Washington State (WA) Paycheck Calculator 2026
Estimate take-home pay in Washington State (WA) for salary or hourly work. On a $50,000 salary a single filer keeps about $41,662 a year, or $1,602 every two weeks.
Updated 2026-10-03 · 2026 IRS and Washington rates
| Bi-weekly | Annual | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | $60,000 |
| Federal income tax | -$193.08 | -$5,020 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$143.08 | -$3,720 |
| Medicare | -$33.46 | -$870 |
| Washington income tax | -$0.00 | -$0 |
| Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) | -$18.62 | -$484 |
| WA Cares Fund (long-term care) | -$13.38 | -$348 |
| Take-home pay | $1,906.07 | $49,558 |
- Take-home $49,558 82.6%
- Federal income tax $5,020 8.4%
- Social Security $3,720 6.2%
- Medicare $870 1.5%
- State tax $832 1.4%
Take-home pay vs. taxes at every income level in Washington
- Take-home pay
- Total taxes
Your result is ready
2026 take-home pay in Washington at common salaries
Single filer, standard deduction, no pre-tax deductions, paid bi-weekly.
| Salary | Federal | FICA | State + local | Take-home / yr | Per paycheck | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,420 | $2,295 | $416 | $25,869 | $995 | 13.8% |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $694 | $41,662 | $1,602 | 16.7% |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $1,040 | $60,552 | $2,329 | 19.3% |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $1,387 | $77,793 | $2,992 | 22.2% |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $2,081 | $111,711 | $4,297 | 25.5% |
| $250,000 | $51,304 | $15,514 | $2,939 | $180,243 | $6,932 | 27.9% |
- Take-home
- Total tax
Washington income tax rates for 2026
Washington has no state income tax on wages.
Other Washington payroll deductions
- Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share): 0.807% of wages up to $184,500
- WA Cares Fund (long-term care): 0.580% of wages (no wage cap)
Key facts about Washington taxes
- Washington does not tax wages or salaries.
- In 2026 the Paid Family and Medical Leave premium rises to 1.13% of wages. Employees pay 71.43% of it (about 0.81%), on wages up to the $184,500 Social Security cap.
- Workers also pay 0.58% of all wages, with no cap, to the WA Cares Fund long-term care program.
- Washington taxes long-term capital gains at 7%, and at 9.9% on gains over $1 million, above an annual standard deduction ($278,000 for 2025).
- At 9.57%, Washington's average combined sales tax rate is among the highest in the U.S. (Tax Foundation midyear 2026).
Federal taxes withheld from every Washington paycheck
| Federal bracket (2026, single) | Rate |
|---|---|
| Over $0 | 10% |
| Over $12,400 | 12% |
| Over $50,400 | 22% |
| Over $105,700 | 24% |
| Over $201,775 | 32% |
| Over $256,225 | 35% |
| Over $640,600 | 37% |
More Washington calculators
- Washington State (WA) paycheck calculator
- Washington income tax calculator
- Washington sales tax calculator
- Seattle paycheck calculator
- California vs Washington taxes
- Oregon vs Washington taxes
- Idaho vs Washington taxes
- Texas vs Washington taxes
- Compare Washington with any state
What this calculator simplifies
- The capital gains excise tax is not modeled. A wage calculator only applies the PFML and WA Cares payroll deductions.
- Exemptions from WA Cares (e.g. approved private long-term care exemptions) are not modeled.
- The 2026 capital gains standard deduction had not been published, so the facts quote the 2025 amount ($278,000).
Two state deductions on every Washington paycheck
Washington has no income tax, but two state programs are funded by payroll deductions. Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) costs 0.807% of wages for the employee share in 2026, and the WA Cares Fund long-term care program costs 0.58% of all wages.
The 2026 PFML premium is 1.13% of wages in total. Employees pay 71.43% of it and employers 28.57%, on wages up to the Social Security cap of $184,500. Businesses that had fewer than 50 employees in 2025 are not required to pay the employer portion.
| Salary | PFML / year | WA Cares / year | Total state deductions | Per bi-weekly check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $323 | $232 | $555 | $21.34 |
| $70,000 | $565 | $406 | $971 | $37.34 |
| $100,000 | $807 | $580 | $1,387 | $53.35 |
| $184,500 | $1,489 | $1,070 | $2,559 | $98.42 |
| $300,000 | $1,489 | $1,740 | $3,229 | $124.19 |
WA Cares has no wage cap
Unlike PFML, the WA Cares premium is not capped at the Social Security wage base, so high earners keep paying 0.58% on every dollar. On a $250,000 salary, WA Cares is $1,450 a year while PFML stops at $1,489. In total, that worker pays $2,939 in state payroll premiums and keeps about $180,243.
Some employees qualify for an exemption from WA Cares, approved by the Employment Security Department (ESD). If you have an approval letter, give your employer a copy: employers must keep it on file and stop deducting the premium. Employers may also choose to pay some or all of an employee’s WA Cares premium. Our calculator assumes you are not exempt and pay the full amount.
Minimum wage paycheck example
Washington’s 2026 minimum wage is $17.13 an hour, set by the Department of Labor & Industries and adjusted every year (some cities, such as Seattle, set higher local minimums). Full-time, that is $35,630 a year.
A single filer at that wage keeps about $30,315 a year, or $1,166 every two weeks, after $2,096 federal income tax, $2,726 FICA and $494 in PFML and WA Cares premiums.
Pay frequency and 2026 leave changes
Washington requires wages to be paid at least monthly (U.S. Department of Labor summary). Most employers pay bi-weekly or semi-monthly.
Starting January 1, 2026, workers taking Paid Leave from employers with 25 or more employees get job protection, and the minimum claim was lowered to 4 consecutive hours a week from 8. The premium you pay buys that coverage whether or not you ever claim.
| Salary | Bi-weekly gross | Federal | FICA | PFML + WA Cares | Bi-weekly take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $45,000 | $1,731 | $124 | $132 | $24 | $1,451 |
| $70,000 | $2,692 | $253 | $206 | $37 | $2,196 |
| $100,000 | $3,846 | $507 | $294 | $53 | $2,992 |
| $150,000 | $5,769 | $951 | $441 | $80 | $4,297 |
| $250,000 | $9,615 | $1,973 | $597 | $113 | $6,932 |
Example: two-income household in Washington
A married couple earning $90,000 and $60,000 pays PFML and WA Cares separately on each paycheck: $1,248 and $832 a year, $2,081 together. Federal tax is figured on the joint return, about $15,340 on $150,000 of combined wages, leaving household take-home of roughly $121,105.
Things the paycheck does not show
- Washington has no state income tax withholding form; only your federal W-4 matters for tax.
- Pre-tax 401(k) contributions (up to $24,500) lower federal income tax but not PFML or WA Cares, which are charged on gross wages.
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington have a state income tax?
No. Washington does not tax wages, so your paycheck only has federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare withheld, plus Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) and WA Cares Fund (long-term care).
How much is take-home pay on $75,000 in Washington State (WA)?
A single filer earning $75,000 in Washington takes home about $60,552 a year ($2,329 per bi-weekly paycheck) in 2026, after $7,670 federal income tax, $5,738 FICA and $1,040 in state and local taxes. That is an effective rate of 19.3%.
What is the sales tax rate in Washington?
The Washington state sales tax rate is 6.50%. With local taxes the average combined rate is 9.57%, and the highest combined rate is 10.70%.
What is the 2026 federal standard deduction?
$16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for married couples filing jointly and $24,150 for heads of household.
How much Social Security and Medicare is withheld?
Employees pay 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 in 2026, and 1.45% Medicare on all wages, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare on wages over $200,000 (single).
What changed in Washington Paid Leave for 2026?
Besides the higher premium, workers at employers with 25 or more employees get job protection while on Paid Leave, and the minimum time you must miss in a week to claim dropped from 8 consecutive hours to 4.
Does my small employer pay part of my PFML premium?
Not necessarily. Employers that had fewer than 50 employees in 2025 are not required to pay the 28.57% employer portion in 2026.
What is the minimum wage in Washington in 2026?
$17.13 an hour statewide. Some cities set higher local minimum wages.
Can I opt out of WA Cares?
Only certain employees qualify for an exemption, which must be approved by the Employment Security Department. Give your employer a copy of the approval letter to stop the deduction.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
- Washington Paid Leave: 2026 updates
- WA Cares Fund: Employers
- WA Dept. of Revenue: Capital gains tax
- Tax Foundation: State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2026 (as of July 1, 2026)
- Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments incl. OBBBA)
- IRS: Tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026, including OBBBA amendments
- IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500
- Rev. Proc. 2025-19 (2026 HSA limits)
- IRS: Correction to SALT deduction amount in the 2026 Form 1040-ES
- IRS Topic No. 560, Additional Medicare Tax
- IRS Topic No. 559, Net Investment Income Tax
- IRS: Working Families Tax Cuts (OBBBA) deductions for working Americans and seniors
- IRS: Child Tax Credit
- IRS Publication 15 (2026), Employer’s Tax Guide (supplemental wage withholding)
- IRS Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 (gambling withholding)
- SSA 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment Fact Sheet
- WA Dept. of Labor & Industries: Minimum Wage
- U.S. Department of Labor: State Payday Requirements
- IRS: About Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate