The guide
How the salary calculator USA works
What the US salary calculator does
Enter an annual gross salary and get an estimate of monthly take-home pay, annual net pay, federal income tax and FICA. It is built for the common case, a single filer with no state income tax, so you can compare offers or sanity-check a payslip in seconds.
How the calculation works
Taxable income = gross − $14,600 standard deduction (single filer, 2024). Federal tax uses the 2024 brackets: 10% to $11,600, 12% to $47,150, 22% to $100,525, 24% to $191,950, 32% to $243,725, 35% to $609,350, 37% above. FICA = 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $168,600 plus 1.45% Medicare on all wages. Net = gross − federal tax − FICA. Not included: state and local income tax, the additional Medicare tax above $200,000, 401(k) or health premiums, and credits.
Worked example
Gross $90,000. Taxable income $75,400. Federal tax: 10% on $11,600 = $1,160; 12% on $35,550 = $4,266; 22% on $28,250 = $6,215. Total $11,641. FICA: $5,580 Social Security + $1,305 Medicare = $6,885. Annual net about $71,474, roughly $5,956 a month before state tax and benefits.
State tax changes the picture
Nine states have no wage income tax, including Texas, Florida and Washington. California's top marginal rate exceeds 13%, New York City adds a city tax on top of state tax. On a $90,000 salary the state difference alone can be $5,000 or more a year. Use this calculator for the federal baseline, then subtract your state's tax to compare offers across locations.
Comparing offers properly
Compare net, not gross, and include employer benefits: a 401(k) match, health premium share and equity can be worth 10% to 25% of salary. Adjust for cost of living, since $90,000 in Austin buys more than $110,000 in San Francisco. For remote roles, check which state's tax applies, which is usually where you work, not where the company sits.
