Enter your salary or hourly wage below to estimate your take-home pay per paycheck. The calculation happens instantly as you type, no sign-up needed.
Enter Your Pay Details
How This Payroll Calculator Works
Choose whether you are paid an annual salary or an hourly wage, enter your pay frequency, and add your estimated total tax rate. The calculator instantly shows your estimated gross pay per pay period, the estimated tax withheld, and your estimated net take-home pay, along with your annual gross and net totals.
This tool uses a single flat tax rate that you enter, so it gives a quick estimate rather than an exact paycheck figure. Your actual tax withholding depends on your filing status, location, and specific deductions, which this simplified calculator does not model.
Gross Pay vs Net Pay
Your gross pay is the total amount you earn before anything is taken out. Your net pay, often called take-home pay, is what actually lands in your bank account after taxes and other deductions are subtracted.
- Gross pay. Your salary or hourly earnings before any deductions.
- Taxes. Federal, state, and other payroll taxes withheld from each paycheck.
- Other deductions. Health insurance, retirement contributions, or other amounts your employer subtracts.
- Net pay. What remains after taxes and deductions, this is your actual take-home pay.
Why Pay Frequency Matters
The same annual salary produces a different paycheck amount depending on how often you are paid. Weekly pay means smaller, more frequent paychecks, while monthly pay means fewer, larger paychecks. Change the pay frequency field in the calculator above to see how your per-paycheck amount changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this payroll calculator free to use?
Yes, completely free with no limit on how many times you can use it, and no account is required.
Does this give me my exact paycheck amount?
No, this calculator uses a single flat tax rate you provide to give a quick estimate. Your actual paycheck depends on your specific tax bracket, filing status, state, and benefit deductions, which vary by employer and location.
What tax rate should I enter?
A reasonable starting point is your combined federal, state, and payroll tax rate from a recent pay stub. If you are unsure, many workers in the United States see a combined rate somewhere between 15% and 30% depending on income and location.
Can I use this for an hourly job with overtime?
This calculator assumes a consistent number of hours each week and does not add overtime pay automatically. For a week with overtime, you can manually increase the hourly rate field to approximate the higher blended pay for that period.