How to use the Washington paycheck calculator
- Enter your pay. Choose Salary or Hourly, type the amount, and pick how often you are paid.
- Copy your Form W-4. Select your filing status and fill in Steps 2, 3 and 4 the way they are on the form your employer has. Washington has no state withholding form to add.
- Add your deductions. Type the 401(k) contribution and health premium for one paycheck. The result shows each federal tax, PFML and WA Cares premiums and a Washington income tax line of $0.00.
What is the Washington paycheck calculator?
The Washington paycheck calculator is a tool that turns gross pay into take-home pay for someone who works in Washington. Washington does not tax wages. The Department of Revenue says the state "does not impose a personal income tax," so there is no state withholding form and no state income tax line. Two state programs do take a premium from each paycheck: Paid Family and Medical Leave and the WA Cares Fund for long-term care.
That leaves three federal taxes and 2 state premiums on a Washington paycheck: federal income tax, Social Security tax, Medicare tax, WA Paid Family and Medical Leave and WA Cares Fund (long-term care). The calculator works out the federal taxes with the 2026 method in IRS Publication 15-T and shows each line on its own. To compare Washington with states that do tax wages, see income tax by state.
Features
- A Washington income tax line of $0.00, with the source of that rule named on this page
- WA Paid Family and Medical Leave at 0.8071% of wages up to $184,500
- WA Cares Fund (long-term care) at 0.58% of wages, with no wage cap
- Salary and hourly pay, with overtime hours at a multiplier you set
- Weekly, biweekly, twice-a-month and monthly pay periods
- Every step of the 2020-and-later Form W-4
- Federal income tax from the 2026 IRS percentage method tables
- Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base, Medicare and Additional Medicare Tax
- 401(k) and health premium deductions taken before tax
- The withholding worksheet shown step by step
- A PDF report of your inputs and every result line, to save or share on WhatsApp
Washington paycheck taxes in 2026
| Tax or deduction | Rate | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 0% to 37% of the adjusted annual wage, by Form W-4 | Internal Revenue Service |
| Social Security | 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 | Social Security Administration and IRS |
| Medicare | 1.45% of all wages | Internal Revenue Service |
| Additional Medicare Tax | 0.9% of wages above $200,000 in the year | Internal Revenue Service |
| Washington income tax on wages | None | Washington State Department of Revenue |
| WA Paid Family and Medical Leave | 0.8071% of wages up to $184,500 | Employment Security Department |
| WA Cares Fund (long-term care) | 0.58% of wages, with no wage cap | RCW 50B.04.080; WA Cares Fund |
| City or county income tax | None | Washington State Department of Revenue |
| State unemployment tax taken from employee pay | None: the employer pays it | Employment Security Department |
The two premiums are the only state deductions on a Washington paycheck. Together they take 1.3871% of wages until wages pass $184,500 in the year, when the PFML premium stops and WA Cares continues.
Seattle's payroll expense tax is paid by businesses. The City of Seattle says the law specifically stops employers from withholding it from employees, so it never appears on a paycheck.
Washington take-home pay by salary
The table shows 2026 take-home pay in Washington for a single filer paid every two weeks, with no other entries on Form W-4 and no pre-tax deductions.
| Salary | Federal income tax | Social Security and Medicare | PFML and WA Cares | Take-home pay per year | Per paycheck (every two weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,420 | $2,295 | $416 | $25,869 | $994.96 |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $694 | $41,661 | $1,602.38 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $1,040 | $60,552 | $2,328.93 |
| $98,141 | $12,761 | $7,508 | $1,361 | $76,511 | $2,942.72 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $1,387 | $77,793 | $2,992.03 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $2,081 | $111,710 | $4,296.56 |
The $98,141 row is Washington's median household income in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020-2024 five-year American Community Survey. A single filer paid that amount as a salary takes home $76,511 a year, or $2,942.72 every two weeks, after $1,361 in PFML and WA Cares premiums.
Washington take-home pay by hourly wage
The table shows a 40-hour week for a single filer paid weekly. The first row is the Washington minimum wage of $17.13, the rate for workers 16 and over.
| Hourly wage | Gross pay per week (40 hours) | Federal taxes per week | PFML and WA Cares per week | Take-home pay per week | Take-home pay per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $17.13 | $685.20 | $92.72 | $9.50 | $582.98 | $30,315 |
| $20.00 | $800.00 | $115.28 | $11.10 | $673.62 | $35,029 |
| $25.00 | $1,000.00 | $154.58 | $13.87 | $831.55 | $43,241 |
| $30.00 | $1,200.00 | $193.88 | $16.65 | $989.47 | $51,453 |
| $40.00 | $1,600.00 | $304.59 | $22.19 | $1,273.22 | $66,207 |
| $50.00 | $2,000.00 | $423.19 | $27.74 | $1,549.07 | $80,551 |
At $17.13 an hour, a 40-hour week pays $685.20 before tax and $582.98 after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare and $9.50 in PFML and WA Cares premiums.
Why Washington has no state income tax
The Department of Revenue's own page on the subject says the state does not impose a personal income tax. With nothing to withhold, the state publishes no withholding guide, no withholding formula and no employee withholding certificate.
Washington does tax one kind of personal income: long-term capital gains above a yearly deduction, at 7% and 9.9% on the largest gains. That tax is paid with a return, not withheld from wages, so it never affects a paycheck.
No Washington city or county takes an income tax from wages. A Washington pay stub shows federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and the two state premiums.
Washington PFML on your paycheck
Paid Family and Medical Leave costs 1.13% of gross wages in 2026, up from 0.92% in 2025. Employees pay 71.43% of the premium, which is 0.8071% of wages, and employers pay the rest. The premium applies to wages up to $184,500, the Social Security wage base, and not to tips.
Employers with fewer than 50 employees do not pay the employer share but still deduct the employee premium. An employer may also choose to pay part or all of the employee share; if yours does, your deduction is smaller than the calculator shows.
WA Cares Fund on your paycheck
The WA Cares Fund is Washington's long-term care insurance program. RCW 50B.04.080 sets the premium at 0.58% of wages, collected from employees through payroll, with no wage cap. Benefits became payable on 1 July 2026.
Some employees are exempt: people who live outside Washington, some military spouses and veterans with a 70% or higher service-connected disability rating, and, from 1 January 2026, holders of non-immigrant work visas, who may opt in. The private insurance exemption closed for new applications at the end of 2022. If you are exempt, set the WA Cares line aside when you read the result.
Washington pay rules that shape your paycheck
These Washington rules decide how much is on a paycheck and when it arrives.
| Rule | What Washington law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $17.13 an hour for workers 16 and over; $14.56 for ages 14 and 15. $17.73 from 1 January 2027 | Washington Department of Labor and Industries |
| Tipped employees | The full $17.13 an hour. Washington allows no tip credit. | Washington Department of Labor and Industries |
| Overtime | One and one-half times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. No daily overtime. | Washington Department of Labor and Industries |
| Salary for overtime exemption | At least $1,541.70 a week in 2026 | Washington Department of Labor and Industries |
| Paydays | At least once a month, on a regular payday | Washington Department of Labor and Industries |
| Final paycheck | By the next regular payday, whether the employee quits or is fired | Washington Department of Labor and Industries |
| Pay stub | Each payday: hours or days worked, rates of pay, gross wages and every deduction | WAC 296-126-040 |
| Breaks | A 30-minute meal period for a shift over 5 hours; a paid 10-minute rest period for each 4 hours | WAC 296-126-092 |
| Paid sick leave | At least 1 hour per 40 hours worked, from the first day; up to 40 unused hours carry over | RCW 49.46.210 |
Some cities set a higher minimum wage. Seattle's is $21.30 an hour in 2026. Use your city's rate in the calculator if it is higher than the state's.
An employer cannot hold back a final paycheck because keys, a uniform or equipment were not returned. Rest periods count as hours worked, so they stay on the paycheck; the meal period is unpaid.
Who pays unemployment tax in Washington?
Employers pay Washington unemployment tax; employees pay nothing for it. For 2026 the taxable wage base is $78,200 per employee. A new employer pays 115% of the average rate for its industry, with a federal minimum of 1%.
What changed for Washington paychecks in 2026
- The PFML premium rose to 1.13% of wages from 0.92%, so the employee share is now 0.8071%.
- WA Cares benefits became payable on 1 July 2026. The premium stays at 0.58%, and non-immigrant work visa holders are exempt from 1 January 2026.
- The minimum wage rose to $17.13 on 1 January 2026; $17.73 is set for 1 January 2027.
- The unemployment tax wage base is $78,200, paid by employers. The 2027 PFML rate is announced each autumn.
- Federal figures changed: the Social Security wage base is $184,500 and the IRS published new withholding tables for 2026.
What the calculator includes
- Tax year: 2026. Washington figures were verified against the state's own sources on 14 October 2026.
- Taxes: federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare and Additional Medicare Tax, WA Paid Family and Medical Leave and WA Cares Fund (long-term care), plus the Washington income tax line, which is $0.00.
- Form W-4: the 2020-and-later form, which has no allowances.
- Pay: gross pay up to $10,000,000, hourly rates up to $10,000, up to 744 hours in a pay period, and an overtime multiplier from 1 to 5.
- Washington rules: no state income tax and no local income tax; PFML at 0.8071% up to $184,500 and WA Cares at 0.58% with no cap.
Is it private?
Yes. The calculation runs in your browser. Your pay, your Form W-4 entries and your result are not sent to a server and are not saved.
Tips for an accurate estimate
- Use only your federal Form W-4. Washington has no state income tax and no state withholding form.
- Check the PFML line on your stub. If your employer pays part of your share, your take-home is higher.
- If you have a WA Cares exemption, add the WA Cares line back to the result.
- Enter the wages paid so far this year late in the year, so PFML stops at the Social Security wage base.
- If you work in Seattle, use the city minimum wage for an hourly job. The payroll expense tax is not taken from your pay.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
- Does Washington have a state income tax?
- No. The Washington State Department of Revenue says the state does not impose a personal income tax, and no Washington city or county taxes wages. Paychecks still have two state premiums: Paid Family and Medical Leave and the WA Cares Fund.
- How much is $75,000 after taxes in Washington?
- A single filer paid $75,000 a year in Washington takes home $60,552 in 2026, or $2,328.93 every two weeks. Federal income tax is $7,670, Social Security and Medicare are $5,738, PFML and WA Cares premiums are $1,040, and Washington income tax is $0.
- What taxes come out of a paycheck in Washington?
- Federal income tax, Social Security tax of 6.2%, Medicare tax of 1.45%, WA Paid Family and Medical Leave of 0.8071% and WA Cares Fund (long-term care) of 0.58%. Washington takes no state income tax and no city or county income tax from wages, and its unemployment tax is paid by employers.
- What is PFML on my Washington paycheck?
- Paid Family and Medical Leave insurance. In 2026 employees pay 0.8071% of gross wages, up to $184,500 of wages a year, and employers with 50 or more employees pay the rest of the 1.13% premium.
- What is WA Cares on my paycheck?
- The WA Cares Fund premium for Washington's long-term care benefit: 0.58% of wages with no cap. Some people are exempt, including those who live outside Washington and certain veterans and military spouses.
- What is the minimum wage in Washington in 2026?
- $17.13 an hour for workers 16 and over, with no tip credit. It rises to $17.73 on 1 January 2027. Seattle's minimum wage is $21.30.
- Does Seattle have a payroll tax on employees?
- No. Seattle's payroll expense tax is paid by larger businesses, and the city's law stops employers from withholding it from employee pay.
Sources
Every rate, bracket and limit this calculator uses comes from the official sources below. The method is shown on this page, so any result can be checked by hand.
- Washington State Department of Revenue, No income tax in Washington State. That Washington has no personal income tax and no withholding form.
- Washington Employment Security Department; WA Cares Fund, Paid Family and Medical Leave premium rate for 2026; RCW 50B.04.080; WA Cares exemptions; How we determine tax rates. PFML and WA Cares premiums, exemptions and the unemployment tax wage base.
- Washington Department of Labor and Industries, Minimum wage history; Getting Paid; Overtime; Rest Breaks and Meal Periods; Paid Sick Leave. Washington minimum wage, tips, overtime, paydays, final pay, breaks and sick leave.
- U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Median household income for New Jersey and Washington.
- Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods. Worksheet 1A and the 2026 Percentage Method Tables for Automated Payroll Systems: every bracket, rate and the $12,900 and $8,600 amounts on line 1g.
- Internal Revenue Service, Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates. Social Security 6.2%, Medicare 1.45%, and Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% on wages above $200,000 in a calendar year.
- Social Security Administration, Contribution and Benefit Base. The 2026 Social Security wage base of $184,500.