Introduction
This free hourly paycheck calculator shows you how much money you will take home after taxes and deductions. If you get paid by the hour, it can be hard to know your actual net pay before payday. Taxes like federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security, and Medicare all reduce your gross pay. Pre-tax deductions for things like health insurance and 401(k) contributions lower it even more.
This tool calculates it for you. Enter your hourly wage, the number of hours you work each pay period, your filing status, and your state. The calculator estimates your federal and state tax withholdings, FICA taxes, and any deductions you add. It then shows your estimated take-home pay with a full breakdown of every dollar that comes out of your paycheck.
You can also add overtime pay, multiple pay rates, tips, bonuses, and both pre-tax and post-tax deductions. The calculator supports all 50 states, both the new W-4 (2020 and later) and the old W-4 format, and common pay frequencies like weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly. Whether you just started a new job or want to plan your budget, use this hourly paycheck calculator to see exactly where your money goes.
How to Use Our Hourly Paycheck Calculator
Enter your hourly wage, hours worked, and tax details below. The calculator will estimate your take-home pay after federal, state, and local taxes plus any deductions.
Paycheck Date: Pick the date you will get paid. It is shown on your results summary. A check date in 2026 or earlier uses the 2026 tax tables. A check date in 2027 or later uses the 2027 tax tables.7
Pay Frequency: Choose how often you get paid. Options include weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, and more.
Gross Pay So Far This Year: Enter the gross pay you have earned from this employer this year, before this paycheck. The calculator uses it to stop Social Security tax once your pay from this employer reaches the year's wage base, and to start the 0.9% Additional Medicare tax once that pay passes $200,000.1 It also stops state premiums that have a yearly limit.
Hourly Rate and Hours Per Period: Type in your hourly pay rate and the total hours you work each pay period. Click "Add Another Rate" if you earn different rates for different jobs or shifts.
Overtime Rate and Hours: Click "Add Overtime" if you work overtime. Enter your overtime hourly rate and the number of overtime hours per pay period.
Additional Income: Enter any extra money you earn this pay period, such as tips, commissions, or bonuses.
State: Select the state where you work. The calculator estimates the state income tax on your pay from that state's tax brackets and standard deduction for the year.8 It does not use the state's withholding tables, so the amount your employer withholds can differ. It does not apply state tax credits or exemptions for dependents. For some states, a note under the box names anything else the figure leaves out or any older figure it uses. For 2027 the state figure uses the 2026 brackets and deductions, with the rate cuts already enacted for 2027 in Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska and North Carolina. If your state has no income tax, the calculator will tell you. For California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Washington it also withholds the disability, paid leave and unemployment premiums those states charge employees.
Local Withholding: Enter the dollar amount your city or county takes out of each paycheck for local taxes. Leave this at zero if your area has no local tax.
W-4 Format: Choose "New W-4" if you filled out a W-4 form in 2020 or later. Choose "Old W-4" if your form is from before 2020.
Filing Status: Pick the filing status that matches your W-4 form. Common choices are Single, Married Filing Jointly, or Head of Household.
Step 2(c): Two Jobs Box Checked: Check this if you checked the box in Step 2(c) of your new W-4 because you hold two jobs, or you and your spouse each have one. The calculator then uses the IRS's Step 2 checkbox withholding schedule, which results in higher withholding.6 If you used the Step 2(b) worksheet instead, enter its result in Step 4c.4
Step 3 (Dependents Amount): If you use the new W-4, enter the yearly dollar amount from Step 3 for child and dependent tax credits.
Step 4a (Other Income): Enter any extra yearly income not from jobs, such as interest or dividends, from Step 4a of your new W-4.
Step 4b (Additional Deductions): Enter any extra yearly deductions beyond the standard deduction from Step 4b of your new W-4.
Step 4c (Extra Withholding): Enter any extra dollar amount you want taken out of each paycheck for federal taxes.
Federal Allowances: If you use the old W-4, enter the number of federal allowances you claimed. The calculator follows the IRS method for older forms. If you choose Married it figures you as married, and either other status as single. It adds $8,600 to your yearly wages ($12,900 if married) and subtracts $4,300 for each allowance.6 It then subtracts the standard deduction for that status, as it does for a newer W-4.
Additional Withholdings: Enter any extra flat dollar amounts you want withheld each pay period for federal, state, or local taxes beyond the normal calculation.
Pre-Tax Deductions: Enter amounts for benefits that come out of your pay before taxes. These include medical insurance, dental, vision, 401(k), HSA deposits through a cafeteria plan, FSA, disability insurance, group-term life insurance, and commuter plans. Traditional IRA contributions are in the post-tax list. If you expect to deduct them on your tax return, also add them to Step 4b, as the W-4 directs.4 Pick whether each amount is a flat dollar, a percent of gross pay, a percent of net pay, or a per-hour rate.
Post-Tax Deductions: Enter amounts for items taken out after taxes. These include Roth 401(k) contributions, wage garnishments, and charitable donations.
Tax Exemptions: If you are legally exempt from certain taxes, select "Yes" and check each tax that does not apply to you. Most workers should leave this set to "No."
Calculate: Press this button to see your results. The calculator will show your estimated net pay, a full tax breakdown, a donut chart, and a step-by-step explanation of how your paycheck was calculated.
Reset: Press this button to reset all fields back to their default values.
How Your Hourly Paycheck Is Calculated
An hourly paycheck is the money you take home after taxes and deductions are removed from your gross pay. Gross pay is the total amount you earn before anything is taken out. You find it by multiplying your hourly rate by the number of hours you worked. If you worked overtime, that pay gets added in too, along with any tips, bonuses, or commissions.
Once your gross pay is calculated, several things get subtracted from it. First come pre-tax deductions. These are things like health insurance premiums, 401(k) contributions, and HSA deposits made through your employer's cafeteria plan. They come out before income tax is figured, which lowers the amount of income you pay tax on. Health insurance premiums and cafeteria plan HSA deposits also lower the wages Social Security and Medicare tax are figured on, but 401(k) contributions do not.5
Next, federal income tax is withheld based on your W-4 form, your filing status, and the IRS tax brackets. The more you earn, the higher the tax rate on your top dollars. Your employer also withholds Social Security tax at 6.2% of your wages (up to a yearly cap of $184,500 in 2026) and Medicare tax at 1.45%.1 Your employer also withholds an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare tax on the wages it pays you above $200,000 in a calendar year, whatever your filing status.1 The tax you finally owe on your return starts at a threshold that depends on your filing status.1
Most states also charge a state income tax. The rate depends on where you work. Eight states levy no individual income tax at all: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming, and Washington taxes only capital gains, not wages.2 Some cities and counties add a local income tax on top of that. A few states also withhold for disability insurance or family leave programs.
After all taxes are removed, post-tax deductions come out. These include things like Roth 401(k) contributions, wage garnishments, and charitable donations. What remains after every deduction and tax is your net pay, the actual amount deposited into your bank account.
Your pay frequency matters because it changes how much you receive per paycheck. Someone paid biweekly gets 26 paychecks a year, while someone paid semimonthly gets 24. The same yearly salary results in different paycheck amounts depending on how often you are paid.
This hourly paycheck calculator estimates your net take-home pay for a single pay period. It accounts for federal and state income taxes, FICA taxes, pre-tax and post-tax deductions, overtime, and additional income. Use it to plan your budget, compare job offers, or check that your pay stub looks right.