01
Start with gross pay
Gross pay is the amount you earn before applicable taxes, retirement contributions, benefits, and other payroll deductions.
QuickEstimators · 2026 tax year
Gross-to-Net Calculator 2026
Calculate estimated net pay from gross salary or hourly earnings after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state taxes, and selected payroll deductions.
2026 tax yearAll 50 statesSalary or hourly payPaycheck, monthly & annual views
Quick answer
What is gross-to-net pay?
Gross-to-net pay is the process of moving from your earnings before deductions to the amount you may actually receive. Starting with gross pay, the estimate accounts for applicable federal income tax, FICA, state income tax, and selected payroll deductions to arrive at estimated net pay.
02
Estimate taxes and deductions
The calculator considers federal income tax, FICA, state income tax, and the payroll deductions entered in the calculator.
03
Review estimated net pay
The amount remaining is your estimated net pay for the selected paycheck, monthly, or annual view.
Key facts
What affects your gross-to-net estimate?
Your paycheck depends on more than your salary. These are the main pieces that move an estimate from gross earnings toward net pay.
Gross pay
Gross pay is the starting point: your earnings before applicable taxes and payroll deductions. For salaried employees, this usually begins with annual salary. For hourly employees, annual earnings can be estimated from the hourly rate and typical weekly hours.
Federal income tax
Federal income tax withholding depends on taxable wages and information such as filing status and withholding elections. The estimate uses the information entered into the calculator rather than applying one identical withholding amount to every employee.
Social Security
Social Security is part of FICA payroll tax. Employee withholding generally applies to covered wages up to the applicable annual Social Security wage base.
Medicare
Medicare is also part of FICA and is calculated separately from Social Security. Higher wages can also be subject to Additional Medicare Tax under federal rules.
State income tax
State income tax treatment varies across the United States. Some states have no individual income tax, while others use different rates, deductions, exemptions, and withholding approaches.
Payroll deductions
Retirement contributions, health insurance, HSA contributions, and other deductions can change the amount that reaches your bank account. Their tax treatment depends on the specific plan or deduction.
Understand the result
Gross pay vs. net pay
Gross and net pay answer two different questions: what you earned before deductions and what may remain after estimated taxes and deductions.
Before deductions
Gross pay
Gross pay is the amount you earn before applicable income taxes, payroll taxes, benefits, retirement contributions, and other deductions are taken into account.
After estimated deductions
Net pay
Net pay is the estimated amount remaining after applicable taxes and selected payroll deductions. It is also commonly called take-home pay.
How it works
How to use the gross-to-net calculator
Enter the information that describes your pay, then review the individual tax and deduction components behind the estimated net amount.
1
Enter your earnings
Enter your annual salary or hourly rate. For hourly pay, add your typical hours per week so annual gross earnings can be estimated.
2
Select your tax details
Choose your pay frequency, state, filing status, and the deductions or additional withholding you want included.
3
Review the breakdown
Review federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax, payroll deductions, and estimated net pay.
Pay schedule
Gross-to-net pay by pay frequency
Your annual earnings can be divided across different numbers of pay periods. Choosing the schedule that matches your employer helps you see the estimated amount for each paycheck.
Weekly
Typically 52 pay periods per year.
Biweekly
Typically 26 pay periods per year.
Semimonthly
Typically 24 pay periods per year.
Monthly
Typically 12 pay periods per year.
Payroll deductions
Pre-tax and post-tax deductions
Deductions do not all work the same way. Some qualifying deductions can affect taxable wages, while others reduce the amount you receive after tax calculations.
Before certain taxes
Pre-tax deductions
Depending on the plan and applicable rules, qualifying retirement, health insurance, or HSA contributions can reduce wages used for certain tax calculations.
After applicable taxes
Post-tax deductions
Post-tax deductions reduce the amount ultimately received but generally do not reduce wages used for earlier tax calculations.
Keep calculating
Related payroll calculators
Different payroll questions call for different calculators. Use the tool that best matches what you are trying to work out.
Paycheck Calculator
Estimate federal, FICA, state taxes, and paycheck deductions.
Take-Home Pay Calculator
Estimate how much of your salary or wages may remain after taxes and deductions.
Overtime Paycheck Calculator
Estimate overtime earnings and see how additional hours can affect pay.
Gross-Up Calculator
Work backward from a desired net payment to an estimated gross amount.
If you are converting between hourly and salary income, you can also use the Hourly-to-Salary Calculator or Salary-to-Hourly Calculator.
Methodology & limitations
Use the result as an estimate
A gross-to-net calculator makes payroll math easier to understand, but it cannot reproduce every configuration used by an employer. Treat the result as an estimate, not as an official payroll statement.
Federal withholding
The estimate uses the QuickEstimators 2026 federal tax calculation engine together with the information supplied in the calculator, including filing status and selected withholding-related inputs.
FICA
Social Security and Medicare are calculated separately from federal income tax and are displayed as separate components of the estimated result.
State treatment
State calculations use the state tax modules available in the QuickEstimators tax engine. State-specific detail can vary, so the result should not be treated as a guaranteed employer withholding amount.
Why actual pay can differ
Employer payroll systems can account for local taxes, benefits, wage limits, year-to-date wages, additional earnings, withholding elections, and other details that a general calculator may not fully reproduce.
For an important tax or payroll decision, compare the estimate with your employer's pay statement, payroll administrator, or applicable official tax information.
Straight answers
Gross-to-net questions, answered
Common questions about gross pay, net pay, taxes, deductions, pay schedules, and paycheck estimates.
What is a gross-to-net calculator?
A gross-to-net calculator estimates how much of your gross earnings may remain after applicable federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state income tax, and selected payroll deductions. Gross pay is what you earn before these amounts are taken out; net pay is the estimated amount left afterward.
How do I calculate net pay from gross pay?
Start with your gross earnings for the relevant pay period. Then account for applicable pre-tax deductions, estimate federal income tax and FICA taxes, include state income tax where applicable, and subtract post-tax deductions. The amount remaining is your estimated net pay.
What is the difference between gross pay and net pay?
Gross pay is your earnings before taxes and payroll deductions. Net pay is the amount remaining after estimated taxes and deductions. Your paycheck or direct deposit generally reflects net pay rather than your gross salary.
Can I calculate gross-to-net pay for hourly work?
Yes. Enter your hourly rate and typical hours worked per week. The calculator uses those inputs to estimate annual gross earnings and then applies the selected pay frequency, tax details, and deductions. Actual earnings can change when hours, overtime, bonuses, or unpaid time vary.
Do pre-tax deductions reduce taxable pay?
Some qualifying deductions can reduce wages used for particular tax calculations. The exact treatment depends on the type of deduction and applicable rules. The calculator lets you enter selected 401(k), health insurance, and HSA amounts separately.
Why can my actual paycheck differ from this estimate?
An online calculator cannot reproduce every setting in an employer's payroll system. W-4 elections, benefit plans, local taxes, retirement contributions, additional withholding, year-to-date wages, and other payroll details can affect an actual pay statement.
Does pay frequency change annual net pay?
Pay frequency changes how annual earnings are divided between individual pay periods. Weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, and monthly schedules use different numbers of pay periods, so the estimated amount of each paycheck changes even when the underlying annual salary remains the same.
Can I use this calculator for all 50 states?
Yes. The calculator includes all 50 states for state selection. State tax treatment varies, however, and the level of detail available in a general paycheck estimate can differ by state. For an actual payroll decision, compare the estimate with your employer's payroll information.
QuickEstimators
From gross earnings to a clearer paycheck picture.
Start with your gross salary or hourly earnings, add the payroll details that apply to you, and use the breakdown to understand where the difference between gross and net pay comes from.
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