Pay Raise Calculator
Enter your salary, the raise you were offered and your state. The calculator shows your new yearly salary, how much more lands in your bank account after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and state income tax, and what each paycheck becomes.
By Muhammad AhmadLast reviewed Oct 27, 2026Free, no sign-up
Estimate, not financial or tax advice. The result is only as good as the numbers you enter and the assumptions listed below the calculator. Rates, tax rules and lender terms change, so check big decisions with the official source or a licensed professional. See the disclaimer.
Example Calculation
A single filer in Arkansas earns $60,000 and gets a 5% raise, which is $3,000 more a year before tax. Federal income tax takes $360 of it, Social Security and Medicare take $229 and Arkansas income tax takes $117. The raise adds $2,293 to take-home pay, which is 76.4% of the raise. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck goes from $1,856 to $1,944.
What a $3,000 raise on $60,000 adds to take-home pay, by state
Single filer, 2026 tax tables, standard deduction, paid every two weeks, no other deductions.
| State | Take-home before | Take-home after | Extra a year | Share kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $50,390 | $52,800 | $2,410 | 80.3% |
| Florida | $50,390 | $52,800 | $2,410 | 80.3% |
| Arkansas | $48,263 | $50,556 | $2,293 | 76.4% |
| Ohio | $49,522 | $51,850 | $2,328 | 77.6% |
| North Carolina | $48,505 | $50,796 | $2,291 | 76.4% |
| New York | $47,747 | $49,995 | $2,248 | 74.9% |
| Illinois | $47,565 | $49,827 | $2,262 | 75.4% |
| California | $48,741 | $50,971 | $2,230 | 74.3% |
How It Works
A raise is taxed like the rest of your wages, so the extra pay lands in your top tax bracket. That is why a raise never moves your whole income into a higher rate: only the new dollars are taxed at the higher federal rate, and everything below that bracket stays as it was. Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) take 7.65% of every extra dollar up to the Social Security wage base of $184,500, and most states add their own income tax.
The calculator runs the Paycheck Calculator’s engine twice, once on your current salary and once on your new salary, and shows the difference. That difference is the part of the raise you really keep. Most people keep between 65% and 80% of a raise, depending on the bracket and the state.
To check an offer, enter the raise as a percentage. A 3% raise on $50,000 is $1,500 before tax. A raise that moves you from the 12% to the 22% federal bracket still taxes only the dollars above the bracket line at 22%.
Formula Explained
new salary = salary × (1 + raise % ÷ 100)
extra take-home = take-home(new salary) − take-home(salary), where take-home is pay minus federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state income tax.
share you keep = extra take-home ÷ (new salary − salary)
Assumptions and limits
- Tax year 2026. Federal brackets and the standard deduction come from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32, and the Social Security wage base is $184,500.
- Your pay is taxed as wages with the standard deduction and no other deductions, credits or pre-tax contributions.
- State income tax comes from the state’s 2026 brackets, standard deduction and personal exemptions for a typical wage earner (Tax Foundation data). Local taxes and state payroll programs are not included.
- The raise applies for the whole year. A raise that starts mid-year adds less to this year’s pay but the same share is kept.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of a raise do I keep after taxes?
Usually 65% to 80%. For a single filer on $60,000 in Arkansas, a 5% raise adds $3,000 before tax and $2,293 after tax, which is 76.4%. In a state with no income tax such as Texas or Florida the share is higher, and in a high-tax state such as California it is lower.
Can a raise put me in a higher tax bracket and lower my pay?
No. Federal brackets are marginal, so only the dollars above the bracket line are taxed at the higher rate. A raise always leaves you with more take-home pay than before, even when it crosses a bracket.
Why is my paycheck raise smaller than I expected?
The raise is quoted before tax. Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax all take a share of it, and your employer may also withhold more or less than you really owe. Compare the before-tax raise with the after-tax figure here, then check your next pay stub.
Does a raise change what I pay for Social Security?
Yes, by 6.2% of the extra pay, up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Above that amount you stop paying Social Security tax for the rest of the year, but Medicare (1.45%) continues.
How do I work out a raise as a percentage?
Divide the raise by your current salary and multiply by 100. A $3,000 raise on $60,000 is 5%. Enter that percentage here.
Think a number is wrong? Tell me what you typed and what you expected, and I will check it.
Methodology and sources
The calculator runs the paycheck engine of the Paycheck Calculator twice, once on your salary and once on your salary with the raise. The differences in federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, and state income tax add up to the tax on the raise. What remains of the raise is your extra take-home pay.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods, Internal Revenue Service
- Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates, Internal Revenue Service
- Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments: brackets, standard deduction, credits), Internal Revenue Service
- Contribution and Benefit Base (Social Security wage base), Social Security Administration
- State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026, Tax Foundation
Last reviewed Oct 27, 2026 by Muhammad Ahmad. The page is checked again when the source figures change and at least once a year. See the corrections log, or report a mistake.
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