California Hourly Paycheck Calculator
Convert a California hourly wage to take-home pay after federal tax, EDD Method B state withholding, and FICA, using 2026 tables.
Your estimated paycheck
| Per paycheck | Per year | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Federal income tax | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| State tax | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Net (take-home) pay | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Pre-tax deductions per paycheck: $0.00 (reduce income-tax wages, not FICA). Total tax is about 0% of gross pay. Results update as you type.
Hourly paychecks in California
California withholds income tax using the EDD's Method B graduated rates, and most employees also pay 1.3% State Disability Insurance (not included in the state-tax line here — see the California salary page for details). At $25 an hour for 40 hours a week, a single filer with one allowance has about $24.53 a week of California income tax withheld, on top of about $78 federal and $76.50 FICA.
Enter your hourly rate and hours per week above. The calculator converts them to a gross amount for the pay frequency you pick, then applies exactly the same 2026 federal and state withholding methods as the salary pages. If your hours change from week to week, run the numbers for your typical week — and remember that a big overtime week is withheld as if that higher pay lasted all year, which is why overtime checks look heavily taxed (the difference comes back when you file).
Frequently asked questions
- How much is $25 an hour after taxes in California?
- At 40 hours a week ($52,000 a year), a single filer with one allowance takes home about $821 a week before SDI — roughly $808 after the 1.3% SDI deduction ($13 a week) that a real pay stub would also show.
- Why is my California overtime check taxed so much?
- Withholding annualizes each check: a $1,500 week is taxed as if you earned $78,000 a year. The extra withholding is credited back on your California and federal returns.
- Do part-time hourly workers owe California tax?
- If your annualized wages are at or below the low-income exemption ($18,896 for single filers in 2026), no California income tax is withheld at all, though federal tax and SDI may still apply.