Basics
What is take-home pay and how to calculate it
Take-home pay, also called net pay, is the money left over after taxes and deductions are subtracted from your gross salary. It is the amount that actually lands in your bank account on payday. When a job advert lists a salary, that is your gross pay. What you can spend is almost always lower.
Gross pay vs net pay
Gross pay is your full salary or hourly earnings before anything is removed. Net pay is what remains after deductions. The difference between the two is easy to underestimate: for many workers, 20% to 35% of gross pay disappears into taxes and contributions before they ever see it.
What gets taken out of a US paycheck
- Federal income tax — based on progressive tax brackets and your filing status, after the standard deduction.
- Social Security — 6.2% of wages up to the annual wage base (84,500 in 2026).
- Medicare — 1.45% of all wages, with an extra 0.9% on high earnings.
- State income tax — varies by state; nine states have none.
- Pre-tax contributions — such as a traditional 401(k) or health premiums, which also lower your taxable income.
A worked example (2026)
Imagine a single filer earning $75,000 with no state income tax and no 401(k). Social Security takes $4,650 and Medicare $1,088. After the $16,100 standard deduction, taxable income is $58,900, producing about $7,670 in federal income tax. Total deductions are roughly $13,400, leaving take-home pay of about $61,600 a year — or around $2,370 every two weeks. That is an effective tax rate near 18%, well below the 22% top bracket, because only the top slice of income is taxed at 22%.
Calculate yours instantly
Rather than doing this by hand, use our take-home pay calculator. Enter your salary or hourly rate, filing status, state rate, and 401(k), and it shows your net pay per paycheck along with a full breakdown. To compare a salaried offer against contract work, try the salary to hourly converter.
Frequently asked questions
Is take-home pay the same as net pay?
Yes. Take-home pay and net pay both mean your earnings after all taxes and deductions.
Why did my take-home pay change mid-year?
Common reasons include hitting the Social Security wage base, a raise pushing income into a higher bracket, or a change to your benefit contributions.
This article is educational and not tax advice. Verify figures with the IRS or a tax professional.