How the paycheck calculator works

StateWage shows your estimated take-home pay. Here is exactly what goes into the number, what it leaves out, and where the data comes from — so you can judge the estimate.

The calculation, step by step

Gross pay — your annual salary as entered.
Federal income tax — your gross minus the standard deduction for your filing status, run through the 2025 IRS tax brackets (progressive: each bracket’s rate applies only to income within it).
Social Security — 6.2% of wages up to the annual wage base ($176,100 for 2025); none above it.
Medicare — 1.45% of all wages, plus a 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages over $200,000 (single) / $250,000 (married).
State income tax — your state’s rate applied to wages. Flat-tax states use the statutory flat rate; graduated states use an estimated effective rate at typical incomes.
Take-home — gross minus all of the above, divided by your pay frequency.

Data sources

Federal brackets & standard deduction	IRS (2025 tax year)
Social Security rate & wage base	SSA.gov (2025)
Medicare & Additional Medicare	IRS (2025)
State income-tax rates	State departments of revenue (2025)
State minimum wages	State labor departments / U.S. DOL (2025)

Tax data last verified 2026-06-19. We refresh tables when rates change (annually and on legislation).

What this estimate does not include

Pre-tax deductions (401(k), HSA, FSA, health-insurance premiums) — these lower taxable income, so your real take-home may be higher.
Local and city income taxes (e.g. NYC, many Ohio and Pennsylvania localities, Maryland counties).
Tax credits, additional withholding allowances, and non-standard deductions.
Graduated state brackets in detail — graduated states use an effective-rate estimate, not a full bracket run.

Bottom line: StateWage is a fast, free estimate to compare states, salaries, and pay frequencies — not a substitute for your actual paystub or professional tax advice. Always verify with your employer or a qualified professional.