California Hourly Paycheck Calculator: After-Tax Pay by Wage (2026)
Estimate your after-tax hourly paycheck in California based on federal income tax, California state income tax, and payroll deductions. Enter your hourly wage to see hourly, weekly, biweekly, monthly, and annual take-home pay.
On this page: Reference table · Calculator · Tax breakdown · Common wages · How it works · Compare states · FAQs
California hourly paycheck after taxes: weekly and biweekly estimates (2026)
The table uses 2026 federal single-filer rules, employee FICA, California EDD Method B annual PIT withholding for a single worker with zero allowances, and the 2026 1.3% SDI rate. It is a paycheck estimate, not a final tax-return calculation.
| Hourly Rate | Annual Gross | Weekly Take-Home | Biweekly Take-Home | Monthly Take-Home | Annual Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $13/hour | $27,040 | ~$446 | ~$891 | ~$1,932 | ~$23,178 |
| $15/hour | $31,200 | ~$508 | ~$1,016 | ~$2,200 | ~$26,405 |
| $16/hour | $33,280 | ~$538 | ~$1,076 | ~$2,331 | ~$27,974 |
| $18/hour | $37,440 | ~$598 | ~$1,195 | ~$2,590 | ~$31,080 |
| $20/hour | $41,600 | ~$657 | ~$1,315 | ~$2,849 | ~$34,185 |
| $22/hour | $45,760 | ~$717 | ~$1,434 | ~$3,108 | ~$37,291 |
| $25/hour | $52,000 | ~$805 | ~$1,609 | ~$3,487 | ~$41,842 |
| $27/hour | $56,160 | ~$863 | ~$1,725 | ~$3,738 | ~$44,856 |
| $30/hour | $62,400 | ~$950 | ~$1,899 | ~$4,115 | ~$49,377 |
| $35/hour | $72,800 | ~$1,078 | ~$2,157 | ~$4,673 | ~$56,072 |
| $40/hour | $83,200 | ~$1,197 | ~$2,395 | ~$5,189 | ~$62,269 |
| $50/hour | $104,000 | ~$1,433 | ~$2,866 | ~$6,209 | ~$74,504 |
Sources: IRS 2026 tax adjustments, IRS Publication 15, California EDD 2026 Method B withholding schedules, and EDD 2026 SDI rate. Actual withholding depends on DE 4/W-4 elections and deductions.
File your California taxes after you calculate
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California Hourly Paycheck Tax Calculator
Calculate your hourly take-home pay in California after federal income tax, California state income tax, and payroll deductions.
More California tools: California tax calculator hub · U.S. hourly paycheck calculator · All state calculators
California hourly paycheck calculator
Estimates include 2026 federal income tax + employee FICA + California PIT withholding + 1.3% SDI. California PIT uses the EDD Method B annual schedule for a single worker with zero withholding allowances.
Your actual pay stub can differ because of DE 4/W-4 elections, credits, benefits, pre-tax deductions, overtime treatment, and employer payroll timing.
Filing California taxes later? TurboTax↗ handles federal and California returns. Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
This calculator provides an estimate based on simplified tax rules. Actual take-home pay may vary depending on deductions, filing status, and benefits.
Next: More California tax calculators · All U.S. paycheck tax calculators · Browse all states
California paycheck tax breakdown: what is modeled in 2026
| Tax/deduction | 2026 treatment in this calculator |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 2026 single-filer brackets after the $16,100 standard deduction |
| Social Security | 6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base |
| Medicare | 1.45% of wages; the shared 2026 model also applies 0.9% Additional Medicare withholding above $200,000 of wages |
| California PIT withholding | EDD 2026 Method B annual schedule, single/zero allowances |
| California SDI | 1.3% of wages; no taxable wage ceiling for 2026 |
California EDD's Method B is a withholding method, so the PIT amount is an estimate of payroll withholding rather than a promise of final California income-tax liability. A DE 4 election can change withholding, and tax credits or deductions can change the amount ultimately owed or refunded.
California paycheck example: $20/hour
- Gross annual pay: $41,600
- Estimated federal income tax: ~$2,812
- Employee FICA: ~$3,182
- Estimated California PIT withholding: ~$880
- California SDI at 1.3%: ~$541
- Estimated annual take-home: ~$34,185 (~$657/week)
California sources: 2026 Method B schedules and 2026 payroll tax rates.
Common California hourly wage take-home estimates
These use the same 2026 assumptions as the calculator: single filer, 40 hours/week, federal income tax, employee FICA, EDD Method B PIT withholding with zero allowances, and 1.3% SDI.
How much is $13 an hour after taxes in California?
$27,040 gross/year estimates to about $23,178 take-home, or $446/week and $891 biweekly.
How much is $15 an hour after taxes in California?
$31,200 gross/year estimates to about $26,405 take-home, or $508/week and $1,016 biweekly.
How much is $18 an hour after taxes in California?
$37,440 gross/year estimates to about $31,080 take-home, or $598/week and $1,195 biweekly.
How much is $20 an hour after taxes in California?
$41,600 gross/year estimates to about $34,185 take-home, or $657/week and $1,315 biweekly.
How much is $25 an hour after taxes in California?
$52,000 gross/year estimates to about $41,842 take-home, or $805/week and $1,609 biweekly.
How much is $30 an hour after taxes in California?
$62,400 gross/year estimates to about $49,377 take-home, or $950/week and $1,899 biweekly.
California biweekly paycheck after taxes: common wages
- $13/hour: ~$891
- $15/hour: ~$1,016
- $18/hour: ~$1,195
- $20/hour: ~$1,315
- $23/hour: ~$1,493
- $25/hour: ~$1,609
- $30/hour: ~$1,899
How the California hourly paycheck estimate works
The calculator annualizes hourly wage × weekly hours × 52 and applies four employee-side layers:
- 2026 federal income-tax estimate for a single filer after the $16,100 standard deduction.
- Employee Social Security and Medicare.
- California PIT withholding using the 2026 EDD Method B annual schedule for single/zero allowances.
- California SDI at 1.3% of wages.
EDD Method B explicitly uses payroll period, filing status, withholding allowances, a standard deduction, and exemption allowance credits. Because this calculator does not ask for a DE 4, it uses a consistent zero-allowance baseline. Use the result to compare wages, not as a substitute for an employer payroll system or tax return.
Why California take-home differs from Texas or Florida
Texas and Florida do not impose individual income tax and do not have California's employee SDI deduction. Under the same baseline, $20/hour is about $35,606/year after federal + FICA in Texas/Florida versus about $34,185/year in California — a difference of about $1,420.
See California's 2026 Method B instructions for the withholding methodology.
Compare California take-home pay to other states
Take-home pay can differ a lot by state because state income tax rules vary. Compare California to common alternatives:
- Texas hourly paycheck calculator (no state income tax)
- Florida hourly paycheck calculator (no state income tax)
- Washington take-home pay calculator
- New York take-home pay calculator
- Compare take-home pay by state (side-by-side tool)
- Best states for take-home pay (ranked)
Wondering how salary and hourly pay are taxed differently in California? See our salary vs. hourly tax comparison.
California hourly paycheck calculator: FAQs
How much is $20 an hour after taxes in California?
At 40 hours/week, $20/hour is $41,600 gross per year. Under this calculator's 2026 assumptions, estimated take-home is about $34,185/year, $657/week, or $1,315 biweekly.
How much tax does California take out of an hourly paycheck?
There is no single percentage. A California employee can have federal income-tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, California PIT withholding, and SDI. For 2026, EDD lists the SDI withholding rate at 1.3%.
What California withholding method does this calculator use?
For California PIT, it uses the 2026 EDD Method B annual schedule with a single-filer, zero-allowance baseline. Method B is designed for payroll withholding; your DE 4 choices can produce a different amount.
How much is $15 an hour after taxes in California?
At 40 hours/week, $15/hour is $31,200 gross per year and estimates to about $26,405/year, or $508/week, after the modeled federal, FICA, California PIT withholding, and SDI amounts.
Is hourly pay taxed differently than salary in California?
The same underlying federal and California tax systems apply to wage income, but payroll withholding depends on pay period and withholding elections. Hourly workers can also have variable gross pay from changing hours or overtime.
How does California compare to Texas for hourly take-home pay?
Texas has no individual income tax and no California-style SDI deduction. At $20/hour under this site's standard assumptions, Texas estimates to about $35,606/year versus about $34,185/year in California, a difference of roughly $1,420/year.
Does this include deductions and benefits?
No. The calculator models the tax items described above. Employer benefits, 401(k) contributions, health premiums, garnishments, credits, and other deductions can change your actual paycheck.
Is this calculator free?
Yes. All AfterTaxTools calculators are free with no signup required. For filing, FreeTaxUSA is an affiliate option for federal and California returns.