California Hourly Paycheck Calculator
Your hourly rate and hours in, your take-home pay out. Overtime is paid at 1.5× your rate; tips you report are taxed like wages.
= $660.63 a week · $2,862.72 a month · $34,352.66 a year
Gross pay$1,600.00$41,600.00
Your pay before anything is taken out: yearly pay divided by the 26 paychecks in a year (hourly pay is a week's pay × 52, spread the same way).
Federal income tax · withheld−$108.15−$2,812.00
Worked out from your pay and your Form W-4 with the IRS percentage method (Worksheet 1A): yearly pay, minus the allowance for your filing status, into the 2026 annual table, minus W-4 credits, divided by paychecks. Each line, for this paycheck:
| Pay subject to income tax, for the year · $1,600.00 × 26 paychecks | $41,600.00 |
| Minus the IRS withholding allowance · Pub 15-T Worksheet 1A, line 1g | −$8,600.00 |
| Adjusted yearly wage | $33,000.00 |
| Tax from the IRS yearly table · standard table | $2,812.00 |
| Federal income tax per paycheck · divided by 26 | $108.15 |
IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Worksheet 1A - the percentage method payroll software uses for a Form W-4 from 2020 or later. Your employer's figure can differ by a few cents because of rounding.
Adjusted yearly wage: $33,000.00, so this row applies:
| Over | Not over | Base tax | + rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | $7,500 | $0.00 | 0% |
| $7,500 | $19,900 | $0.00 | 10% |
| $19,900 | $57,900 | $1,240.00 | 12% Your row |
| $57,900 | $113,200 | $5,800.00 | 22% |
| $113,200 | $209,275 | $17,966.00 | 24% |
| $209,275 | $263,725 | $41,024.00 | 32% |
| $263,725 | $648,100 | $58,448.00 | 35% |
| $648,100 | - | $192,979.25 | 37% |
$1,240.00 + 12% × ($33,000.00 − $19,900.00) = $2,812.00
Source: IRS Publication 15-T (2026) · checked Sep 21, 2026
Social Security (6.2%)−$99.20−$2,579.20
6.2% of your pay (after pre-tax benefits, not after 401(k)) up to $184,500 of pay in 2026. Once your pay for the year passes that, it stops until January. Stubs often call it OASDI or FICA.
Source: Social Security Administration - 2026 wage base · checked Sep 21, 2026
Medicare (1.45%)−$23.20−$603.20
1.45% of all your pay, with no yearly limit, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare on pay above $200,000 in the year.
Source: IRS Publication 15 (2026) · checked Sep 21, 2026
California income tax · withheld−$27.39−$712.14
1.1% to 14.63% withholding rates. Worked out with California's official 2026 withholding tables, step by step:
| Pay subject to California tax this paycheck · after pre-tax 401(k) and health benefits | $1,600.00 |
| Minus California standard deduction · single or married with two or more incomes, EDD Table 3 | −$219.00 |
| California taxable income | $1,381.00 |
| Tax from the EDD rate table · $17.54 + 4.4% of the amount over $1,010 | $33.86 |
| Minus allowance credit · 1 regular allowance, EDD Table 4 | −$6.47 |
| California income tax this paycheck · EDD Method B | $27.39 |
California taxable income: $1,381.00, so this row applies:
| Over | Not over | Base tax | + rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | $426 | $0.00 | 1.1% |
| $426 | $1,010 | $4.69 | 2.2% |
| $1,010 | $1,594 | $17.54 | 4.4% Your row |
| $1,594 | $2,214 | $43.24 | 6.6% |
| $2,214 | $2,798 | $84.16 | 8.8% |
| $2,798 | $14,288 | $135.55 | 10.23% |
| $14,288 | $17,146 | $1,310.98 | 11.33% |
| … 3 more rows | |||
$17.54 + 4.4% × ($1,381.00 − $1,010.00) = $33.86
Source: California EDD - 2026 Withholding Schedules, Method B – Exact Calculation Method · checked Oct 16, 2026
CA SDI (disability and paid family leave) · 1.3%, no wage limit−$20.80−$540.80
CA SDI (disability and paid family leave): an employee-paid California payroll program, taken as a share of your pay (1.3%, no wage limit).
Source: California EDD - 2026 Withholding Schedules, Method B – Exact Calculation Method · checked Oct 16, 2026
Built by Ashish Hirpara · figures from IRS and state publications · sources · corrections
Hourly pay in California
California's minimum wage is $16.90 an hour from January 1, 2026. There is no lower tipped wage: tips can't count toward the minimum. Some cities and counties set a higher minimum, and there are higher minimums for fast food workers and certain health care workers.
Overtime. Time-and-a-half for hours over 8 in a workday (up to 12) and over 40 in a workweek, and for the first 8 hours on a seventh day in a row. Double time for hours over 12 in a workday and over 8 on that seventh day. Some jobs are exempt or follow special rules.
SDI on every hour. SDI is 1.3% of your wages with no cap, so overtime and extra shifts raise it along with your pay.
Minimum wage after taxes in California
At California's minimum wage of $16.90 an hour (since January 1, 2026), a full-time worker takes home about $1,136.13 every two weeks - $29,539 a year, or $14.20 for each hour worked after tax. It rises to $17.40 on January 1, 2027; see what each state's raise adds after tax.
| Minimum wage, $16.90/hour | Gross per paycheck | Take-home per paycheck | Take-home a year | After tax per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 hours a week | $1,352.00 | $1,136.13 | $29,539 | $14.20 |
| 30 hours a week | $1,014.00 | $877.43 | $22,813 | $14.62 |
| 20 hours a week | $676.00 | $609.82 | $15,855 | $15.25 |
Paid every two weeks, single filer, standard W-4, no benefits. There's no lower cash wage for tipped workers here. Every state's figures: minimum wage after taxes by state.
Take-home at common hourly rates in California
Full time (40 hours a week), paid every two weeks, single filer with a standard W-4 and no benefits. The last column is what you keep for each hour worked.
| Hourly rate | Take-home per paycheck | Take-home a year | Kept per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $1,022.02 | $26,572 | $12.78 |
| $16.90 (minimum wage) | $1,136.13 | $29,539 | $14.20 |
| $18 | $1,201.82 | $31,247 | $15.02 |
| $20 | $1,321.26 | $34,353 | $16.52 |
| $22 | $1,440.70 | $37,458 | $18.01 |
| $25 | $1,615.74 | $42,009 | $20.20 |
| $30 | $1,905.54 | $49,544 | $23.82 |
Part time and overtime at $20 an hour in California
Every two weeks, single filer, standard W-4. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times the rate. More hours mean a larger share is withheld, because withholding is worked out as if each paycheck were repeated all year.
| Hours a week | Gross per paycheck | Take-home per paycheck | Kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours | $800.00 | $708.69 | 89% |
| 30 hours | $1,200.00 | $1,022.02 | 85% |
| 40 hours | $1,600.00 | $1,321.26 | 83% |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,900.00 | $1,543.29 | 81% |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $2,200.00 | $1,760.64 | 80% |
Because hours change from week to week, your withholding changes too: a week with lots of overtime is withheld as if you earned that much every week, so more comes out. It usually evens out when you file your return.
Tips and overtime in 2026
New federal deductions apply for 2025 through 2028: up to $25,000 for qualified tips, and up to $12,500 ($25,000 for joint filers) for the extra "half" of time-and-a-half overtime. Both phase out above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint).
These are deductions on your tax return. Your employer still takes Social Security and Medicare out of tips and overtime, and still withholds income tax unless you tell it otherwise. If you expect to claim them, you can put the expected amount in Step 4(b) of your W-4 (and in the Step 4(b) box above) so less income tax is withheld during the year.
Every line that comes out of a California paycheck, with its official source, is set out on the California paycheck calculator.
More for California
Paycheck calculator · Hourly · Salary · Bonus tax · Rent you can afford · Employer payroll taxes · DE 4 allowances guide · CA SDI explained · Daily overtime rules
Other tools: What changed for 2026 · Hourly to salary · Salary to hourly · Overtime · Raise · Net to gross · Compare two states · All state tax rates · How California ranks on $75,000 · Pay stub checker · W-4 guide
Other states: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
Sources
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods - Worksheet 1A and the annual percentage-method tables
- IRS Publication 15 (2026), Employer's Tax Guide - Social Security and Medicare rates
- Social Security Administration - 2026 wage base of $184,500
- IRS - tips and overtime deductions
- California EDD - 2026 Withholding Schedules, Method B – Exact Calculation Method - Tables 1–28; worked examples A–F
- California EDD - Contribution rates and benefit amounts - 2026: SDI 1.3%, no taxable wage ceiling (SB 951), maximum weekly benefit $1,765 (checked Sep 27, 2026)
- California EDD - Disability Insurance benefits - 70–90% of wages from 5–18 months before the claim; $50 to $1,765 a week for up to 52 weeks (checked Sep 27, 2026)
- California EDD - Paid Family Leave - up to 8 weeks in a 12-month period to bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill family member or support a military deployment; $50–$1,765 a week (checked Sep 27, 2026)
- California EDD - Contribution rates, withholding schedules, and meals and lodging values - no DE 4 → single, zero allowances
- California EDD - Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate (DE 4, Rev. 56 (1-26)) - Worksheet A: yourself, spouse (if not claimed by your spouse), blindness for each, dependents → line 1a; Worksheet B: one allowance per $1,000 or fraction of deductions over $5,706 / $11,412 → line 1b; claim all allowances with the highest-paying job; no DE 4 → single, zero allowances (checked Sep 27, 2026); filing statuses; line 1a regular and 1b estimated-deduction allowances
- California EDD - Tax-rated employers - SDI withholding rate for 2026 is 1.3%; all wages subject since January 1, 2024
- California EDD - California Employer's Guide 2026 (DE 44) - SDI rate covers disability and paid family leave; no SDI taxable wage limit; p. 18 (Rev. 52, 4-26): supplemental wages paid with regular wages must be combined; paid separately, either the combined (aggregate) method or a flat 10.23% on bonuses and stock options, 6.6% on other types, with no allowances
- California EDD - Types of Payments (DE 231TP) - 401(k) deferrals: SDI yes, PIT no; section 125 benefits generally not subject; HSA contributions subject to PIT withholding
- California Labor Commissioner - Minimum wage FAQ - $16.90 from January 1, 2026; tips can't be credited toward the minimum wage
- California Labor Commissioner - Overtime FAQ - 1.5× over 8 hours a day and 40 a week; 2× over 12 hours a day
- California Labor Commissioner - Paydays, pay periods, and final wages - at least twice a month; final pay immediately if fired, within 72 hours if you quit without notice
- California Labor Commissioner - Waiting time penalty - daily wage for each day late, up to 30 days
- California Labor Commissioner - How to file a wage claim
Questions
What is minimum wage after taxes in California?
At $16.90 an hour for 40 hours a week, about $1,136.13 every two weeks and $29,539 a year after federal and state taxes, Social Security and Medicare (single filer, standard W-4).
What is $15 an hour after taxes in California?
Working 40 hours a week and paid every two weeks, $15 an hour is $1,200.00 before tax and about $1,022.02 after tax per paycheck - $26,572 a year - for a single filer with a standard W-4.
What is $20 an hour after taxes in California?
Working 40 hours a week and paid every two weeks, $20 an hour is $1,600.00 before tax and about $1,321.26 after tax per paycheck - $34,353 a year - for a single filer with a standard W-4.
What is $25 an hour after taxes in California?
Working 40 hours a week and paid every two weeks, $25 an hour is $2,000.00 before tax and about $1,615.74 after tax per paycheck - $42,009 a year - for a single filer with a standard W-4.
How much does 5 hours of overtime a week add at $20 an hour in California?
Five overtime hours at $30 add $300.00 of gross pay to each two-week paycheck, and about $222.03 after tax (single filer, standard W-4).