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Louisiana Paycheck Calculator

Updated for 2026 tax year · figures checked on

Louisiana has taxed income at a flat 3% since 2025, and employers withhold at 3.09% after a standard deduction. This Louisiana paycheck calculator, also a salary and take-home pay calculator, uses the state's 2026 withholding formulas alongside federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.

A single filer earning $60,000 a year, paid every two weeks, gets a $2,307.69 paycheck and takes home about $1,882.06, or $48,934 a year.

Take-home pay per bi-weekly paycheck

$1,882.06

$48,933.56 a year from $59,999.94 gross pay (26 paychecks)

  • Take-home 81.6%
  • Federal income tax 8.4%
  • Social Security 6.2%
  • Medicare 1.4%
  • State income tax 2.4%
Paycheck breakdown per paycheck and per year in Louisiana
ItemPer paycheckPer 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−$56.01−$1,456.26
Take-home pay$1,882.06$48,933.56

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

Louisiana salary calculator: what your result means

Your result is take-home pay after federal and Louisiana withholding. In the $60,000 example, federal income tax is about 8.4% of gross pay, Social Security and Medicare 7.7%, and Louisiana income tax 2.4%.

Louisiana withholding depends on one choice on Form L-4: whether you claim no standard deduction, the single amount or the larger amount for married couples and heads of household. The calculator matches it to your filing status unless you choose otherwise under More options.

At $100,000 a year you'd take home about $2,941.84 every two weeks, or $76,488 a year. A $40,000 salary paid weekly comes to about $643.89 per paycheck.

How Louisiana taxes your paycheck

Louisiana withholding at a glance
State income tax on wagesFlat 3%
State payroll programs withheld from payNone

Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue, FAQ: What are the individual income tax rates and brackets?

  • Employers withhold at 3.09% after a standard deduction of $12,875 (single or married filing separately) or $25,750 (married filing jointly, qualifying surviving spouse or head of household), spread across your paychecks.

Louisiana repealed its graduated brackets: for taxable periods beginning in 2025, income is taxed at a flat 3%. For 2026 withholding, employers subtract a standard deduction of $12,875 (single or married filing separately) or $25,750 (married filing jointly, qualifying surviving spouse or head of household), spread across the year's paychecks, and withhold 3.09% of the rest.

The 2026 L-4 no longer asks about dependents or exemptions: the standard deduction is the only adjustment.

Which deductions lower Louisiana wages

Pre-tax contributions to a qualified cafeteria plan, such as health insurance, aren't subject to Louisiana withholding. The Department of Revenue doesn't say how 401(k) deferrals are treated, so this calculator follows the federal treatment while we confirm it.

Things to know about Louisiana paychecks

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 Louisiana withholding, file a new Form L-4. You can claim 0, 1 or 2 for the standard deduction, and ask for a set amount more or less per paycheck, as long as withholding doesn't go below zero.

Health insurance and other cafeteria plan contributions lower your Louisiana withholding as well as your federal tax.

  • 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.

Louisiana payroll rules

Minimum wage
Louisiana has no state minimum wage law, so employers covered by federal law must pay the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour. (Source: US Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws (updated July 1, 2026))
Overtime
The federal overtime rule applies: time-and-a-half after 40 hours in a workweek for employees the federal law covers. (Source: US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Overtime Pay)
How often you must be paid
Employers must tell new employees at hiring how much they'll be paid, how often and by what method. (Source: Louisiana Workforce Commission, Timely Payment of Wages poster (R.S. 23:633))

For employers in Louisiana

State unemployment tax
Employers pay unemployment insurance tax on the first $7,000 of each employee's wages in 2026; new employers pay the average rate for their industry. (Source: Louisiana Workforce Commission, Louisiana Unemployment Insurance Tax Rates)
New hire reporting
Report new hires and rehires within 20 days of the employee's hire date. (Source: Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, New Hire Reporting)
State income tax withholding
Employers register for a Louisiana withholding account through LaTAP once they begin withholding. Employees use Form L-4. (Source: Louisiana Department of Revenue, FAQ: How do I register for withholding tax?)

Louisiana's final paycheck rules are in R.S. 23:631 and 23:632; we couldn't read the current statute text, so they're not summarized here yet.

Compare Louisiana with neighboring states

Take-home pay on a $60,000 salary, single filer, paid bi-weekly, no pre-tax deductions
Per paycheck
Texas$0$50,390$1,938.07
Louisiana$1,456$48,934$1,882.06
Mississippi$1,664$48,726$1,874.07
Arkansas$1,733$48,657$1,871.42

Paycheck calculators for neighboring states: Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas.

Most-searched state paycheck calculators

Louisiana paycheck FAQ

What is the Louisiana income tax rate in 2026?

A flat 3%. Employers withhold at 3.09%.

What is the Louisiana standard deduction for withholding?

$12,875 for single filers and married filing separately; $25,750 for married filing jointly, qualifying surviving spouses and heads of household.

What should I claim on Form L-4?

Most single filers claim 1 and most married couples filing jointly or heads of household claim 2. Claiming 0 means no standard deduction and more tax withheld.

What is the minimum wage in Louisiana?

Louisiana has no state minimum wage law, so covered employers pay the federal $7.25 an hour.

Do Louisiana workers pay unemployment tax?

No. Unemployment insurance is paid by employers and can't be deducted from wages.

Is overtime taxed more in Louisiana?

No. Overtime is withheld at the same 3.09% state rate; a bigger paycheck can mean more federal withholding that period.

Sources and methodology

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