California Hourly Paycheck Calculator 2026
Enter your hourly rate and hours per week to see your biweekly and monthly take-home pay after California taxes. Includes 2026 CA state tax, federal tax, FICA, and SDI.
What is SDI? State Disability Insurance, California's mandatory payroll deduction. For 2026 it is 1.1% of your gross wages with no wage cap. It funds disability benefits and Paid Family Leave. What is SDI? →
Your salary of $52,000 puts you in the 6.0% marginal bracket. Your effective California income tax rate is 2.7%, only the income above each threshold is taxed at the higher rate.
California Minimum Wage 2026
California's statewide minimum wage is $16.50/hour in 2026. Many cities set higher local minimums. Fast food workers are covered by a separate $20/hour minimum under AB 1228 (2024). Healthcare workers have phased minimums of up to $25/hour at large facilities.
| City / Area | Minimum Wage 2026 |
|---|---|
| Statewide | $16.50 |
| San Francisco | $18.67 |
| Los Angeles | $17.28 |
| San Jose | $17.55 |
| Berkeley | $18.67 |
| Santa Monica | $17.27 |
| Pasadena | $17.50 |
| West Hollywood | $19.08 |
Hourly Rate to Biweekly Take-Home (California, 2026)
Estimated figures for a single filer working 40 hours/week, biweekly pay, standard deductions, no pre-tax contributions. Use the calculator above for your personalised figures.
| Hourly Rate | Annual Gross | Biweekly Take-Home (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| $16.50 (CA min wage) | $34,320 | ~$1,103 |
| $18.67 (SF min wage) | $38,834 | ~$1,234 |
| $20.00 | $41,600 | ~$1,314 |
| $25.00 | $52,000 | ~$1,610 |
| $30.00 | $62,400 | ~$1,902 |
| $35.00 | $72,800 | ~$2,151 |
| $40.00 | $83,200 | ~$2,393 |
| $50.00 | $104,000 | ~$2,872 |
| $60.00 | $124,800 | ~$3,347 |
| $75.00 | $156,000 | ~$4,042 |
What Taxes Are Withheld from a California Hourly Paycheck?
California hourly workers face the same tax stack as salaried workers, the only difference is how your gross pay is calculated. On each paycheck, your employer withholds:
10–37% progressive, based on biweekly gross × 26 annualised. Your employer uses IRS Publication 15-T tables.
1–13.3% progressive. Uses CA DE-4 or W-4 withholding tables. The CA standard deduction ($5,202 single) means more of your income is taxable in CA than federally.
On all wages up to the $176,100 annual wage base. For a $16.50/hour worker, Social Security is deducted on every paycheck, you won't hit the cap.
No wage cap. Every hourly dollar is subject to Medicare.
State Disability Insurance, mandatory, no opt-out. Funds short-term disability and Paid Family Leave. No cap on wages since January 2024.