California Paycheck Calculator

Updated for 2026 tax year · figures checked on November 3, 2026

California withholds state income tax from your paycheck using graduated rates, plus State Disability Insurance (SDI) of 1.3% on all your wages. This California paycheck calculator, also a CA salary and take-home pay calculator, shows both next to federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.

A single filer earning $60,000 a year, paid every two weeks with one DE 4 allowance, has a gross paycheck of $2,307.69 and takes home about $1,838.71, or $47,806 a year.

Annual salary

Pay frequency

Filing status (W-4 Step 1(c))

Take-home pay per bi-weekly paycheck

$1,838.71

$47,806.46 a year from $59,999.94 gross pay (26 paychecks)

Take-home 79.7%
Federal income tax 8.4%
Social Security 6.2%
Medicare 1.4%
State income tax 3.0%
California SDI (disability and paid family leave) 1.3%

Paycheck breakdown per paycheck and per year in California
Item	Per paycheck	Per year
Gross pay	$2,307.69	$59,999.94
Federal income tax	−$193.08	−$5,020.08
Social Security	−$143.08	−$3,720.08
Medicare	−$33.46	−$869.96
State income tax	−$69.36	−$1,803.36
California SDI (disability and paid family leave)	−$30.00	−$780.00
Take-home pay	$1,838.71	$47,806.46

How we calculated this

Estimates for informational purposes only, based on 2026 withholding rules. Your actual paycheck may differ. This is not tax advice. Report an issue

California salary calculator: what your result means

Your result is take-home pay after federal taxes, California income tax withholding and SDI. In the $60,000 example, federal income tax is about 8.4% of gross pay, Social Security and Medicare 7.7%, and California income tax plus SDI 4.3%.

California uses its own withholding certificate, the DE 4, and its own allowances. Enter your regular allowances, any estimated deduction allowances and, if you're married, whether you have two incomes under More options to match your pay stub.

At $100,000 a year you'd take home about $2,781.52 every two weeks, or $72,320 a year. Paid weekly on $40,000, it's about $637.68 per paycheck.

How California taxes your paycheck

California withholding at a glance
State income tax on wages	Graduated rates (see below)
California SDI (disability and paid family leave)	1.3% employee rate

Source: California EDD, California Withholding Schedules for 2026, Method B (Exact Calculation Method)

California withholding rates, single or two incomes schedule

over $01.1%
over $11,0792.2%
over $26,2644.4%
over $41,4526.6%
over $57,5428.8%
over $72,72410.23%
over $371,47911.33%
over $445,77112.43%
over $742,95313.53%
over $1,000,00014.63%

California withholding rates by taxable wages
Schedule	Taxable wages over	Rate
Single or two incomes	$0	1.1%
	$11,079	2.2%
	$26,264	4.4%
	$41,452	6.6%
	$57,542	8.8%
	$72,724	10.23%
	$371,479	11.33%
	$445,771	12.43%
	$742,953	13.53%
	$1,000,000	14.63%
Married (one income)	$0	1.1%
	$22,158	2.2%
	$52,528	4.4%
	$82,904	6.6%
	$115,084	8.8%
	$145,448	10.23%
	$742,958	11.33%
	$891,542	12.43%
	$1,000,000	13.53%
	$1,485,906	14.63%
Head of household	$0	1.1%
	$22,173	2.2%
	$52,530	4.4%
	$67,716	6.6%
	$83,805	8.8%
	$98,990	10.23%
	$505,208	11.33%
	$606,251	12.43%
	$1,000,000	13.53%
	$1,010,417	14.63%

Source: California EDD, California Withholding Schedules for 2026, Method B (Exact Calculation Method)

These are withholding rates from the 2026 Method B tables, applied after a standard deduction of $5,706 ($11,412 for heads of household and married employees with two or more allowances).
Each regular DE 4 allowance cuts yearly withholding by $168.30; wages at or below $18,896 a year ($37,791 in the larger column) have nothing withheld.

California's 2026 withholding schedules start at 1.1% and rise to 14.63% on income over $1,000,000, with separate tables for single filers, married couples with one income and heads of household. Employers subtract a standard deduction first, then take a fixed credit off the tax for each regular DE 4 allowance. Lower earners have nothing withheld: wages at or below the low-income exemption aren't taxed at all.

The withholding tables are set by the Employment Development Department and don't move in lockstep with the tax brackets on your return, so your refund or balance due can differ. No California city or county withholds income tax from wages.

State Disability Insurance (SDI)

SDI pays disability and paid family leave benefits and is withheld from every paycheck at 1.3% in 2026, rising to 1.4% in 2027. Since 2024 there's no wage limit, so it applies to every dollar you earn. SDI is figured on wages after Section 125 benefits, but 401(k) contributions don't lower it.

Pre-tax deductions work differently in California

A traditional 401(k) lowers your California income tax wages but not your SDI wages. Health insurance and other Section 125 benefits lower both. HSA contributions are the exception: California taxes them, so they lower your federal tax but not your California withholding or SDI.

Things to know about California paychecks

SDI has no wage cap. SDI at 1.3% applies to all your wages, so high earners pay it on every paycheck all year. (Source: California EDD, DE 44 California Employer's Guide 2026 (Rev. 52, 4-26))
HSA contributions are taxed in California. Even through a Section 125 plan, HSA contributions are subject to California income tax withholding and SDI. (Source: California EDD, DE 231TP Types of Payments and Their Taxability (Rev. 1, 6-16))
Daily overtime and double time. California pays overtime after 8 hours in a day and double time after 12, not only after 40 hours a week. (Source: California Department of Industrial Relations, Overtime Frequently Asked Questions)

Federal taxes on every paycheck

Every US paycheck has the same three federal deductions, whichever state you work in. Together, Social Security and Medicare are called FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) taxes.

Federal income tax withholding. Withholding is tax your employer takes out of each paycheck and sends to the IRS on your behalf. The amount depends on your pay and your Form W-4, using the IRS method in Publication 15-T. It is an estimate of your yearly tax; you settle the difference when you file your return.
Social Security. 6.2% of your wages, up to the wage base of $184,500 for the year. The wage base is the most pay that Social Security tax applies to.
Medicare. 1.45% of all your wages, with no limit. Once your pay from one employer passes $200,000 in a year, your employer also withholds an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on the amount above it.

Source: IRS Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide.

Ways to change your paycheck

To change California withholding, give your employer a new DE 4. Each regular allowance cuts yearly withholding by $168.30; estimated deduction allowances lower the wages taxed instead. Your federal W-4 doesn't change California withholding unless you never filed a DE 4.

Bonuses paid separately can be withheld at a flat 10.23% for California, on top of the federal supplemental rate.

Update your Form W-4. Claiming dependents, checking the Step 2 box or asking for extra withholding changes how much federal tax comes out of each paycheck. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator can help you fill it in.
Pre-tax deductions. Money you put into a traditional 401(k), an HSA or employer health insurance comes out before federal income tax, so your take-home pay drops by less than the amount you save.
Bonuses. Employers often withhold federal tax on a bonus paid separately at a flat rate. Add a bonus under More options to see it.

California payroll rules

Minimum wage: $16.90 an hour for all employers from January 1, 2026, rising to $17.40 on January 1, 2027. Some cities and counties set higher local minimums. (Source: California Department of Industrial Relations, News Release 2026-66 (2027 minimum wage))
Overtime: Time-and-a-half after 8 hours in a workday, after 40 hours in a workweek, and for the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of work; double time after 12 hours in a day and after 8 hours on the seventh day. (Source: California Department of Industrial Relations, Overtime Frequently Asked Questions)
How often you must be paid: Most employees must be paid at least twice each calendar month on regular paydays: wages earned from the 1st to the 15th by the 26th, and from the 16th to the end of the month by the 10th of the next month. (Source: California Department of Industrial Relations, Paydays, Pay Periods, and the Final Payment of Wages)
Final paycheck: If you're fired, your final wages are due immediately. If you quit with at least 72 hours' notice, they're due on your last day; without notice, within 72 hours. (Source: California Department of Industrial Relations, Paydays, Pay Periods, and the Final Payment of Wages)

For employers in California

State unemployment tax: Employers pay unemployment insurance on the first $7,000 of each employee's wages a year, with new employers at 3.4% for two to three years, plus the Employment Training Tax. These are employer taxes; SDI is the one withheld from you. (Source: California EDD, DE 44 California Employer's Guide 2026 (Rev. 52, 4-26))
New hire reporting: Report new employees to the EDD within 20 calendar days of their start-of-work date. (Source: California EDD, New Hire Reporting)
State income tax withholding: An employer becomes subject to California payroll taxes after paying more than $100 in wages in a calendar quarter and must register with the EDD within 15 days. (Source: California EDD, DE 44 California Employer's Guide 2026 (Rev. 52, 4-26))

Employers report and pay SDI, unemployment insurance and the Employment Training Tax to the EDD, and California personal income tax withholding through the same payroll returns.

Compare California with neighboring states

Take-home pay on a $60,000 salary, single filer, paid bi-weekly, no pre-tax deductions
			Per paycheck
Nevada	$0	$50,390	$1,938.07
Arizona	$1,200	$49,190	$1,891.92
California	$2,583	$47,806	$1,838.71
Oregon	$4,658	$45,732	$1,758.91

Paycheck calculators for neighboring states: Arizona, Nevada, Oregon.

Most-searched state paycheck calculators

California paycheck FAQ

How much is SDI in California in 2026?

1.3% of all wages, with no yearly cap. It rises to 1.4% in 2027.

What is the DE 4 and do I need one?

It's California's withholding allowance certificate. Without one, your employer withholds as if you're single with zero allowances, even if your federal W-4 says otherwise.

Why is my California withholding zero?

If your yearly wages are at or below the low-income exemption ($18,896 for most single filers), nothing is withheld for California income tax. SDI is still withheld.

When do I get my final paycheck in California?

Immediately if you're fired; on your last day if you quit with 72 hours' notice; otherwise within 72 hours of quitting.

What is the minimum wage in California?

$16.90 an hour in 2026 and $17.40 from January 1, 2027, with higher local minimums in some cities.

Is overtime taxed more in California?

No. Overtime is taxed at the same rates as your other wages, and SDI applies at the same rate. A larger paycheck can mean more withholding that period.

Sources and methodology

Every rate and limit on this page comes from the official sources below, checked on 2026-11-03. Read how our paycheck calculator works for the calculation order and its limits.