Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your paycheck and take-home (net) pay after federal taxes, state taxes, FICA, and deductions — whether you're paid hourly or on salary.
This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Actual paycheck amounts may vary based on your employer, benefits, local taxes, filing status, and tax elections.
Your estimate will appear here
Enter your pay details and click calculate to see your estimated take-home pay, tax breakdown, and annual income.
Quick Answer
The paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay by subtracting federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security (6.2%), and Medicare (1.45%) from your gross pay, along with any pre-tax or post-tax deductions you enter.
How It Works: Formula & Variables
Net Pay = Gross Pay − Federal Tax − State Tax − Social Security − Medicare − Other Deductions
- Gross Pay
- Your total earnings before any deductions — hourly rate × hours, or annual salary ÷ pay periods.
- Federal Tax
- Calculated using progressive tax brackets based on your filing status and taxable income.
- Social Security
- 6.2% of gross pay, up to the annual wage base limit.
- Medicare
- 1.45% of gross pay, with no wage limit (plus 0.9% surtax above certain thresholds).
Worked Examples
Example 1: Hourly worker in Texas
Maria works 40 hours/week at $22/hour in Texas (no state income tax). Her gross weekly pay is $880. After federal income tax (~$88), Social Security (6.2% = $54.56), and Medicare (1.45% = $12.76), her estimated take-home pay is approximately $724.68 per week — roughly 82% of her gross pay.
Example 2: Salaried employee in California
David earns $75,000/year, paid biweekly ($2,884.62 gross per paycheck), filing as Single in California. After federal tax, California state tax (~5.5%), Social Security, and Medicare, his estimated take-home pay is approximately $2,150 per paycheck — about 74.5% of his gross pay.
Key Concepts
Gross vs. net pay: Gross pay is your total earnings before deductions; net pay (take-home pay) is what actually lands in your bank account.
Progressive tax brackets: Federal income tax is tiered — only the portion of income within each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate, not your entire income.
FICA taxes: Social Security and Medicare together make up FICA. Social Security has an annual wage base cap; Medicare does not.
Pre-tax vs. post-tax deductions: Pre-tax deductions (like 401(k) contributions or health insurance premiums) reduce your taxable income, lowering your tax bill. Post-tax deductions don't.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting state taxes: If you live in a state with income tax, forgetting to account for it can significantly overestimate your take-home pay.
Applying your tax bracket to your whole income: Many people assume their top tax bracket applies to all their income — it only applies to the portion within that bracket.
Ignoring pre-tax deductions: Contributions to retirement accounts or health insurance premiums lower your taxable income — skipping these makes your estimate less accurate.
Confusing pay frequency: Mixing up weekly, biweekly, and monthly figures is a common source of confusion when comparing paychecks to annual salary.
Frequently Asked Questions
A paycheck calculator estimates your take-home (net) pay after federal taxes, state taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and other deductions are subtracted from your gross pay.
Take-home pay, also called net pay, is the amount you actually receive after federal taxes, state taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and any other deductions are subtracted from your gross pay. It's the figure this calculator estimates for you.
It provides a close estimate based on current federal tax brackets and standard deduction rules. Your actual paycheck may differ slightly depending on your employer's payroll system, local taxes, and any pre-tax benefits you've elected.
Most paychecks include federal income tax, Social Security (6.2% up to the annual wage base), Medicare (1.45%, plus an additional 0.9% for high earners), and state income tax where applicable.
Your gross pay is reduced by mandatory taxes (federal, state, FICA) and any voluntary deductions such as retirement contributions, health insurance premiums, or other benefits — what remains is your net or take-home pay.
Yes. The calculator includes approximate state income tax rates for most states, and shows $0 for states with no income tax (e.g. Texas, Florida, Washington).
Yes — switch between the Hourly and Salary tabs in the calculator to enter your wage or annual salary, along with hours worked and overtime if applicable.
Yes. States have different income tax rates, and some (like Texas, Florida, and Washington) have no state income tax at all. Moving can change your net pay even if your gross salary stays the same.
Overtime is generally calculated at 1.5 times your regular hourly rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a week, in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).