Take-home pay calculator
Use your own tax rates. We handle the arithmetic, including Social Security and Medicare, and show you the paycheck.
Enter your numbers to see an estimate.
How gross pay becomes take-home pay
- Start with gross pay for the year: hourly rate times hours, plus overtime, differentials and bonuses.
- Subtract pre-tax deductions such as health insurance premiums and retirement contributions. They lower the pay that income tax is figured on.
- Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) are taken on the pay after pre-tax benefits deductions. The tool applies 7.65% flat. Social Security has an annual wage base above which it stops, and this estimate does not model that cap.
- Federal income tax comes from the effective rate you enter, not a bracket table.
- State income tax comes from the rate you enter. Several states charge none.
- What is left is your take-home pay. Divide by your pay periods to see a paycheck.
Where to find your own rates
Use your effective rate, not your top bracket. Your effective rate is your total tax divided by your total income, and it is lower than your bracket because only the top slice of income is taxed at the top rate.
- Last year's federal return: total tax on the Form 1040 divided by your total income gives your effective federal rate.
- Your state return, or your state tax agency's rate table, gives the state rate.
- A recent pay stub shows what is actually withheld per period. Withholding is an estimate, and your final tax is settled on your return.
Worked examples
Illustrative numbers through the same formula as the calculator. They show how the state rate and pay level change the result.
| Scenario | Gross | Federal / state rate | Social Security + Medicare | Take-home / year | Per paycheck (26) | Share of gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff RN, no-tax state | $95,000 | 15% / 0% | $6,962 | $70,388 | $2,707 | 74% |
| Staff RN, 4% state tax | $95,000 | 15% / 4% | $6,962 | $66,748 | $2,567 | 70% |
| Higher pay, 6% state tax | $130,000 | 19% / 6% | $9,333 | $82,167 | $3,160 | 63% |
State income tax
9 jurisdictions do not tax wage income: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming. Everywhere else the rate and rules differ, so use your state tax agency's current figure. Pay levels and living costs differ too, so a no-tax state is not automatically the higher take-home once you compare pay.
If you travel for work
Travel pay mixes taxable wages and stipends, and the stipend part may be tax-free when you keep a tax home. This calculator treats all the gross you enter as taxable. For a travel offer use the travel nurse pay calculator first to split wages from stipends, then run the taxable part here.
Common questions
Is this tool accurate to the dollar?
No. It is an estimate from the rates you enter. Real withholding depends on your filing status, allowances and deductions, and your actual tax is settled on your return.
Why does the tool apply 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare?
Employees pay 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare, together 7.65%, on wages after pre-tax benefits deductions. Social Security stops above an annual wage base, which the tool does not model.
What are pre-tax deductions?
Amounts taken from your pay before income tax is figured, such as health insurance premiums and 401(k) contributions. They reduce taxable pay now.
Should I use my bracket or effective rate?
Your effective rate. It is your total tax divided by your total income and gives a realistic result.
Which states have no income tax on wages?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming.
How do I see pay for my role?
Ask for your free Shift Report. It lists pay at named employers near you and the open roles, by email within 24 hours.
Know the pay before you run the numbers.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
Get your free pay report
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Your RN pay reportyour city · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- Veterans Health AdministrationSan Antonio, TX · 5 postings$62.40/ hr$36–$87
- Military Treatment Facilities under DHAFort Hood, TX · 3 postings$55.88/ hr$47–$67
- BrightSpring Health ServicesIRVING, TX · 4 postings$50.00/ hr$44–$55
- Select MedicalDallas, TX · 3 postings$46.19/ hr$32–$53
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
124 RN postings with published pay in Texas, 105 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 124 RN roles
- Registered Nurse (Critical Care) - Education Debt Reduction Program AuthorizedPermanent$86k–$174k/ year
- Nurse (Clinical/Ambulatory)Permanent$107k–$139k/ year
+ 122 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.