PaycheckState

California Paycheck Calculator

Updated for the 2026 tax year

Quick answer

How much is take-home pay on $60,000 in California?

A single filer earning $60,000 in California takes home about $1,838.71 per biweekly paycheck in 2026, or $47,806.44 a year. That is an effective tax rate of 20.3% across federal, FICA, and state withholdings.

SalaryTake-home (year)Effective rate
$40,000$33,159.0217.1%
$60,000$47,806.4420.3%
$80,000$60,555.4624.3%
$100,000$72,319.4827.7%

Single filer, paid biweekly, standard W-4, no pre-tax deductions.

California withholds on ten brackets from 1.1% to 14.63%, after a standard deduction of $5,706 or $11,412 and minus a $168.30 credit per allowance, plus 1.3% SDI on every dollar. This calculator uses the EDD's 2026 Method B schedules, plus 2026 federal and FICA rates.

How California paycheck taxes work

Your California paycheck has four main withholdings: federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare, California state income tax, and State Disability Insurance at 1.3% of all wages with no cap.

Method B first checks the low-income exemption: no state tax is withheld at or below $18,896 (single) or $37,791 (married with two or more allowances, head of household). Above that, your employer subtracts the standard deduction ($5,706 or $11,412 on the same split), applies the schedule for your DE 4 status (1.1% on the first $11,079 single, rising through 2.2%, 4.4%, 6.6%, 8.8%, 10.23%, 11.33%, 12.43%, 13.53%, and 14.63% above $1,000,000), and subtracts $168.30 for each regular allowance. Bonuses are withheld at 10.23%, other supplemental pay at 6.6%.

California tax rates (2026)

California withholding on annualized wages after the adjustments below.

Standard deduction$5,706 single · $11,412 married jointly
Exemption credit$168 each, off the tax
Low-income ruleNo withholding under $18,896 a year (single) or $37,791 (married, head of household)
California SDI (disability and paid family leave)1.3%, no cap
Taxable wagesWithholding
$0 – $11,0791.10%
$11,079 – $26,264$121.87 + 2.20% of excess over $11,079
$26,264 – $41,452$455.94 + 4.40% of excess over $26,264
$41,452 – $57,542$1,124.21 + 6.60% of excess over $41,452
$57,542 – $72,724$2,186.15 + 8.80% of excess over $57,542
$72,724 – $371,479$3,522.17 + 10.23% of excess over $72,724
$371,479 – $445,771$34,084.81 + 11.33% of excess over $371,479
$445,771 – $742,953$42,502.09 + 12.43% of excess over $445,771
$742,953 – $1,000,000$79,441.81 + 13.53% of excess over $742,953
Over $1,000,000$114,220.27 + 14.63% of excess over $1,000,000

Example: $60,000 in California

Single filer, paid biweekly, standard W-4, no pre-tax deductions.

Per paycheckPer year
Gross pay$2,307.69$60,000.00
Federal income tax$193.08$5,020.08
Social Security$143.08$3,720.00
Medicare$33.46$870.00
California income tax$69.36$1,803.48
California SDI (disability and paid family leave)$30.00$780.00
Take-home pay$1,838.71$47,806.44

California paycheck FAQ

What is the California SDI deduction?

State Disability Insurance, which also funds Paid Family Leave: 1.3% of all wages in 2026, up from 1.2%, with no wage ceiling since 2024. At $60,000 that is $780 a year.

Why is California withholding so much higher than the 1% to 9.3% brackets I read about?

The withholding schedules run 10% above the statutory rates (1.1% for the 1% bracket, 10.23% for 9.3%, and so on) so that most people are not under-withheld. The difference comes back at filing.

Sources

Rates verified against these documents on September 14, 2026.

  1. California EDD, 2026 Withholding Schedules Method B (26methb.pdf) and DE 44 Rev. 52
  2. California EDD, rates and withholding (SDI 1.3%, no wage ceiling)
  3. Form DE 4 (Rev. 56)

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