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Payroll Calculator

Calculate US gross-to-net pay with federal withholding, Social Security, Medicare, state tax, 401(k), and health insurance deductions per paycheck.

Gross pay (/year)

Filing status

401(k) contribution (%) optional

Health insurance premium ($) optional

State income tax rate (%) optional

⚠️ Please fill in all required fields with valid numbers.

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Everyday Uses

First employee math

See the true cost of hiring — gross pay plus employer taxes — before making an offer.

Paycheck verification

Employees can check whether deductions on their pay stub add up correctly.

Budgeting labor costs

Convert planned headcount into a real monthly payroll budget with taxes included.

Contractor vs employee

Compare what a salary really costs the business against a contractor invoice.

Holiday pay is accruing all year

Untaken leave is a liability building quietly month by month. Costing it as it accrues avoids a nasty August when several people take their entitlement at once.

What a hire really costs

Employer contributions, insurance, pension and payroll taxes typically add 15 to 30 percent on top of gross salary. That loaded figure, not the offer letter, is what to budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

What taxes are deducted from a US paycheck?

Federal income tax (withheld per your W-4 and tax bracket), Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), state income tax (0–13.3% depending on state), and local income tax where applicable. Total deductions can range from 20–35%+ of gross pay depending on income level and location.

What is FICA tax?

FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) covers Social Security (6.2% on wages up to $168,600 in 2024) and Medicare (1.45% on all wages, with an extra 0.9% over $200,000). Your employer matches both contributions. Self-employed workers pay the full 15.3% combined rate (though they deduct half).

How does a 401(k) contribution reduce my take-home pay?

Traditional 401(k) contributions are pre-tax — they reduce taxable income before federal and state withholding is calculated. A $500/month contribution only reduces take-home pay by roughly $375 if you are in the 22% bracket ($500 × (1 − 0.22 − 0.0765 state/FICA ≈ 0.75)). The tax savings effectively subsidise your retirement savings.

What is the difference between biweekly and semimonthly pay?

Biweekly pay = 26 paychecks per year (every 2 weeks). Semimonthly = 24 paychecks per year (twice a month, e.g., 1st and 15th). Annual gross is the same, but per-paycheck amounts differ: $60,000/year is $2,307.69 biweekly but $2,500 semimonthly. Biweekly workers receive 2 extra paychecks in months with 3 pay periods.

What is the Additional Medicare Tax?

High earners pay an extra 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). Unlike regular Medicare tax, there is no employer match for this. Employers withhold it automatically once wages exceed $200,000 per employee, regardless of filing status.