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Massachusetts Paycheck Calculator

Updated for 2026 tax year · figures checked on

Massachusetts taxes wages at a flat 5%, plus a 4% surtax on income above $1,107,750, and most workers also pay a Paid Family and Medical Leave contribution. This Massachusetts paycheck calculator, also an MA salary and take-home pay calculator, shows both next to federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.

A single filer on a $60,000 salary, paid every two weeks with one M-4 exemption, has a $2,307.69 paycheck and takes home about $1,824.36, or $47,433 a year.

Take-home pay per bi-weekly paycheck

$1,824.36

$47,433.36 a year from $59,999.94 gross pay (26 paychecks)

  • Take-home 79.1%
  • Federal income tax 8.4%
  • Social Security 6.2%
  • Medicare 1.4%
  • State income tax 4.5%
  • Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave 0.5%
Paycheck breakdown per paycheck and per year in Massachusetts
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−$103.09−$2,680.34
Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave−$10.62−$276.12
Take-home pay$1,824.36$47,433.36

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

Massachusetts salary calculator: what your result means

Your result is take-home pay after federal taxes, Massachusetts income tax and PFML. In the $60,000 example, federal income tax is about 8.4% of gross pay, Social Security and Medicare 7.7%, and Massachusetts income tax plus PFML 4.9%.

Massachusetts lets employers subtract your Social Security and Medicare (up to $2,000 a year) and your M-4 exemptions before applying the rate, so the effective state share is a little under 5%. Enter your M-4 exemptions under More options.

At $100,000 a year you'd take home about $2,847.68 every two weeks, or $74,040 a year. A $40,000 salary paid weekly comes to about $624.18 per paycheck.

How Massachusetts taxes your paycheck

Massachusetts withholding at a glance
State income tax on wagesFlat 5%
Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave0.46% employee rate of wages up to $184,500

Source: Massachusetts DOR, Circular M Income Tax Withholding Tables at 5.0%, effective January 1, 2026 (Rev. 12/25)

  • A 4% surtax applies to taxable income over $1,107,750, so withholding uses 9% on that part.
  • Employers first subtract Social Security and Medicare (up to $2,000 a year) and the value of your M-4 exemptions ($4,400 a year for one exemption).

Massachusetts has one income tax rate, 5%, for wages. Since 2023 a 4% surtax also applies to taxable income above a threshold indexed for inflation, $1,107,750 for 2026, so withholding uses 9% on the part of yearly pay above it. No Massachusetts city or town taxes wages.

Massachusetts follows the federal definition of wages for withholding, so 401(k), Section 125 health insurance, HSA and dependent care deductions lower your state taxable wages too.

Paid Family and Medical Leave contribution

In 2026 employers may withhold up to 0.18% of wages for family leave and 0.28% for medical leave, 0.46% in all, on wages up to the Social Security wage base of $184,500. Some employers pay part of it for you. PFML is figured on wages before 401(k) and cafeteria plan deductions, so those don't lower it.

Things to know about Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts withholding, file a new Form M-4. Exemptions work differently from the federal W-4: 1 for yourself (2 if you're 65 or older), 4 for a spouse, plus one per dependent, and boxes for head of household and blindness that reduce withholding further.

Federal W-4 deductions and adjustments can't be used on the M-4.

  • 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.

Massachusetts payroll rules

Minimum wage
$15.00 an hour for most employees. Tipped workers can be paid a lower service rate if tips bring them to at least $15.00. (Source: Massachusetts, Pay and recordkeeping)
Overtime
Time-and-a-half after 40 hours in a workweek. (Source: Massachusetts, Pay and recordkeeping)
How often you must be paid
Hourly employees must be paid weekly or every two weeks, within six days after the pay period ends if they worked five or six days that week, or seven days otherwise. (Source: Massachusetts, Pay and recordkeeping)
Final paycheck
If you're fired or laid off, you must be paid in full on your last day. If you quit, you're paid on the next regular payday, or by the first Saturday after you leave if there isn't one. (Source: Massachusetts, Pay and recordkeeping)

For employers in Massachusetts

State unemployment tax
Employers pay unemployment contributions on the first $15,000 of each employee's wages. New employers pay 2.42% (6.08% in construction). (Source: Massachusetts DUA, Employer contributions to unemployment)
State income tax withholding
Employers register for Massachusetts withholding through MassTaxConnect. Employees file Form M-4; without one, no exemptions apply. (Source: Massachusetts DOR, Withholding Tax Guide)

Employers with fewer than 25 covered workers don't pay the employer share of PFML but still remit the employee share.

Compare Massachusetts with neighboring states

Take-home pay on a $60,000 salary, single filer, paid bi-weekly, no pre-tax deductions
Per paycheck
New Hampshire$0$50,390$1,938.07
Vermont$1,764$48,626$1,870.24
Connecticut$2,617$47,772$1,837.40
Rhode Island$2,872$47,517$1,827.59
Massachusetts$2,956$47,433$1,824.36
New York$2,966$47,424$1,824.00

Paycheck calculators for neighboring states: Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont.

Most-searched state paycheck calculators

Massachusetts paycheck FAQ

What is the Massachusetts income tax rate in 2026?

5% on wages, plus a 4% surtax on taxable income above $1,107,750.

How much is the Massachusetts PFML deduction?

Up to 0.46% of wages in 2026, on wages up to $184,500. Some employers cover part of it.

How many exemptions should I claim on the M-4?

1 for yourself, 4 for your spouse (5 if 65 or older), and one per dependent, plus one more if a dependent will be under 12 at year end.

When do I get my final paycheck in Massachusetts?

On your last day if you're fired or laid off; on the next regular payday if you quit.

What is the minimum wage in Massachusetts?

$15.00 an hour for most employees.

Is overtime taxed more in Massachusetts?

No. Overtime is withheld at the same 5% state 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 . Read how our paycheck calculator works for the calculation order and its limits.