ExactTakeHome

2026 Research Hub

Take-Home Pay Research & Data Studies (2026)

Reviewed by Kevin Marshall, CPA

Data-driven research on US take-home pay across all 51 states. All data generated from the ExactTakeHome calculation engine using IRS Publication 15-T methodology.

Paycheck & Tax Guides

CPA-verified guides explaining how US payroll taxes work: how withholding is calculated, what FICA covers, and how to read your paycheck.

How Federal Withholding Is CalculatedIRS Pub 15-T Percentage Method, pre-tax deductions, and why two employees at the same salary can have different withholding.Read guide →What Is FICA Tax? (2026)Social Security 6.2%, Medicare 1.45%, the $184,500 wage base, and who pays what.Read guide →W-2 vs 1099 — The Real Tax DifferenceHow self-employment tax changes take-home pay and how much more a contractor must earn to match W-2 income.Read guide →Remote Work State Tax Rules (2026)Convenience of employer rule, reciprocity agreements, and when you owe taxes in two states.Read guide →How to Read Your Pay Stub (2026)Every line item explained: gross pay, FICA, federal and state tax, pre-tax deductions, and net pay.Read guide →2026 Federal Tax Brackets — Paycheck ImpactOBBBA-extended rates, the $15k/$30k standard deduction, and how 7 brackets affect per-paycheck withholding.Read guide →California Take-Home Pay Guide (2026)CA brackets, SDI, and a worked $75k example.Read guide →Texas Take-Home Pay Guide (2026)No state income tax — what TX workers keep vs CA and FL.Read guide →

See all 10 paycheck and tax guides →

High EarnersTax-Friendly States for High Earners 2026 — $150k+Earn $150,000 or more? See which US states keep the most of your paycheck in 2026. Ranked by take-home pay after federal and state taxes.Read study →Most Tax-Friendly States 2026 — After Taxes AND RentWhere does $100K go furthest? All 51 states ranked by disposable income after taxes and HUD median 1BR rent.Read study →Remote WorkTax-Friendly States for Remote Workers 2026Engine-ranked guide for remote workers: take-home pay at $100K, no-tax state simplicity, and local tax complexity flags.Read study →RankingsBest States for Take-Home Pay 2026 — All 51 RankedAll 51 jurisdictions ranked by engine-computed take-home pay at $50K–$150K — see which states keep the most after taxes.Read study →Data StudySalary Gap by State 2026 — $50K, $75K, and $100KExact dollar take-home gaps across all 51 jurisdictions at three salary anchors. Engine-computed net pay spread — not average tax rates.Read study →RankingsState Income Tax Rankings 2026All 51 jurisdictions ranked by tax structure and effective rate — flat, progressive, and no-tax states compared.Read study →PaycheckHow a Pay Raise Affects Your Take-Home Pay (2026)Marginal vs effective tax rates — engine-computed take-home at $60K–$100K and which states are most raise-friendly.Read study →Filing StatusMarried vs Single Filing Status: Take-Home Pay Difference (2026)Single vs Married Filing Jointly at $100K in the 10 most populous states — marriage bonus and penalty explained.Read study →WithholdingHow to Optimize Your W-4 Withholding in 2026Over-withholding vs under-withholding at $60K–$100K — engine-computed federal withholding, safe harbor rules, and step-by-step W-4 guidance.Read study →Contractors1099 vs W-2 in 2026: The True Cost of Being a ContractorSelf-employment tax, QBI, and break-even contract rates — engine-computed W-2 vs 1099 take-home at $60K–$120K.Read study →Job OffersHow to Evaluate a Job Offer's Real Take-Home Value in 2026Same $100K gross, five states — engine-computed take-home spread plus benefits and cost-of-living context for job seekers.Read study →Remote Work Tax Savings 2026 — Interstate Move MatrixEngine-computed savings for top 10 interstate moves at $75K–$200K. CA→TX, NY→FL, and reverse-move costs.Read study →$50,000 After Taxes in Every US State (2026)How much of a $50k salary do you keep? Full 51-state ranking with engine-calculated take-home pay for 2026.Read study →$100,000 After Taxes in Every US State (2026)How much of a $100k salary do you keep? Full 51-state ranking with engine-calculated take-home pay for 2026.Read study →Best States After Taxes AND Rent (2026)Where does $100K go furthest after state taxes and median 1BR rent? All 51 jurisdictions ranked by money left monthly.Read study →$125,000 Salary After Tax in All 50 States (2026)Sortable 51-jurisdiction dataset: gross-to-net on $125k with federal, state, and FICA breakdown. Engine-generated at build time.Read study →$150,000 Salary After Tax in All 50 States (2026)Sortable 51-jurisdiction dataset: gross-to-net on $150k with federal, state, and FICA breakdown. Engine-generated at build time.Read study →$200,000 Salary After Tax in All 50 States (2026)Sortable 51-jurisdiction dataset: gross-to-net on $200k with federal, state, and FICA breakdown.Read study →$300,000 Salary After Tax in All 50 States (2026)HENRY-tier analysis: take-home pay on $300k across all 51 jurisdictions — engine-calculated at build time.Read study →$400,000 Salary After Tax in All 50 States (2026)High-earner take-home rankings on $400k — federal brackets, additional Medicare, and state tax compared.Read study →$500,000 Salary After Tax in All 50 States (2026)Top of the salary research series: $500k after-tax pay in every state, ranked for 2026.Read study →Equity Compensation Tax Guide 2026RSUs, ISOs, and NSOs explained with engine-calculated examples. Links to total compensation and equity calculators.Read study →Total Compensation CalculatorCombine salary, annual bonus, and RSU vesting into one after-tax dashboard with stock-price sensitivity.Read study →Remote Worker Tax Guide 2026Reciprocity agreements, Convenience of Employer rules, and best states for remote workers — with analyzer links.Read study →Remote Work Tax AnalyzerCheck resident, employer, and physical work states, then estimate the real take-home dollar difference.Read study →Work Abroad Tax CalculatorCompare FEIE, foreign housing exclusion, and Foreign Tax Credit scenarios for annual U.S. federal tax planning.Read study →$100,000 Salary After Tax in Major US Cities (2026)39 major cities ranked by rent affordability on $100K — engine-calculated take-home pay vs median 1BR rent.Read study →$75,000 Salary After Tax in All 50 States (2026)Sortable 51-jurisdiction dataset: gross-to-net on $75k with federal, state, and FICA breakdown. Engine-generated at build time.Read study →$50,000 Salary After Tax in All 50 States (2026)Sortable 51-jurisdiction dataset: gross-to-net on $50k with federal, state, and FICA breakdown. Engine-generated at build time.Read study →Best States for Remote Workers (2026)Rank all 51 jurisdictions by take-home pay on $100k — built for remote workers choosing where to live.Read study →States With No Income Tax in 2026Nine states have no broad wage income tax. See engine-calculated take-home pay comparisons at $50k–$150k vs high-tax states.Read study →Remote Worker Tax Savings by State (2026)Compare take-home pay in no-tax states vs high-tax states at $75k–$200k — quantified savings for remote workers.Read study →Highest Tax StatesSee the dollar impact of high-tax states across five salary tiers.Read study →Labor LawMinimum Wage by State (2026)All 50 states plus DC with current wage floors, official labor-office citations, and annualized paycheck examples.Read study →

Popular state paycheck calculators

These high-demand state pages now receive additional internal links from the research hub as part of the quick-win state expansion.

TexasIllinoisOhioNew YorkNorth CarolinaFloridaNevadaArkansasPennsylvaniaGeorgiaMichiganNew JerseyVirginiaWashingtonArizonaMassachusettsMarylandIndianaColorado

Profession Salary Calculators

Looking for a direct route into our profession salary calculators? Start at the profession hub, then jump to the state-by-state breakdown that matches your job title.

See all profession salary calculators →

More Payroll and Tax Guides

How Overtime Is Taxed in 2026Federal overtime withholding, marginal-rate confusion, and what you actually keep on extra wages.Read guide →How Much of Your Raise Do You Keep in 2026?A plain-English guide to marginal tax rates, withholding shifts, and why your raise still matters.Read guide →How to Check W-2 Withholding Accuracy in 2026Use your pay stub, W-2, and withholding inputs to spot under-withholding before tax season.Read guide →How to Read Your W-2 in 2026Box-by-box guidance for wages, withholding, benefits, and the payroll entries that matter most.Read guide →Is TurboTax Worth It in 2026?Compare filing convenience, support tradeoffs, and when paid software may or may not justify the cost.Read guide →Gusto Pricing Breakdown 2026Employer payroll software pricing, feature tiers, and where service fees show up in real budgets.Read guide →States That Do Not Tax Social Security in 2026Retirement-income tax treatment by state, including who still taxes Social Security and how much.Read guide →The True Cost of Hiring an Employee in 2026Wages, employer payroll taxes, benefits, and the real all-in cost beyond headline salary.Read guide →W-2 Box 12 Codes Explained (2026)Common Box 12 codes, benefit deductions, retirement deferrals, and what they change on your return.Read guide →W-2 GuideStart here for W-2 basics, payroll definitions, and related withholding explainers.Read guide →Why Is My Bonus Taxed So High?Supplemental withholding rules, flat-rate assumptions, and why bonus checks feel smaller than expected.Read guide →Why Is My W-2 Different From My Salary?How pre-tax deductions, benefits, and withholding make annual wages differ from your nominal salary.Read guide →

Profession Salary Spotlights

Software Engineer Salary After Taxes by State (2026)Take-home pay rankings for software engineers at BLS median salary across every state.Read study →Registered Nurse Salary After Taxes by State (2026)Take-home pay rankings for registered nurses across all 51 jurisdictions using 2026 tax rules.Read study →Teacher Salary After Taxes by State (2026)See how state tax differences change teacher take-home pay on a representative median salary.Read study →

Salary After Taxes by State

Browse state-specific salary spotlights for the most searched income bands. Each page shows the same salary under a different state tax regime so you can compare the after-tax spread quickly.

$100K Salary After Taxes — CaliforniaState-specific take-home pay on $100K using 2026 federal, FICA, and California tax rules.Read study →$100K Salary After Taxes — New YorkState-specific take-home pay on $100K using 2026 federal, FICA, and New York tax rules.Read study →$100K Salary After Taxes — TexasState-specific take-home pay on $100K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Texas tax rules.Read study →$100K Salary After Taxes — FloridaState-specific take-home pay on $100K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Florida tax rules.Read study →$100K Salary After Taxes — WashingtonState-specific take-home pay on $100K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Washington tax rules.Read study →$100K Salary After Taxes — IllinoisState-specific take-home pay on $100K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Illinois tax rules.Read study →$100K Salary After Taxes — PennsylvaniaState-specific take-home pay on $100K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania tax rules.Read study →$75K Salary After Taxes — CaliforniaState-specific take-home pay on $75K using 2026 federal, FICA, and California tax rules.Read study →$75K Salary After Taxes — TexasState-specific take-home pay on $75K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Texas tax rules.Read study →$75K Salary After Taxes — New YorkState-specific take-home pay on $75K using 2026 federal, FICA, and New York tax rules.Read study →$75K Salary After Taxes — FloridaState-specific take-home pay on $75K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Florida tax rules.Read study →$75K Salary After Taxes — IllinoisState-specific take-home pay on $75K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Illinois tax rules.Read study →$75K Salary After Taxes — WashingtonState-specific take-home pay on $75K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Washington tax rules.Read study →$50K Salary After Taxes — CaliforniaState-specific take-home pay on $50K using 2026 federal, FICA, and California tax rules.Read study →$50K Salary After Taxes — TexasState-specific take-home pay on $50K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Texas tax rules.Read study →$50K Salary After Taxes — New YorkState-specific take-home pay on $50K using 2026 federal, FICA, and New York tax rules.Read study →$50K Salary After Taxes — FloridaState-specific take-home pay on $50K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Florida tax rules.Read study →$50K Salary After Taxes — IllinoisState-specific take-home pay on $50K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Illinois tax rules.Read study →$120K Salary After Taxes — CaliforniaState-specific take-home pay on $120K using 2026 federal, FICA, and California tax rules.Read study →$120K Salary After Taxes — New YorkState-specific take-home pay on $120K using 2026 federal, FICA, and New York tax rules.Read study →$120K Salary After Taxes — TexasState-specific take-home pay on $120K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Texas tax rules.Read study →$120K Salary After Taxes — FloridaState-specific take-home pay on $120K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Florida tax rules.Read study →$120K Salary After Taxes — WashingtonState-specific take-home pay on $120K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Washington tax rules.Read study →$150K Salary After Taxes — CaliforniaState-specific take-home pay on $150K using 2026 federal, FICA, and California tax rules.Read study →$150K Salary After Taxes — New YorkState-specific take-home pay on $150K using 2026 federal, FICA, and New York tax rules.Read study →$150K Salary After Taxes — TexasState-specific take-home pay on $150K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Texas tax rules.Read study →$150K Salary After Taxes — FloridaState-specific take-home pay on $150K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Florida tax rules.Read study →$200K Salary After Taxes — CaliforniaState-specific take-home pay on $200K using 2026 federal, FICA, and California tax rules.Read study →$200K Salary After Taxes — New YorkState-specific take-home pay on $200K using 2026 federal, FICA, and New York tax rules.Read study →$200K Salary After Taxes — TexasState-specific take-home pay on $200K using 2026 federal, FICA, and Texas tax rules.Read study →

Hourly Wage After Taxes

How much do common hourly wages earn after federal and state taxes? Browse our state-specific hourly wage guides.

$25/Hour After Taxes — CaliforniaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $25/hour in California.Read study →$25/Hour After Taxes — TexasEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $25/hour in Texas.Read study →$20/Hour After Taxes — CaliforniaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $20/hour in California.Read study →$30/Hour After Taxes — New YorkEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $30/hour in New York.Read study →$15/Hour After Taxes — FloridaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $15/hour in Florida.Read study →$15/Hour After Taxes — CaliforniaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $15/hour in California.Read study →$15/Hour After Taxes — TexasEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $15/hour in Texas.Read study →$15/Hour After Taxes — New YorkEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $15/hour in New York.Read study →$15/Hour After Taxes — WashingtonEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $15/hour in Washington.Read study →$15/Hour After Taxes — IllinoisEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $15/hour in Illinois.Read study →$17/Hour After Taxes — CaliforniaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $17/hour in California.Read study →$17/Hour After Taxes — TexasEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $17/hour in Texas.Read study →$17/Hour After Taxes — FloridaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $17/hour in Florida.Read study →$18/Hour After Taxes — CaliforniaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $18/hour in California.Read study →$18/Hour After Taxes — TexasEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $18/hour in Texas.Read study →$18/Hour After Taxes — New YorkEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $18/hour in New York.Read study →$18/Hour After Taxes — FloridaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $18/hour in Florida.Read study →$20/Hour After Taxes — TexasEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $20/hour in Texas.Read study →$20/Hour After Taxes — New YorkEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $20/hour in New York.Read study →$20/Hour After Taxes — FloridaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $20/hour in Florida.Read study →$20/Hour After Taxes — WashingtonEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $20/hour in Washington.Read study →$20/Hour After Taxes — IllinoisEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $20/hour in Illinois.Read study →$22/Hour After Taxes — CaliforniaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $22/hour in California.Read study →$22/Hour After Taxes — TexasEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $22/hour in Texas.Read study →$22/Hour After Taxes — FloridaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $22/hour in Florida.Read study →$25/Hour After Taxes — FloridaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $25/hour in Florida.Read study →$25/Hour After Taxes — WashingtonEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $25/hour in Washington.Read study →$25/Hour After Taxes — IllinoisEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $25/hour in Illinois.Read study →$30/Hour After Taxes — CaliforniaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $30/hour in California.Read study →$30/Hour After Taxes — TexasEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $30/hour in Texas.Read study →$30/Hour After Taxes — FloridaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $30/hour in Florida.Read study →$30/Hour After Taxes — WashingtonEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $30/hour in Washington.Read study →$35/Hour After Taxes — CaliforniaEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $35/hour in California.Read study →$35/Hour After Taxes — New YorkEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $35/hour in New York.Read study →$35/Hour After Taxes — TexasEstimated annual, monthly, and paycheck-level take-home on $35/hour in Texas.Read study →

All calculations use 2026 IRS Publication 15-T tables. Single filing status, biweekly pay frequency, no pre-tax deductions.

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Supporting salary datasets

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Research directories

Use the category indexes below to keep every research page within two clicks without overloading this hub.

Salary by professionSalary amount studiesHourly wage studiesState comparison studiesCity salary studies

Related calculators

Multi-State Tax CalculatorLive in one state, work in another →Retirement Income TaxSocial Security + pension by state →Overtime Tax CalculatorRegular + 1.5× overtime pay →Gross-Up CalculatorWork backwards from net pay →Texas Paycheck CalculatorState calculator →California Paycheck CalculatorState calculator →New York Paycheck CalculatorState calculator →Florida Paycheck CalculatorState calculator →