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Salary Calculator

This Salary Calculator estimates take-home pay per period and annually. It uses your inputs and simple percentage-based taxes, which may differ from progressive tax systems. For guidance only.

Enter your total yearly pay before taxes and deductions.

Choose how often you are paid to see per-period results.

Use your estimated effective rate, not your marginal bracket.

Optional. Enter 0 if your state has no income tax.

Optional. City or local income tax, if applicable.

Optional. Pre-tax 401(k)/403(b)/TSP percentage of each paycheck.

Optional. Enter pre-tax premiums, HSA/FSA taken before taxes per pay period.

Optional. After-tax items like Roth contributions or garnishments.

Tip: For the most accurate results, use your latest pay stub to estimate effective tax rates and pre/post-tax deduction amounts.

Use our Salary Calculator to quickly estimate your net pay per paycheck and annual take-home income. Enter your annual salary, pick your pay frequency, add tax rates and deductions, and see clear results in seconds.

What the Salary Calculator does

The Salary Calculator translates your annual gross salary into an estimated take-home amount for each pay period and for the full year. It applies your pre-tax deductions (like 401(k) and health premiums), calculates taxes using your effective federal, state, and local rates, and subtracts any post-tax deductions to reveal a clear net pay figure. While it does not replace full tax software or professional advice, it is ideal for budgeting, job offers, and financial planning.

Key benefits

  • Estimate take-home pay by weekly, biweekly, monthly, or yearly frequency.
  • Account for pre-tax items such as retirement contributions and health premiums.
  • Factor in effective federal, state, and local income tax rates.
  • Include post-tax deductions for a realistic paycheck view.
  • Instantly see the impact of changing contributions and tax assumptions.

How to use the Salary Calculator

  1. Enter your annual gross salary—the total before taxes and deductions.
  2. Select your pay frequency: weekly, biweekly, monthly, or yearly.
  3. Provide your effective tax rates. Your effective rate is your average tax rate after deductions and credits, not your marginal bracket.
  4. Add pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) percentage and health insurance premiums per period.
  5. Enter any post-tax deductions to reflect items taken after taxes.
  6. Submit to view net pay per period and your estimated annual take-home pay.

Understanding the calculation

The calculator starts by converting annual salary to gross pay per period based on your selected frequency. It then subtracts pre-tax deductions to arrive at taxable income per period. Next, it applies your effective federal, state, and local tax rates to calculate total taxes. Finally, it subtracts any post-tax deductions to produce your net pay per period and scales that figure to estimate your annual take-home pay.

Why use effective tax rates?

Marginal tax brackets only show the rate applied to the last dollar you earn, but your overall tax burden is best represented by an effective rate—the total tax paid divided by total taxable income. Using an effective rate helps produce a more realistic paycheck estimate when detailed withholding and credits are unknown.

Tips for more accurate results

  • Use your most recent pay stub to estimate your effective rates and deduction amounts.
  • Separate pre-tax deductions (401(k), HSA, FSA, and some health premiums) from post-tax deductions (Roth contributions, garnishments).
  • If your state has no income tax, enter 0% for the state rate.
  • Review employer benefit changes annually, as they can shift your pre-tax amounts and net pay.

Limitations and assumptions

This Salary Calculator uses straightforward percentage inputs and does not model progressive brackets, phase-outs, or all possible credits and deductions. Social Security and Medicare withholding are not automatically calculated unless you include them in your effective tax rates or post-tax deductions. For detailed planning, consult a tax professional or comprehensive tax software.

Plan your finances with confidence

Whether you are negotiating a new offer, adjusting retirement contributions, or building a budget, seeing the immediate impact on your paycheck empowers smarter decisions. Try different contribution rates and tax assumptions to understand how each variable changes your take-home pay and annual income.

FAQs

How does the Salary Calculator estimate my net pay?

It converts your annual salary to per-period pay, subtracts pre-tax deductions, applies your effective tax rates, then subtracts post-tax deductions.

What tax rate should I use in the Salary Calculator?

Use your effective tax rate from a recent return or pay stub, not your marginal bracket, for a more realistic estimate.

Can the Salary Calculator handle pre-tax benefits?

Yes. Enter a 401(k) percentage and pre-tax health premiums per period to reduce taxable income before taxes are applied.

Does the Salary Calculator include Social Security and Medicare?

They are not auto-calculated. You can approximate them by increasing your effective tax rate or adding them as post-tax deductions.

Is the Salary Calculator accurate for all states?

It’s an estimate. Enter your state and local effective rates to improve accuracy, as rules vary by state and locality.

What is the difference between pre-tax and post-tax in the Salary Calculator?

Pre-tax deductions reduce taxable income; post-tax deductions are taken after taxes from your net pay.

Can I use the Salary Calculator for hourly wages?

Yes. Multiply your hourly rate by expected annual hours to get annual salary, then input that figure.

Will the Salary Calculator help compare job offers?

Yes. Enter each offer’s salary and benefits assumptions to compare take-home pay across different scenarios.