How this California paycheck calculator works
This California paycheck calculator turns your gross pay into your net pay. Gross pay is what you earn before taxes. Net pay, also called take-home pay, is the money that reaches your bank account. The tool follows the same steps that a payroll system uses, and it updates as you type.
Step 1: Enter your pay
Choose Salary or Hourly. For salary, type your yearly pay. For hourly, type your hourly rate and the hours you work in one pay period. You can also add overtime hours and double-time hours. If you only know your hourly wage and want a yearly number, use the Hourly to Salary Calculator.
Step 2: Choose your pay frequency and filing status
Pay frequency sets how many paychecks you get each year: 52 for weekly, 26 for bi-weekly, 24 for semi-monthly, and 12 for monthly. Filing status changes your federal tax brackets, your standard deduction, and your California tax table.
Step 3: Add deductions (optional)
Open More options to add 401(k) savings, health insurance, after-tax deductions, W-4 credits, extra withholding, and DE 4 allowances. You can skip this step. The tool then uses standard values.
Step 4: Read your take-home pay
The result shows your take-home pay for one paycheck and a clear split of every tax. It also shows your net pay per year, per month, per week, and per hour.
California paycheck taxes and deductions for 2026
Five taxes come out of most California paychecks. The table shows the 2026 rates and rules that this calculator uses.
| Tax | 2026 rate or rule | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 10% to 37%, based on taxable income and your W-4 | Employee |
| Social Security | 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 | Employee (employer pays a matching 6.2%) |
| Medicare | 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% on wages over $200,000 | Employee (employer matches the 1.45%) |
| California income tax | Graduated tax, withheld with the EDD schedule and your DE 4 | Employee |
| California SDI | 1.3% of all wages, with no wage limit | Employee |
| California UI and ETT | Paid on top of your wages | Employer only |
Federal income tax
Your employer withholds federal income tax based on your Form W-4. For 2026, the standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married couples filing jointly, and $24,150 for heads of household. The seven tax rates are 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. Each rate applies only to the part of your income that falls inside that bracket.
Social Security and Medicare (FICA)
FICA pays for Social Security and Medicare. Social Security is 6.2% of your pay up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Medicare is 1.45% of all your pay. Employers also withhold an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on pay above $200,000. Pre-tax 401(k) savings lower your income tax, but they do not lower Social Security or Medicare tax.
California income tax withholding
California income tax rates range from 1% to 12.3%. Income over $1 million also pays an extra 1% mental health services tax. Payroll systems do not use those rates directly. They use the withholding schedules from the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the allowances on your DE 4 form. This calculator uses the official 2026 EDD schedule (Method B). It includes the California standard deduction and the $168.30 credit for each allowance.
California has no city or county income tax, so you do not need to add a local tax.
California State Disability Insurance (SDI)
SDI is taken from your paycheck, not paid by your employer. The 2026 rate is 1.3% of all wages. There is no yearly wage limit. SDI funds Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave benefits.
Taxes your employer pays
Employers pay California Unemployment Insurance (UI) and the Employment Training Tax (ETT). They also pay a matching share of Social Security and Medicare. These costs do not reduce your take-home pay.
California overtime and double-time pay
California overtime rules are stricter than federal rules. Most hourly (non-exempt) workers earn:
- 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 8 in one workday
- 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in one workweek
- 1.5 times their regular rate for the first 8 hours on the seventh straight day of work in a workweek
- 2 times their regular rate (double time) for hours over 12 in one workday
- 2 times their regular rate for hours over 8 on the seventh straight day of work in a workweek
Enter your overtime hours and double-time hours in the calculator, and it adds them to your gross pay. Overtime is taxed like your other wages. It is not taxed at a special higher rate, but the extra pay can move part of your income into a higher bracket. To work out overtime pay on its own, use the Overtime Pay Calculator.
Some salaried workers do not get overtime because they are exempt. In 2026, an exempt employee in California must earn at least $70,304 a year and must also meet a job duties test.
California take-home pay examples for 2026
These estimates use a single filer, bi-weekly pay, the standard deduction, and no extra deductions. Your numbers will differ if your situation is different. Enter your own details in the calculator for a personal result.
Salary examples
| Annual salary | Gross per paycheck | Take-home per paycheck | Take-home per year | Share paid in taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,538.46 | $1,275.35 | $33,159 | 17.1% |
| $60,000 | $2,307.69 | $1,838.71 | $47,807 | 20.3% |
| $75,000 | $2,884.62 | $2,214.06 | $57,565 | 23.2% |
| $100,000 | $3,846.15 | $2,781.52 | $72,320 | 27.7% |
| $150,000 | $5,769.23 | $3,890.98 | $101,166 | 32.6% |
Hourly examples (40 hours a week)
The statewide minimum wage in California is $16.90 per hour in 2026, so the first row is just above it.
| Hourly rate | Gross per paycheck | Take-home per paycheck | Take-home per year | Share paid in taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $17.00 | $1,360.00 | $1,142.13 | $29,695 | 16.0% |
| $20.00 | $1,600.00 | $1,321.29 | $34,353 | 17.4% |
| $25.00 | $2,000.00 | $1,615.79 | $42,011 | 19.2% |
| $30.00 | $2,400.00 | $1,905.59 | $49,545 | 20.6% |
| $40.00 | $3,200.00 | $2,401.45 | $62,438 | 25.0% |
How to increase your take-home pay in California
- Check your W-4 and DE 4. Update them after a marriage, a new child, or a second job. Too much withholding means a smaller paycheck all year.
- Use pre-tax benefits. Health plan premiums, flexible spending accounts (FSA), and commuter benefits can lower the pay that is taxed.
- Save in a 401(k) on purpose. It lowers your income tax now, but it also lowers your take-home pay. Social Security, Medicare, and SDI still apply to that money.
- Read your pay stub every period. Mistakes in hours, rate, or deductions are easy to fix when you find them early.
- Compare job offers by net pay. Two offers with the same salary can have different benefit costs and different take-home pay.
Paycheck terms explained
- Gross pay
- Your total pay before any taxes or deductions.
- Net pay (take-home pay)
- The amount you receive after all taxes and deductions.
- Withholding
- The tax your employer takes from each paycheck and sends to the government for you.
- Form W-4
- The federal form that tells your employer how much federal income tax to withhold.
- Form DE 4
- The California form that tells your employer how much state income tax to withhold. It uses allowances.
- Pay period
- The time covered by one paycheck, such as one week or two weeks.
- Supplemental wages
- Extra pay such as bonuses, commissions, and severance. Employers often withhold tax on these at flat rates.
- FICA
- The federal payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare.
- State Disability Insurance (SDI)
- A California payroll tax that funds disability and paid family leave benefits.
- Exempt employee
- A salaried worker who is not eligible for overtime under the law.
