California · 2026
California hourly paycheck calculator
Enter your hourly wage and hours to see what lands in your account each payday in California, after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare and California state income tax. Paid a salary instead? Use the California paycheck calculator.
Take-home pay per paycheck (every two weeks)
$1,620
$2,000 gross · $20 an hour after tax · $52,000 a year before tax
- Federal income tax
- −$156
- Social Security and Medicare (FICA)
- −$153
- California state income tax
- −$45
- California SDI
- −$26
Hourly wage after tax in California
40 hours a week, no overtime, single filer.
| Hourly wage | Per year (gross) | Weekly take-home | Biweekly take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12/hr | $24,960 | $418 | $835 |
| $15/hr | $31,200 | $511 | $1,023 |
| $18/hr | $37,440 | $602 | $1,203 |
| $20/hr | $41,600 | $662 | $1,324 |
| $22/hr | $45,760 | $722 | $1,444 |
| $25/hr | $52,000 | $810 | $1,620 |
| $30/hr | $62,400 | $956 | $1,912 |
| $35/hr | $72,800 | $1,086 | $2,173 |
| $40/hr | $83,200 | $1,207 | $2,414 |
| $50/hr | $104,000 | $1,446 | $2,892 |
Questions
How much is $20 an hour after taxes in California?
Working 40 hours a week at $20 an hour ($41,600 a year), you take home about $662 a week, or $1,324 every two weeks, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and California state income tax.
Does California have a state income tax?
Yes. California taxes wages with a graduated income tax, which this calculator includes along with federal income tax and FICA.
How is overtime calculated?
Hours over 40 in a week are paid at one and a half times your hourly rate for non-exempt workers under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Enter those hours in the overtime box; some states also require daily overtime, which isn't modelled here.
Why might my real paycheck differ?
This spreads the year's tax evenly across paychecks for a single filer taking the standard deduction. Your employer's withholding uses your W-4 and IRS tables, and 401(k), health insurance or other pre-tax deductions lower both your taxable pay and your take-home.
California has the highest top marginal rate in the country, including the 1% Mental Health Services Tax on taxable income above $1,000,000. Includes State Disability Insurance (SDI) at 1.3%, uncapped since 2024 — a mandatory payroll deduction as real as FICA, funding short-term disability and paid family leave. California has no local income tax.