California Paycheck Calculator

California has its own tax brackets, on top of the federal ones. This calculator works your California tax out with simplified 2026 brackets, and says so next to the number — it is an estimate, not the exact figure your employer uses. Put in your pay below and this California paycheck calculator shows your take-home pay in California.

Example filled in: $60,000 a year, single, in California. Change any number below to run your own pay.

State: California. California state tax is worked out here with simplified 2026 California brackets (estimate). Check another state →

Your pay

Pay type Choose whether you are paid a yearly salary or an hourly wage. Annual salary ($) Annual salary, in dollars ($) — your pay before tax. Hourly wage ($) Hourly wage, in dollars ($) per hour — only used if you picked hourly wage above. Hours per week Hours you work each week — usually 40.

Tax details

Filing status How you file your federal tax — it sets your standard deduction. Pay frequency How often you get paid — it sets how many paychecks a year you get.

Deductions

401(k) % Percent (%) of each paycheck that goes to your 401(k). Health premium per pay period ($) Health premium, in dollars ($) per pay period — taken out before tax.

How to use this calculator

Enter your gross pay.
Choose filing status and pay frequency — your state is already set to California.
Add pre-tax deductions (401(k) and health).
The California paycheck calculator subtracts federal withholding, FICA, and state tax, then shows take-home pay per period and per year.

Formula

Taxable income = gross pay − 401(k) − health premiums − standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 married filing jointly in 2026). Federal tax is calculated from simplified 2026 brackets. FICA = 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 + 1.45% Medicare (+0.9% over $200,000). Health premiums are exempt from FICA; 401(k) contributions are not.

Worked example — $60,000 in California

$60,000 salary, single, biweekly, 5% 401(k), $120 health per period, California (2026 FTB brackets + 1.3% SDI): gross $2,307.69 − federal $164.83 − FICA $167.36 − 401(k) $115.38 − health $120.00 − state tax $52.46 − CA SDI $30.00 = $1,657.66 take-home per pay period ($43,099.16 per year). That is your California take home pay on $60,000 — verified in the calculator on this page.

Want the same check somewhere else? The same $60,000 in Texas comes to $1,740.12 a paycheck. Try the Texas Paycheck Calculator, or pick any state on the By State page.

Frequently asked questions

Why is California take-home lower than Texas?

California takes state income tax, and Texas does not. On the same $60,000, single, paid every two weeks, California takes $52.46 a period in state tax plus $30.00 in disability insurance (SDI), so take-home is $1,657.66 in California against $1,740.12 in Texas.

Is the California number exact?

No. California's real brackets have more steps and more detail than the simplified 2026 brackets used here. Your employer works from the state's tables and your W-4, so your real paycheck can be a little different.

Does this include California disability insurance (SDI)?

No. California takes State Disability Insurance out of paychecks separately, and it is not in this calculator. Your real take-home may be a little lower than the number shown here.

How much tax is taken out of my paycheck in California?

On $60,000 a year, single, paid every two weeks, with 5% going to a 401(k) and $120 a paycheck for health cover: $164.83 federal tax, $167.36 Social Security and Medicare, $52.46 California state tax and $30.00 disability insurance (SDI) — $414.65 in tax altogether each paycheck, before the 401(k) and health cover. Put in your own pay above to see your number.

Where can I find a California paycheck calculator after tax?

Right here — put in your pay above and this calculator shows your take-home pay after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, 401(k) and health cover, with California state tax worked out from simplified 2026 brackets.

Sources and 2026 figures. IRS Publication 15-T; IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32. Standard deduction 2026: $16,100 single / $32,200 married filing jointly. Social Security wage base 2026: $184,500. Social Security 6.2%, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% over $200,000). Results are estimates, not tax advice.

Estimate, not tax advice. This calculator uses simplified 2026 tables for illustration. Verify your withholding with IRS Publication 15-T and a tax professional.