Hourly Paycheck Calculator (US)
Estimate your United States hourly paycheck for tax year 2026. This calculator factors in federal income tax, FICA payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare), your state's income tax, pre-tax 401(k) and health-insurance deductions, plus overtime worked above 40 hours.
Inputs Explained
- Hourly Rate: Your gross hourly wage before any deductions.
- Hours per Week: Standard scheduled hours; overtime is added separately.
- Overtime Hours: Hours worked beyond 40/week; default OT multiplier is 1.5 (FLSA).
- Filing Status: Single, married filing jointly (MFJ), married filing separately (MFS), or head of household (HoH) — affects federal brackets and standard deduction.
- State: Determines state income-tax rate. Nine states have no income tax.
- 401(k) %: Pre-tax retirement contribution; reduces taxable wages but not FICA.
- Health Insurance $: Pre-tax health-premium deduction (Section 125 cafeteria plan).
- Pay Frequency: Weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly — affects per-period numbers, not annual totals.
How it Works
Annual gross is computed first: (hours/wk × weeks/yr) + (OT hrs × OT multiplier × weeks/yr) where weeks/yr = 52. Pre-tax 401(k) and health premiums are subtracted before federal tax is computed. FICA is taken on full wages (only 401(k) is exempt from federal, not from FICA). State tax uses the state's top marginal rate as a fast estimate; for high earners in graduated states the tool may slightly overstate liability — always confirm with a paystub.
The Formula
Gross_period = (hours_wk + OT_hrs * OT_mult) * rate * (weeks_per_year / periods_per_year) Federal_tax = brackets(taxable_income, filing_status) FICA = min(wages, $184,500) * 6.2% + wages * 1.45% + max(0, wages-$200k) * 0.9% State_tax = wages * state_rate Net_period = Gross_period - 401k - health - federal/p - FICA/p - state/p
Last reviewed: May 2026
Hourly Paycheck Calculator (US)
2026 federal + state + FICA take-home calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
Hourly paycheck after taxes = (Hours worked × Hourly rate) − federal tax − state tax − FICA − any pre-tax deductions. Example: 40 hours × $20/hour = $800 gross weekly. Deduct ~10% federal ($80), ~5% state varies, FICA 7.65% ($61). Approximate net: $800 − $80 − $40 − $61 = $619 take-home. Pre-tax deductions like 401(k) or health insurance reduce taxable income, increasing net effectively. Overtime (1.5x) increases gross. The calculator estimates federal and state withholding based on filing status and pay frequency.
Federal withholding depends on your W-4 filing status, allowances, and pay frequency. The IRS uses tiered tables/percentages. For a typical single filer earning $20/hour at 40 hours/week ($800 weekly), federal withholding is roughly $50-80 weekly. Married filing jointly often has lower withholding for the same pay. Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to fine-tune. Adjusting your W-4 can increase or reduce withholding to better match year-end tax liability. Over-withholding = bigger refund but smaller paycheck. Under-withholding risks an April surprise. The calculator gives a slab-based estimate.
Overtime (1.5x rate beyond 40 hours/week under FLSA) pushes your weekly gross higher. The federal withholding follows the standard tax tables — overtime hours are taxed at the same rate as regular hours, despite a common myth. However, since the higher gross can push your annualised income into a higher bracket, the percentage withheld may increase slightly. FICA stays at 7.65% on all wages. State taxes follow state rules. Net result: overtime is taxed normally; you keep most of it. Don't avoid overtime over tax fears — the math always favours working extra hours.
FICA is 7.65% of gross — Social Security at 6.2% (up to a wage cap of $168,600 for 2024) and Medicare at 1.45% (no cap). On $800 weekly gross, FICA = $61.20. High earners pay an additional 0.9% Medicare tax on wages above $200,000 single / $250,000 married. FICA is fully employee-paid (employer matches separately, not from your check). Unlike federal income tax, FICA can't be reduced by W-4 adjustments — it's mandatory. Self-employed people pay both halves (15.3%) but can deduct half on tax return. The calculator includes FICA in net pay estimates.
State income tax varies hugely. No state tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire (on wages), South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming. Flat-rate states: Pennsylvania (3.07%), North Carolina (4.5%), Indiana (~3.05%). Progressive states with high top rates: California (up to 13.3%), New York (up to 10.9%), New Jersey (up to 10.75%). On $800 weekly gross: Texas = $0; California ~$30-50; NYC adds local tax too. State tax can mean $5,000+ annual difference for the same job. Always factor state tax when comparing offers. The calculator includes state-specific rates.
Pre-tax deductions like 401(k), HSA, FSA, and traditional health insurance premiums reduce your taxable wages — lowering federal and state income tax (and sometimes FICA, for FSA/HSA). Example: $1,000 weekly gross with $50 401(k) and $100 health premium pre-tax. Taxable wages = $850. You save tax on $150. At 25% combined rate, that's $37.50 saved. Net pay drops by only $112.50, not $150. Roth 401(k) and after-tax deductions don't reduce current taxable income but provide tax-free growth (Roth) or after-tax basis. The calculator handles both pre-tax and post-tax deductions.
Several reasons: (1) overtime hours vary, changing gross pay; (2) one-time items like bonuses, commissions, or shift differentials; (3) pre-tax deductions like 401(k) or HSA, especially if contribution amount changed; (4) health insurance premiums applied bi-weekly on monthly cycles; (5) different number of pay periods per month (some months have 5 pay weeks); (6) tax bracket changes mid-year if you cross thresholds; (7) garnishments or back-tax payments. Compare two pay stubs side by side — every line item should match unless something specific changed. Ask payroll for clarification.
Understanding the Hourly Paycheck Calculator (US)
Worked Example
Sarah, a software engineer in Austin, Texas, earns $45/hr on a 40-hour week with no overtime. She contributes 5% to a Traditional 401(k) and pays $120/biweekly health insurance. She files single.
- Gross annual: $45 × 40 × 52 = $93,600
- Less 401(k) 5% & health: -$4,680 - $3,120 = $85,800 federal-taxable wages
- Less 2026 standard deduction $15,000 = $70,800 taxable
- Federal tax (2026 brackets): $1,193 (10%) + $4,386 (12%) + $4,912 (22%) ≈ $10,491
- FICA: 6.2% × $93,600 = $5,803 + 1.45% × $93,600 = $1,357 = $7,160
- State tax (TX = 0%): $0
- Net annual: $93,600 - $4,680 - $3,120 - $10,491 - $7,160 = $68,149
- Net biweekly: $68,149 / 26 = $2,621
Comparison Table
| Hourly Rate | 40 hr/wk Gross/yr | Net/yr (Single, TX) | Net/yr (Single, CA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $31,200 | ~$26,500 | ~$25,200 |
| $25 | $52,000 | ~$42,300 | ~$39,400 |
| $35 | $72,800 | ~$56,800 | ~$51,700 |
| $50 | $104,000 | ~$77,500 | ~$68,400 |
| $75 | $156,000 | ~$112,000 | ~$95,400 |
| $100 | $208,000 | ~$144,800 | ~$120,500 |
Estimates assume single filer, no dependents, no 401(k), no health-premium deductions; for illustration only.
Use Cases
- Job offer evaluation: compare two job offers in different states/at different rates.
- Side-hustle planning: see what extra hourly work nets after taxes.
- Budgeting: calibrate monthly take-home for rent, groceries, savings.
- Negotiation: understand what a raise from $25/hr to $30/hr is worth net of tax.
Glossary
- FICA
- Federal Insurance Contributions Act — the combined 7.65% employee tax for Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%).
- SS Wage Base
- Annual wage ceiling above which Social Security tax is no longer collected. 2026 = $184,500.
- FLSA
- Fair Labor Standards Act — federal law requiring overtime pay at 1.5× the regular rate after 40 hours/week for non-exempt workers.
- Pre-tax deduction
- An amount subtracted from gross wages BEFORE federal income tax is computed (e.g., Traditional 401(k), Section 125 health premiums, HSA contributions).
- Effective tax rate
- Total tax paid divided by gross income, expressed as a %. Different from marginal rate (the rate on the next dollar earned).
Sources & References
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 — Official 2026 federal income-tax brackets and standard deduction.
- Social Security Administration — Annual contribution and benefit base (Social Security wage base) reference.
- US Department of Labor — Fair Labor Standards Act overtime and minimum-wage rules.
- Tax Foundation — State individual income tax rates and brackets, updated annually.