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Paycheck Calculator

Take-home pay after federal, state, Social Security, and Medicare taxes, for every state.

Estimates for 2026 using federal and state tables; local taxes, benefits, and credits vary. Not tax advice.

Excel: the button above exports this calculation as a spreadsheet with live formulas, or download the blank template.

How the paycheck calculator works

A paycheck calculator turns gross pay into net pay by taking out every deduction an employer withholds. The order matters because some deductions reduce the taxes that come after them. This calculator follows the same sequence a payroll system uses, with 2026 federal tables and each state's current rate schedule.

  1. Annualize gross pay. Hourly pay is rate x hours x 52; salary is used as entered; weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, and monthly amounts are multiplied by 52, 26, 24, and 12.
  2. Subtract pre-tax deductions. 401(k) or 403(b) contributions, pre-tax health premiums, and HSA or FSA contributions come off before income tax.
  3. Federal income tax. Subtract the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly), apply the seven brackets, then subtract $2,200 per child claimed on your W-4.
  4. FICA. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500. Medicare is 1.45% on all wages plus 0.9% above $200,000 ($250,000 joint). Health and HSA deductions reduce FICA wages; a 401(k) does not.
  5. State income tax. Apply the state's standard deduction, personal exemption, and rate or brackets to the wages the state taxes.
  6. Divide by paychecks. Everything is split across your number of pay periods, and after-tax deductions and extra withholding are added per paycheck.

Formula

Net pay = Gross - Pre-tax deductions - Federal income tax - Social Security - Medicare - State income tax - After-tax deductions.

Worked example: $60,000 salary, single, biweekly, California

LinePer yearPer paycheck (26)
Gross pay$60,000.00$2,307.69
Federal taxable income (after $16,100 standard deduction)$43,900.00
Federal income tax (10% on $12,400, 12% on the rest)$5,020.00$193.08
Social Security (6.2%)$3,720.00$143.08
Medicare (1.45%)$870.00$33.46
California income tax (after $5,540 standard deduction)$1,845.16$70.97
Net pay$48,544.84$1,867.11

Total tax is $11,455.16, an effective rate of 19.1%. The marginal rate on the next dollar is 25.65%: 12% federal, 6% California, and 7.65% FICA.

What comes out of a paycheck in 2026

DeductionRateApplies to
Federal income tax10% to 37%Taxable income after the standard deduction and pre-tax items
Social Security6.2%Wages up to $184,500
Medicare1.45% + 0.9%All wages; the extra 0.9% above $200,000 ($250,000 joint)
State income tax0% to 13.3%Depends on the state; nine states have none
Local income tax0% to 4%Some cities and counties (not included here)

Pay frequency: the same salary, different paycheck sizes

Pay frequency changes the size of each check, not the annual total. A $60,000 salary is $1,153.85 weekly, $2,307.69 biweekly, $2,500.00 semimonthly, or $5,000.00 monthly before taxes. Biweekly pay means two months a year contain three paychecks.

PaidPaychecks per yearGross per paycheck on $60,000
Weekly52$1,153.85
Every two weeks26$2,307.69
Twice a month24$2,500.00
Monthly12$5,000.00

Paycheck calculators by state

Every state page uses the same calculator with that state's 2026 rates, standard deduction, and local-tax caveats preloaded, plus worked examples at $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000.

No state income tax

Flat-rate states

Graduated-rate states

Frequently asked questions

How is take-home pay calculated?

Start with gross pay, subtract pre-tax deductions like a 401(k) or health premium, then subtract federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), and state income tax if your state has one. What is left is net pay. This calculator annualizes your pay, applies the 2026 tables, and divides by your number of paychecks.

How much of my paycheck goes to taxes?

For a single filer earning $60,000 in California in 2026, about 19.1% goes to federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state tax combined, leaving roughly $1,867 of every $2,308 biweekly paycheck. Higher earners and residents of high-tax states lose a bigger share.

Which states have no income tax?

Nine states tax no wages in 2026: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Paychecks there lose only federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare.

Why is my actual paycheck different from the calculator?

Employers withhold using IRS tables that approximate your annual tax, so the estimate here is close but not exact. Local taxes (cities and counties), benefit deductions, bonuses, and W-4 adjustments all change the number. Compare the federal and state lines to your pay stub to find the difference.

Does a 401(k) contribution reduce every tax?

It reduces federal and, in almost every state, state income tax, but not Social Security or Medicare. Pre-tax health premiums and HSA contributions through a cafeteria plan reduce all of them. Pennsylvania is the exception that taxes 401(k) contributions at the state level.

What is the difference between effective and marginal tax rate?

The marginal rate is what you pay on the next dollar you earn: your federal bracket plus state bracket plus FICA. The effective rate is total tax divided by total pay, which is always lower because the first dollars are taxed at lower rates or not at all.

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