A paycheck calculator turns your gross pay into the number you actually care about: what hits your bank account. Every U.S. paycheck is reduced by federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare (FICA), and — in 41 states — a state income tax. PayCheckNerd estimates all of these with current 2026 tax tables so you can plan a budget, weigh a job offer, or sanity-check your employer's math.
2026 tax data · all 50 states
Paycheck Calculator
See your real take-home pay in seconds. Enter your salary or hourly rate and let the nerd do the 2026 tax math — federal, state, and FICA — with a breakdown that actually makes sense.
Pay type
Your estimated take-home pay
$1,938.08/ paycheck
$50,390 per year · 16.0% effective tax rate
Take-home 84%Gross $2,308
- Gross pay
- $2,307.69
- Federal income tax
- −$193.08
- Social Security
- −$143.08
- Medicare
- −$33.46
- State income tax
- −$0.00
- Take-home pay
- $1,938.08
Estimate based on 2026 tax data and standard withholding. Your real paycheck can differ with local taxes, benefits, and W-4 settings.
How the paycheck calculator works
- 1
Enter your pay
Salary or hourly, plus how often you're paid and your state.
- 2
We run the 2026 math
Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and your state's income tax — instantly.
- 3
See your take-home
Your net paycheck with a full, itemized breakdown you can actually understand.
Paycheck calculators by state
State income tax is where take-home pay really differs. Pick your state for a calculator pre-set to its 2026 tax rules.
- Alabama
- AlaskaNo tax
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- FloridaNo tax
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- NevadaNo tax
- New HampshireNo tax
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South DakotaNo tax
- TennesseeNo tax
- TexasNo tax
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- WashingtonNo tax
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- WyomingNo tax
- Washington, D.C.
Frequently asked questions
How is my paycheck calculated?+
Your take-home pay is your gross pay minus federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), any state income tax, and any pre-tax deductions like 401(k) or health insurance. PayCheckNerd estimates each of these using 2026 tax tables and divides by your number of pay periods.
What's the difference between gross pay and net pay?+
Gross pay is your total earnings before any taxes or deductions. Net pay (take-home pay) is what actually lands in your bank account after taxes and deductions are withheld. The gap between them is usually 20–35% depending on your income and state.
Is this paycheck calculator accurate for 2026?+
Yes — it uses the 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deduction from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, the 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500, and each state's 2026 income tax rates. It's an estimate of withholding; your exact paycheck depends on your W-4, local taxes, and benefits.
Why is my take-home pay lower than I expected?+
Beyond federal income tax, FICA takes 7.65% of most paychecks, and many states add 3–10% income tax. Pre-tax benefits (401(k), health insurance) also reduce the cash you take home, even though they're not taxes. Use the deductions section to see exactly where your money goes.
Does this work for hourly employees?+
Yes. Switch to 'Hourly,' enter your rate, weekly hours, and any overtime hours (paid at 1.5×), and the calculator converts it to annual pay and computes your net paycheck the same way.