Finance calculators

NJ Paycheck Calculator

Updated Aug 20, 2026 By Jehan Wadia
Rate Formulas
EarningsEnter how you are paid, how often, and your wages before this paycheck.
Pay Type
Format MM/DD/YYYY — sets which tax year's rates apply.
Wages paid this year before this check (0 if this is your first).
 
Federal Withholding (Form W-4)Employees hired before 2020 may still have a legacy (pre-2020) W-4 on file with their employer.
W-4 Format
Checked applies the IRS higher-withholding rate schedule.
$2,000 per child under 17, $500 per other dependent.
Interest, dividends, retirement income.
Deductions beyond the standard deduction.
New Jersey State Withholding (NJ-W4)New Jersey uses its own filing statuses and its own allowance system, separate from your federal W-4.
Reduces annual NJ taxable wages by $2,000.00.
2.80% new-employer default; experienced rates run 0.50%–5.80%.
Varies by job classification and claims history.
Pre-Tax Deductions Pre-tax deductions reduce taxable gross income before federal and NJ income tax; some remain subject to FICA.
Deduction Calculation Method Amount This Paycheck
Total Pre-Tax Deductions (per paycheck) $0.00
Post-Tax DeductionsPost-tax deductions (Roth 401(k), garnishments, union dues) are withheld after all taxes are applied.
Deduction Name Calculation Method Amount This Paycheck
Total Post-Tax Deductions (per paycheck) $0.00
Tax Exemptions Are you exempt from any taxes?
New Jersey does not impose a local income tax.
Results View
Amounts Shown
2026 rates
Your estimated take-home pay is:
$0.00
Gross Pay
$0.00
Total Taxes Withheld
$0.00
Effective Total Tax Rate
0.00%
Take-Home % of Gross
0.00%
Itemized Paycheck Breakdown
ItemAmount% of Gross
Where Your Gross Pay Goes
Step-by-Step Solution

Introduction

The New Jersey Paycheck Calculator shows you how much money you actually take home from each paycheck. You enter your pay and a few details, and it does the math for you.

Your gross pay is not what lands in your bank account. Taxes and deductions come out first. This tool subtracts federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, New Jersey state income tax, and New Jersey payroll taxes like TDI, FLI, and SUI. It also handles pre-tax items such as health insurance and a 401(k), plus post-tax items like Roth 401(k) or union dues.

It works for salary or hourly jobs, any pay schedule, and overtime. You can also switch to an employer view to see the full cost of an employee, including FUTA, employer SUI, and workers' comp.

Every result comes with a clear breakdown, a chart, and a step-by-step solution so you can see exactly where each dollar goes. Use it to check a pay stub, plan a budget, or compare a job offer in New Jersey. If you live in another state, try the general Paycheck Calculator or a state version like the New York Paycheck Calculator or PA Paycheck Calculator.

How to use our NJ Paycheck Calculator

Enter your pay, your W-4 and NJ-W4 info, and any deductions. The calculator shows your take-home pay for each paycheck, plus a full breakdown of federal tax, FICA, New Jersey tax, and deductions.

Pay Type: Pick Salary if you earn a set yearly amount. Pick Hourly if you get paid by the hour. Not sure of the yearly figure? Use the Hourly to Salary Calculator.

Pay Frequency: Choose how often you get paid, like weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. See also the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator and Weekly Pay Calculator.

Check Date: Enter your pay date. This sets which tax year rates are used.

Year-to-Date Gross Wages: Enter the total pay you got this year before this check. Type 0 if this is your first check. This checks if you hit a wage cap.

Gross Pay Entry Method: Choose to type your yearly salary or the amount on one paycheck. The Gross Pay Calculator can help you work it out.

Annual Salary: Enter your salary amount in dollars.

Hourly Wage: Enter how much you earn per hour. The Salary to Hourly Calculator converts a yearly figure for you.

Regular Hours per Pay Period: Enter the normal hours you work in one pay period. Add them up with the Work Hours Calculator or Time Card Calculator.

Add Overtime: Turn this on if you work overtime hours.

Overtime Hourly Rate: This fills in at 1.5 times your wage. Change it if your rate is different.

Overtime Hours per Pay Period: Enter your overtime hours for this paycheck.

W-4 Format: Pick 2020 or Later if you filled out a new W-4. Pick Pre-2020 if your employer still uses your old one.

Federal Filing Status: Choose the status from Step 1c of your W-4, like Single or Married filing jointly.

Step 2 (Multiple Jobs): Check this box if you work more than one job or your spouse also works.

Step 3 — Dependents Credit: Enter your yearly credit. Use $2,000 per child under 17 and $500 per other dependent.

Step 4a — Other Income: Enter yearly income not from a job, like interest or dividends.

Step 4b — Deductions: Enter yearly deductions above the standard deduction.

Step 4c — Extra Withholding: Enter extra federal tax you want taken out each paycheck. The IRS Withholding Calculator helps you pick an amount.

Federal Allowances: For old W-4s only. Enter how many allowances you claim.

Additional Federal Withholding: For old W-4s only. Enter extra dollars to withhold each paycheck.

NJ Filing Status: Pick your status from your NJ-W4. It can be different from your federal status.

NJ Allowance boxes: Enter allowances for yourself, your spouse, dependents, age 65+, and blind. The total fills in for you.

Total NJ-W4 Allowances: This shows your total. Each one lowers your NJ taxable wages by $1,000 a year.

NJ Elected Additional Withholding %: Pick a percent if you chose to have extra NJ tax taken out on your NJ-W4.

Additional NJ Withholding: Enter a flat dollar amount of extra NJ tax per paycheck.

Employer NJ SUI Rate: Enter your company's NJ unemployment rate. It is only used in the Employer view. Employers can also check the Payroll Tax Calculator.

Employer Workers' Comp Rate: Enter the workers' comp rate. Employers pay this in New Jersey, not workers.

Pre-Tax Deductions: For each item, like medical or a traditional 401(k), pick a dollar amount or a percent of gross pay, then type the amount. These lower your taxable pay. See the HSA Calculator for health savings limits.

Post-Tax Deductions: Name each item, like Roth 401(k) or union dues. Pick a dollar amount, a percent of gross, or a percent of net, then type the amount. Use the Add button for more rows and the X button to remove one.

Tax Exemptions: Choose Yes only if you are exempt from a tax, then turn on each one that applies. New Jersey has no local income tax.

Calculate and Reset: Click Calculate to see your results. Click Reset to start over with the default values.

Results View: Switch between Employee and Employer, and between Per Paycheck and Annual, to see the numbers you want.

New Jersey Paycheck Basics

Your paycheck has two main numbers. Gross pay is what you earn before anything is taken out. Net pay (take-home pay) is what actually lands in your bank account. The gap between them is made up of taxes and deductions. To work backward from a target net amount, use the Net to Gross Calculator.

What Comes Out of a NJ Paycheck

  • Federal income tax — based on your Form W-4, your pay, and how often you get paid. See how the brackets stack up with the Tax Bracket Calculator.
  • Social Security — 6.2% of wages, up to a yearly wage cap. Once you hit the cap, it stops for the rest of the year. More detail in the Social Security Tax Calculator.
  • Medicare — 1.45% of all wages, plus an extra 0.9% on wages over $200,000.
  • NJ income tax — uses New Jersey's own brackets and its own allowance system from Form NJ-W4. Compare with the broader State Tax Calculator.
  • NJ TDI (state disability) and NJ FLI (family leave) — small worker payments, each with a yearly wage cap.
  • NJ SUI / Workforce Development — a small unemployment payment from workers, also capped each year.

Two helpful facts: New Jersey has no local or city income tax, and workers' compensation is paid fully by the employer, so nothing comes out of your check for it. Shopping in the state? The NJ Sales Tax Calculator covers sales tax separately.

Pre-Tax vs. Post-Tax Deductions

Pre-tax deductions come out first and lower your taxable wages, so you pay less tax. Health, dental, vision, FSA, and traditional 401(k) money are common ones. Note that 401(k) money still gets hit by Social Security and Medicare, and NJ still taxes HSA contributions even though the IRS does not. See the Taxable Income Calculator for the bigger picture.

Post-tax deductions come out after every tax is figured. Roth 401(k), union dues, and garnishments work this way. They do not cut your tax bill.

Why Pay Frequency Matters

Withholding math works by "annualizing" your check. Your pay is multiplied out to a full year, tax is figured on that yearly amount, then divided back down. That is why weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly checks can show slightly different tax amounts even at the same yearly salary. The Annual Income Calculator and Monthly Income Calculator can help you compare.

How to Change Your Take-Home Pay

The fastest lever is your W-4 and NJ-W4. Claiming dependents or adding deductions lowers withholding. Adding extra withholding raises it, which can help you avoid owing money in April. New Jersey also lets you pick a set withholding percentage on the NJ-W4 if your normal withholding comes out too low. Try the Tax Withholding Calculator and the Tax Refund Calculator to test changes, or the Pay Raise Calculator if your wage is going up.

Year-to-Date Wages

Social Security, NJ TDI, NJ FLI, and NJ SUI all stop once your yearly wages pass their wage base. That is why your paycheck can suddenly grow later in the year. Entering your year-to-date gross wages gives a much more accurate result than starting from zero. Getting a bonus? Withholding on it works differently — see the Bonus Tax Calculator.

Results are estimates for planning. Your real paystub may differ based on employer settings, benefit rules, bonuses, and multiple jobs.

Formulas used

Gross pay per pay period
\text{Gross} = \frac{\text{Annual Salary}}{f} \quad \text{or} \quad \text{Gross} = (w_{reg} \times h_{reg}) + (w_{ot} \times h_{ot})
Taxable wage bases after pre-tax deductions
W_{fed} = \text{Gross} - D_{fed},\quad W_{FICA} = \text{Gross} - D_{FICA},\quad W_{NJ} = \text{Gross} - D_{NJ}
Federal adjusted annual wage amount (IRS Pub. 15-T)
A = \max\!\left(0,\; W_{fed} \times f + \text{Step4a} - \text{Step4b} - \text{StdOffset}\right)
Federal income tax withheld per paycheck
T_{fed} = \max\!\left(0,\; \frac{\sum_i (\min(A,u_i) - l_i)\, r_i}{f} - \frac{\text{Step3}}{f}\right) + \text{Extra}
FICA taxes (Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare)
T_{FICA} = \min\!\big(W_{FICA},\, \max(0, B_{SS} - \text{YTD})\big) \times 6.2\% \;+\; W_{FICA} \times 1.45\% \;+\; W_{add} \times 0.9\%
New Jersey income tax withheld per paycheck
T_{NJ} = \frac{\sum_i \left(\min(A_{NJ},u_i) - l_i\right) r_i}{f} + \text{Gross} \times p_{elected} + \text{Extra}_{NJ},\quad A_{NJ} = \max\!\left(0,\, W_{NJ}\times f - 1000 n\right)
NJ payroll insurance taxes (TDI, FLI, SUI, WCI)
T_{NJpay} = \sum_{k} \min\!\big(\text{Gross},\, \max(0,\, B_k - \text{YTD})\big) \times r_k
Net take-home pay and employer cost
\text{Net} = \text{Gross} - \left(T_{fed}+T_{FICA}+T_{NJ}+T_{NJpay}\right) - D_{pre} - D_{post},\qquad \text{Employer Cost} = \text{Gross} + T_{employer}

Frequently asked questions

Why is my calculated take-home pay different from my real pay stub?

Small gaps are normal. Common reasons include:

  • Your employer uses a wage-bracket table instead of the percentage method.
  • Your year-to-date wages are not exactly what you typed.
  • Benefit costs changed mid-year.
  • You had a bonus, commission, or unpaid time off.
  • Your employer rounds differently.

If the gap is large, check your W-4, NJ-W4, and deduction amounts against your stub.

Is New Jersey a high-tax state for paychecks?

NJ income tax starts low. The first $20,000 of taxable wages is taxed at just 1.5% for withholding. Rates climb as income grows, up to 11.8% at the top.

New Jersey also has no city or local income tax, which helps. But NJ does add small worker payments for TDI, FLI, and SUI that many states do not have.

What are NJ TDI, FLI, and SUI on my pay stub?

They are small New Jersey payroll taxes:

  • TDI — Temporary Disability Insurance. Pays you if you cannot work due to your own illness or injury.
  • FLI — Family Leave Insurance. Pays you when you bond with a new child or care for a sick family member.
  • SUI/WFD — Unemployment and Workforce Development. Helps fund jobless benefits and job training.

Each one stops for the year once your wages pass its wage cap.

Do I need to fill in my year-to-date gross wages?

You do not have to, but it makes results much more accurate. Social Security, TDI, FLI, and SUI all stop once you pass their yearly wage caps.

If you leave it at 0, the calculator assumes you still owe those taxes. High earners late in the year will see less take-home pay than they really get.

Why did my paycheck get bigger later in the year?

You probably hit a wage cap. Once your yearly wages pass a cap, that tax stops for the rest of the year.

Social Security stops at the yearly wage base. NJ TDI, FLI, and SUI have their own, much lower caps. When SUI stops, that line disappears from your stub and your net pay goes up.

Can my NJ filing status be different from my federal filing status?

Yes. New Jersey uses Form NJ-W4, which is separate from your federal W-4. You can be Single on one and Married Filing Jointly on the other.

That is why this calculator asks for both. Enter what is actually on file with your employer for each form.

What is the NJ elected withholding percentage for?

It is a voluntary NJ-W4 choice. You pick a set percent of your wages, like 1.8% or 2.7%, to be withheld for New Jersey tax.

People use it when normal withholding comes out too low, often when both spouses work. Extra withholding now means a smaller bill or a bigger refund later.

Does a traditional 401(k) lower my Social Security and Medicare tax?

No. A traditional 401(k) lowers your federal and NJ income tax only. Social Security and Medicare are still taken on that money.

Health, dental, vision, FSA, and commuter plans are different. Those usually skip income tax and FICA.

Why does the calculator tax my HSA for New Jersey but not federally?

New Jersey does not follow the federal HSA rules. The IRS lets you skip federal income tax on HSA money, but NJ still counts it as taxable wages.

So an HSA contribution cuts your federal tax but not your NJ state tax. The calculator handles this for you.

What is the difference between Employee view and Employer view?

Employee view shows what comes out of your check and what you take home.

Employer view shows what the company pays on top of your wages — employer Social Security, Medicare, FUTA, NJ SUI, NJ TDI, and workers' comp. It ends with total employer cost, not net pay.

Do workers pay for workers' comp in New Jersey?

No. Workers' compensation insurance is paid 100% by the employer in New Jersey. Nothing comes out of your paycheck for it.

That is why the employee WCI rate shows 0%. The employer rate field only affects the Employer view.

What should I put for the employer NJ SUI rate?

New employers usually pay about 2.80%. Established employers get their own rate based on claims history, often between 0.50% and 5.80%.

Your exact rate comes from the New Jersey Department of Labor notice your company receives each year. Employees can ignore this field.

Should I check the W-4 Step 2 box?

Check it if you work more than one job, or if you are married filing jointly and your spouse also works.

It switches to the IRS higher-withholding schedule, so more tax comes out each check. That helps you avoid owing money at tax time, since a single job's withholding often assumes it is your only income.

How do I get less tax taken out of my paycheck?

A few options:

  • Enter your dependents credit in W-4 Step 3 if you have not.
  • Add extra deductions in Step 4b.
  • Add NJ-W4 allowances you qualify for.
  • Remove any extra withholding in Step 4c.

Only claim what you truly qualify for. Withholding too little means you owe money in April, plus possible penalties.

Why do weekly and monthly checks show slightly different tax?

Withholding annualizes your pay. Your check is multiplied out to a year, tax is figured, then split back into periods.

Rounding at each step causes tiny differences. Switch the results to Annual view and the totals will be nearly the same at the same salary.

Does this calculator handle bonuses and overtime?

Overtime, yes. Switch to Hourly, turn on Add Overtime, and enter your OT rate and hours.

Bonuses are trickier. Many employers withhold a flat 22% federal rate on bonuses instead of using your W-4. You can add a bonus to your gross pay here for a rough estimate, but a dedicated bonus tax tool will be closer.

What does the Tax Exemptions section do?

It lets you turn off specific taxes. Only use it if you truly are exempt, such as certain student workers, some religious groups, or nonresidents under a special rule.

Most workers should leave it set to No. Turning taxes off by mistake will make your take-home pay look far too high.

Which tax year does the calculator use?

The check date sets the year. A pay date in 2025 or earlier uses 2025 rates. A pay date in 2026 uses 2026 rates.

The badge above the results shows which year was used. Change the check date if you want to compare years.

What is the percent of net option for post-tax deductions?

It takes a percent of your pay after all taxes and other deductions are removed. Some garnishments and wage orders work this way.

The calculator figures your net first, then applies that percent. Use percent of gross instead if your deduction is based on total earnings.

Are these results good enough to plan a budget or compare a job offer?

Yes, for planning. The math follows IRS Pub. 15-T and NJ-WT withholding methods, so results are close to a real stub.

They are still estimates. Your actual pay depends on your employer's payroll settings, benefit costs, and other income. Use it as a strong guide, not an exact number.

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