Salary & Take-Home Pay Calculator

Standard US paycheck deductions: Federal income tax (10–37% based on income and filing status), Social Security tax (6.2% on wages up to $168,600 in 2024), Medicare tax (1.45%, plus 0.9% for income over $200,000), and state income tax (0–13.3% depending on state). Pre-tax deductions like 401(k) contributions, health insurance premiums, and FSA contributions reduce your taxable income before federal and state taxes are calculated.

Gross pay is your total earnings before any deductions — your salary or hourly wage times hours worked. Net pay (take-home pay) is what hits your bank account after all taxes and deductions. For most Americans, net pay is 70–80% of gross pay, depending on state, filing status, and pre-tax deductions.

2024 federal tax brackets (single filer): 10% on income $0–$11,600; 12% on $11,601–$47,150; 22% on $47,151–$100,525; 24% on $100,526–$191,950; 32% on $191,951–$243,725; 35% on $243,726–$609,350; 37% over $609,350. Married filing jointly brackets are roughly double. These are marginal rates — only income within each bracket is taxed at that rate.

Nine US states have no state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire (taxes investment income only), South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington (taxes capital gains for high earners), and Wyoming. Moving to a no-income-tax state can significantly increase take-home pay — a $100,000 salary in California (13.3% top rate) vs Texas (0%) is a difference of several thousand dollars per year.

Filing status determines your standard deduction and tax bracket thresholds. Single: $14,600 standard deduction (2024). Married Filing Jointly: $29,200. Head of Household: $21,900. A married couple filing jointly effectively has wider brackets — the 22% bracket doesn't kick in until $94,300 combined income vs $47,150 for single filers. This is why many dual-income couples choose MFJ.

FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) is the combined Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) tax — totaling 7.65% of gross wages. Your employer matches this amount, effectively paying 15.3% total. Self-employed individuals pay both halves (15.3%) but can deduct the employer half on their tax return. Social Security tax only applies to the first $168,600 of wages in 2024.

Traditional 401(k) contributions are pre-tax, reducing your taxable income. If you're in the 22% bracket, a $500/month 401(k) contribution reduces your federal tax by $110/month — your take-home pay only drops by $390, not $500. The government is essentially contributing $110 toward your retirement. This makes 401(k)s highly efficient for tax reduction.