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Net Pay Calculator

Net pay equals gross pay minus federal tax, state tax, Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). A worker earning $2,884.62 gross per biweekly paycheck with a 22% federal rate and 5% state rate takes home an estimated $2,106 per paycheck. Enter your gross pay per period and tax rates below for a per-paycheck breakdown.

Quick Answer

On a gross biweekly paycheck of $2,884.62 with a 22% federal rate and 5% state rate, estimated net pay is approximately $2,106 per paycheck, or about $54,752 per year.

Common Examples

Input Result
$2,884.62 biweekly, 22% federal, 5% state Estimated $2,106 per paycheck
$1,000 weekly, 12% federal, 3% state Estimated $773 per paycheck
$6,250 monthly, 24% federal, 6% state Estimated $4,012 per paycheck
$5,000 semimonthly, 22% federal, 5% state Estimated $3,618 per paycheck
$3,000 biweekly, 15% federal, 0% state Estimated $2,321 per paycheck

How It Works

This calculator estimates net (take-home) pay per paycheck using effective tax rates and standard FICA rates.

Net Pay = Gross Pay - Federal Tax - State Tax - FICA - Pre-tax Deductions

Where:

  • Federal Tax = (gross annual - pre-tax deductions) x effective federal rate
  • State Tax = (gross annual - pre-tax deductions) x effective state rate
  • FICA = Social Security (6.2% of gross up to $168,600) + Medicare (1.45% of all gross)
  • Gross annual = gross per period x number of periods per year

Pre-tax deductions (401(k), HSA) reduce federal and state taxable income but do not reduce FICA wages. The calculator annualizes gross pay first, computes all taxes on the annual figure, then divides back to get the per-period amounts.

Worked example

For a $2,884.62 biweekly gross paycheck with a 22% federal rate, 5% state rate, and no pre-tax deductions: Gross annual = $2,884.62 x 26 = $75,000.12. Federal tax = $75,000.12 x 0.22 = $16,500.03. State tax = $75,000.12 x 0.05 = $3,750.01. Social Security = $75,000.12 x 0.062 = $4,650.01. Medicare = $75,000.12 x 0.0145 = $1,087.50. Total annual deductions = $25,987.55. Estimated annual net pay = $49,012.57. Per biweekly paycheck = $49,012.57 / 26 = approximately $1,885.10.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is net pay?
Net pay is the amount you receive after all deductions are subtracted from your gross pay. It is sometimes called take-home pay. Deductions typically include federal income tax, state income tax, Social Security tax, Medicare tax, and any pre-tax contributions like 401(k) or HSA.
What is an effective tax rate?
Your effective tax rate is the average rate at which your income is taxed. It equals your total tax bill divided by your total income. Because the US uses progressive brackets, the effective rate is typically lower than your marginal bracket. You can find your effective rate on last year's tax return.
How is this different from the paycheck calculator?
The paycheck calculator starts with your annual salary and uses federal tax brackets to compute withholding. This net pay calculator starts with your gross pay per period and uses effective (average) tax rates you provide. Both produce per-paycheck estimates, but this one gives you more direct control over the tax rates applied.
Do pre-tax deductions reduce FICA taxes?
No. Pre-tax deductions like 401(k) and HSA contributions reduce your federal and state taxable income, but FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare) are calculated on gross wages before those deductions are applied.
Why is this only an estimate?
This calculator uses simplified effective tax rates and standard FICA rates. Your actual paycheck may differ because of tax credits, itemized deductions, additional Medicare tax on high earners, local taxes, and your employer's specific withholding method.