fixed
  charges excluding
  interest on
  deposits            $  309,569    338,411   1,360,529  1,347,303    776,692    633,627    636,075
 Preferred stock
  dividends                4,441      4,441      17,763     41,220     27,827     31,170     32,219
 Pre-tax earnings
  needed to meet
  preferred stock
  dividend
  requirements             6,793      6,751      27,424     61,349     41,044     44,728     44,367
 Total combined fixed
  charges and preferred
  stock dividends     $  672,479    655,147   2,712,871  2,564,952  1,681,093  1,530,664  1,696,031
 Total combined 
  fixed charges 
  and preferred stock
  dividends excluding 
  interest on 
  deposits            $  316,362    345,162   1,387,953  1,408,652    817,736    678,355    680,442

(a) Includes equipment rentals.







                                                                  Exhibit 12(b).
                                                                    (continued)


Norwest Corporation and Subsidiaries    
COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
(Unaudited)



                                   Quarter Ended                     
                                      March 31,                    Year Ended December 31            
In thousands                        1997      1996      1996      1995      1994      1993      1992
                                                                           
Ratio of Income to Combined
 Fixed Charges and Preferred
 Stock Dividends:
  Excluding interest on
   deposits                        2.53x      2.18      2.26      1.97      2.39      2.23      1.88
  Including interest on
   deposits                        1.72x      1.62      1.65      1.53      1.68      1.55      1.35