Texas Paycheck Calculator 2026

What comes out of a Texas paycheck

Three things come out of a typical Texas paycheck: federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%). Nothing goes to the state. The Texas Constitution bars a tax on individuals' net incomes unless voters approve one in a statewide election, and a 2019 amendment tightened that ban further^[tx1].

Texas also has no state disability or paid-leave payroll program, and state unemployment tax is paid by employers on the first $9,000 of each worker's wages, not taken from your check^[tx2]. So the Texas paycheck calculator above is really a federal calculator plus whatever your employer deducts for benefits.

• Federal income tax depends on your Form W-4: filing status, the Step 2 checkbox, dependents and any Step 4 adjustments.
• Social Security stops once your wages reach $184,500 in 2026^[ssa].
• Medicare has no cap; an extra 0.9% is withheld on wages over $200,000.
• Pre-tax benefits such as a 401(k) or health premiums lower federal income tax (and, for health premiums, FICA too).

Salary calculator Texas: where the money goes

On $60,000 the federal government gets about $5,020 in income tax and $4,590 in FICA for the year, leaving $50,390. That is 84% of gross pay, a higher share than workers keep in states with an income tax, such as Oklahoma or Arkansas.

The trade-off shows up elsewhere. Texas raises money through sales tax and local property taxes, which this paycheck math does not include. A move to or from Texas changes your paycheck by roughly the other state's income tax, but rent, home prices and property tax can swing the budget the other way.

Hourly and overtime pay in Texas

Texas follows the federal overtime rule: hours over 40 in a workweek are paid at 1.5 times the regular rate for non-exempt employees. Daily overtime does not exist in Texas. Switch the calculator to Hourly and enter overtime hours to see the extra pay and its withholding, or use the time and a half calculator for the rate itself. Texas uses the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour^[tx3].

How to raise your Texas take-home pay

With no state tax to adjust, the levers are all federal and all on your W-4 or benefits elections:

1. Check your W-4. If you got a large refund, too much is being withheld. Claiming dependents in Step 3 or deductions in Step 4(b) lowers withholding each payday.
2. Two jobs or a working spouse? Checking the Step 2 box raises withholding so you do not owe at tax time. Try it in the calculator to see the difference per paycheck.
3. Pre-tax contributions cut taxable wages. A 6% traditional 401(k) on $60,000 lowers federal tax by about $432 a year, so it costs $3,168 of take-home pay to save $3,600.

Texas take-home pay on common salaries

Worked example: $60,000 in Texas

1. Gross pay: $60,000 a year ÷ 26 paychecks = $2,307.69.
2. Federal income tax: the IRS percentage method annualizes $60,000 of taxable wages, subtracts the $8,600 built into the 2026 tables for a standard W-4, and applies the brackets (top rate 12%): $193.08^[p15t].
3. FICA: 6.2% Social Security $143.08 plus 1.45% Medicare $33.46^[tc751].
4. Texas: no state income tax is withheld.
5. Net pay: $1,938.08 per paycheck, $50,390 a year (84% of gross).

Compare Texas with nearby states

Same $60,000 salary, different state: Oklahoma $1,855.08 per paycheck. The state tax calculator ranks every state we cover on one salary, and the paycheck calculator switches states in one click. Hourly? Add overtime with the time and a half calculator. For the hourly floor, the Texas minimum wage page has the 2026 rate and what it pays after tax.