Texas Paycheck Calculator 2026
New job in Houston, moving to Austin, or comparing offers — see what a Texas paycheck actually deposits.
Texas has no state income tax, so your paycheck math is simpler than almost anywhere else in America: federal withholding plus FICA, and that's it. This calculator applies 2026 IRS brackets, the $16,100 standard deduction, and 2026 FICA rates — with a permanent $0 on the state tax line.
Federal + FICA only — which in Texas is the complete picture. Actual withholding varies by W-4 and benefits.
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How a Texas paycheck is calculated in 2026
Three deductions instead of four
In 43 states, a paycheck loses money four ways: federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and state income tax. In Texas the fourth line simply does not exist. Your employer withholds federal income tax based on your W-4 (using the 2026 IRS brackets of 10% to 37% and the $16,100 single / $32,200 married standard deduction), plus FICA — 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 and 1.45% Medicare on everything (an extra 0.9% applies over $200,000). Then the money is yours. Source: IRS Publication 15-T — Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods.
No state return, ever
Because Texas has no personal income tax, there is no Texas tax return to file in April — only your federal Form 1040. The Texas Comptroller administers sales, franchise, and property-related taxes, none of which touch your wages. That also means no state-level refund to wait for and no state withholding form to fill out on day one of a new job.
The $75,000 example
A single filer earning $75,000 paid bi-weekly grosses $2,885 per check. Federal income tax withholds about $295 per check ($7,670 a year) and FICA takes about $221 ($5,738 a year). Net: roughly $2,369 per paycheck — $61,593 a year, $5,133 a month. In Texas that estimate is unusually reliable, because there is no state layer to complicate it.
What no state income tax is actually worth on a $75,000 salary
Federal tax and FICA are identical everywhere in America — the only paycheck difference between states is the state income tax line. Here is the same $75,000 single filer (2026 federal rates) in Texas versus four income-tax states:
| State | State income tax | Net annual | Texas advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $0 | $61,593 | — |
| Pennsylvania (3.07% flat) | $2,303 | $59,290 | +$2,303/yr |
| Illinois (4.95% flat) | ~$3,568 | ~$58,025 | +$3,568/yr |
| California (progressive, est.) | ~$3,665 | ~$57,928 | +$3,665/yr |
| New York (progressive, est.) | ~$3,900 | ~$57,693 | +$3,900/yr |
That $3,665 California gap works out to about $141 more per bi-weekly paycheck in Texas — and the advantage scales up with income. At $100,000 the Texas edge over California grows to roughly $6,456 a year; at $150,000 it can exceed $10,000. Texas is one of nine states with no tax on wages (alongside Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, Washington, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, and New Hampshire).
One honest caveat: gross salary is the same everywhere, but the state gives nothing away for free — see the next section on how Texas funds itself.
Why Texas has no income tax — and what it charges instead
A constitutional ban, not just policy
Texas has never taxed personal income, and in November 2019 voters made it close to permanent: Proposition 4 amended the Texas Constitution (Article 8, Section 24-a) to expressly prohibit an individual income tax. Introducing one now would require another statewide constitutional amendment — a two-thirds vote of both legislative chambers plus voter approval — which is why "no income tax" is a durable feature of Texas paychecks, not a rate that might quietly change next session.
Sales tax does the heavy lifting
The state sales tax is 6.25%, and cities, counties, and transit authorities can add up to 2% more — so most Texans pay 8.25% at the register, one of the higher combined rates in the country. Groceries and prescription drugs are exempt, which softens the impact on essentials.
Property taxes are the trade-off
Texas property taxes are among the higher effective rates in the nation, because local school districts, cities, and counties rely on them in place of income tax revenue. If you rent, this reaches you only indirectly through rent; if you buy a home, expect the property tax bill to claw back part of your paycheck advantage. Oil and gas severance taxes and the franchise tax on larger businesses round out the state's revenue mix.
Who wins most
The zero-income-tax structure favors high earners and renters most strongly: your paycheck advantage is proportional to income, while the offsetting sales and property taxes are not. A renting software engineer in Austin captures nearly all of the benefit; a homeowner on a modest income captures less.
Paychecks in Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Austin
No city touches your wages
Unlike New York City (up to 3.876% resident tax) or Philadelphia (3.75% wage tax), no Texas city or county levies any tax on wages. A $100,000 salary deposits exactly the same net whether you work in downtown Houston, Plano, or South Congress in Austin. The differences between Texas metros are entirely about what your paycheck buys, not what it loses.
Houston
The energy capital plus the world's largest medical complex (the Texas Medical Center) makes Houston paychecks common in engineering, healthcare, and petrochemicals. Housing remains cheaper than the other big metros relative to wages, so take-home pay stretches further — though commutes and summer utility bills are their own tax.
Dallas–Fort Worth
DFW has become a corporate-relocation magnet — finance, airlines, logistics, and a long list of Fortune 500 headquarters that moved from higher-tax states. It offers big-market salaries with mid-market housing costs, and the paycheck math on this page applies identically across all of the metroplex's dozens of municipalities.
Austin
Tech salaries benchmarked against California pay scales, taxed like Texas: this arbitrage is exactly why so many engineers relocated. A $150,000 Austin tech salary nets about $113,791 — the same role in San Francisco loses $10,000+ more to state tax. Austin housing has risen to price in some of that advantage, but the paycheck line itself stays untaxed.
Texas take-home pay by salary, 2026
Single filer, 2026 federal brackets, $16,100 standard deduction, no pre-tax deductions. In Texas these federal-only figures are your complete tax picture.
| Gross salary | Federal tax | FICA | Net annual | Net monthly | Net bi-weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,620 | $3,060 | $34,320 | $2,860 | $1,320 |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $42,355 | $3,530 | $1,629 |
| $60,000 | $5,020 | $4,590 | $50,390 | $4,199 | $1,938 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $61,593 | $5,133 | $2,369 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $79,180 | $6,598 | $3,045 |
| $120,000 | $17,570 | $9,180 | $93,250 | $7,771 | $3,587 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $113,791 | $9,483 | $4,377 |
| $200,000 | $36,734 | $14,339 | $148,927 | $12,411 | $5,728 |
Notice the Social Security component of FICA flattening at high incomes: SS tax stops at the $184,500 wage base in 2026, which is why the $200,000 row pays proportionally less FICA than the $150,000 row. Medicare (1.45%) never caps, and an additional 0.9% applies to wages above $200,000.
Bonuses and overtime on a Texas paycheck
Bonuses: 22% federal, 0% Texas
Employers typically withhold a flat 22% federal rate on bonuses up to $1 million (37% above), plus FICA. In an income-tax state a supplemental state rate stacks on top — California's is over 10% for bonuses. In Texas there is no state layer at all, so a $10,000 bonus arrives with roughly $2,965 withheld (22% federal + 7.65% FICA) instead of $3,500 or more. If the flat rate over- or under-shoots your true bracket, it reconciles on your federal return.
Overtime is not taxed extra
Texas hourly workers covered by the FLSA earn 1.5x their regular rate past 40 hours a week. That overtime is taxed at your normal marginal federal rate — there is no special overtime tax, and no Texas tax either. A heavy-overtime check can look over-taxed because withholding tables annualize each paycheck, but the excess withholding returns as a federal refund. Use Detailed mode above to model regular overtime hours.
Tips and commissions
Tipped and commission income in Texas follows the same rule as everything else: federal income tax and FICA apply, the state takes nothing. Employers withhold on reported tips; unreported tips remain federally taxable.
Self-employed in Texas: 1099 income without a state return
Federal obligations remain
Texas freelancers and contractors pay federal self-employment tax — 15.3%, covering both halves of FICA (12.4% Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base plus 2.9% Medicare, and 0.9% additional Medicare over $200,000) — plus federal income tax through quarterly estimated payments (April 15, June 15, September 15, January 15). Half of SE tax is deductible above the line.
What disappears in Texas
No state income tax on business profits, no state quarterly estimates, no state return. A 1099 contractor earning $120,000 in Dallas files exactly one income tax return a year — the federal one. In California the same contractor would owe roughly $7,000+ in state tax and a second set of quarterly payments.
The franchise tax footnote
Texas does levy a franchise tax on business entities, but sole proprietors are entirely exempt, and entities (LLCs, corporations) owe nothing until annual revenue exceeds a multi-million-dollar no-tax-due threshold. The vast majority of Texas freelancers and single-member LLCs never pay it — though LLCs must still file a simple annual report with the Texas Comptroller.
Frequently asked Texas paycheck questions
Why doesn't Texas have a state income tax?
Texas has never levied a personal income tax, and since 2019 it cannot without amending its constitution: Proposition 4 added Article 8, Section 24-a, which expressly prohibits an individual income tax. The state funds itself instead through sales tax (6.25% state rate, up to 8.25% with local additions), property taxes, and taxes on oil and gas production.
Do Texans still pay federal payroll taxes?
Yes. Texas workers pay full federal income tax (2026 brackets from 10% to 37%, $16,100 single standard deduction) plus FICA: 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 and 1.45% Medicare on all wages (plus 0.9% over $200,000). Only the state income tax line is $0.
Do Houston, Dallas, or Austin charge a city income tax?
No. Unlike New York City or Philadelphia, no Texas city or county levies any tax on wages. Whether you work in Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, or El Paso, your paycheck deductions are identical: federal income tax and FICA only.
How much is taken out of a $75,000 paycheck in Texas?
On $75,000 (single, bi-weekly, 2026 rates, standard deduction): gross per paycheck is $2,885. Federal income tax takes about $295 per check ($7,670/year), FICA takes about $221 per check ($5,738/year), and Texas takes $0. Net is approximately $2,369 per paycheck, or $61,593 per year.
How are bonuses taxed in Texas?
Bonuses in Texas face only federal withholding: typically the 22% flat supplemental rate (37% above $1 million) plus FICA. In most states a state supplemental rate is added on top — in Texas there is none, so a $10,000 bonus arrives with roughly $2,965 withheld instead of $3,500 or more.
How much more do I keep in Texas vs California?
Federal tax and FICA are identical in both states. On a $75,000 salary, California state income tax runs roughly $3,665 while Texas takes $0 — about $141 more per bi-weekly paycheck in Texas. At $100,000 the gap grows to roughly $6,456 per year, and it keeps widening at higher incomes.
What taxes do Texans actually pay?
Texas replaces income tax revenue with consumption and property taxes: a 6.25% state sales tax (localities can add up to 2%, so most Texans pay 8.25% at the register) and property taxes that are among the higher effective rates in the country. Renters and non-homeowners capture most of the paycheck advantage; homeowners give some back through property tax bills.
I'm self-employed in Texas — what comes out of my income?
Self-employed Texans pay federal self-employment tax of 15.3% (12.4% Social Security up to the $184,500 wage base plus 2.9% Medicare) and federal income tax via quarterly estimated payments — but no state income tax and no state return. Sole proprietors owe no Texas franchise tax; only entities above a multi-million-dollar revenue threshold do.
If I move to Texas and work remotely, do I stop paying state income tax?
Usually, yes — most states tax you where you live and work, so a genuine Texas resident working from Texas owes no state income tax. Watch two exceptions: part-year residency in your move year, and a few states (like New York with its convenience-of-the-employer rule) that may still tax remote wages tied to an office in that state. Confirm your old state's exit rules before counting the savings.
Is overtime taxed at a higher rate in Texas?
No. Overtime is taxed at the same marginal federal rate as regular wages — there is no special overtime tax, and in Texas no state tax at all. A big overtime check can be over-withheld because withholding tables annualize each paycheck, but the difference comes back when you file your federal return.
Where these figures come from
Every federal bracket, threshold, and rate on this page comes from the 2026 source of record — the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration — and the Texas-specific facts come from the State of Texas itself.
- 2026 federal brackets & standard deduction — IRS — Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32).
- Federal withholding methods — IRS Publication 15-T.
- Social Security wage base ($184,500 in 2026) — SSA — Contribution and Benefit Base.
- FICA rates (6.2% + 1.45%) — IRS Topic 751 — Social Security & Medicare Withholding.
- Additional Medicare Tax (0.9%) — IRS Topic 560.
- Texas taxes (no personal income tax; sales & franchise tax) — Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
- Constitutional income tax ban (Art. 8, §24-a) — Texas Constitution, Article 8.
- State income tax comparisons — Tax Foundation — State Individual Income Tax Rates.
Last checked: July 2026. Federal rates are reviewed against the source of record each November when the IRS publishes the following year's adjustments; the Texas constitutional ban makes the state side unusually stable.
Select the question that matches where you are right now.
Your result is your estimated Texas take-home pay — gross wages minus federal income tax and FICA, with a $0 state line that is guaranteed by the Texas Constitution rather than assumed.
Compare job offers across states on net rather than gross pay, sanity-check your first Texas pay stub, or see how a raise or bonus actually lands. For cross-state moves, the state-tax difference is usually the biggest single line.
Not a pay stub or employer commitment. Actual withholding depends on your W-4 elections, benefits enrollment, and payroll timing — though in Texas the absence of state tax removes the largest source of estimate error.
Uses 2026 IRS federal brackets, the 2026 standard deduction, and 2026 FICA rates. All calculations run in your browser — no data is sent to any server.
With no state tax in play, your Texas take-home is driven by three things: gross pay, your federal bracket, and pre-tax deductions.
Married-filing-jointly brackets are twice as wide as single brackets, so the same salary withholds noticeably less for MFJ filers. Switch the filing status input to see the difference on your income.
FICA is 7.65% of gross wages regardless of deductions — until Social Security caps at $184,500 of 2026 wages. For most Texans FICA is the second-largest deduction and, below about $50,000, often the largest.
401(k), HSA, and pre-tax insurance premiums reduce your federal taxable income. In an income-tax state they save state tax too; in Texas the saving is federal-only — worth remembering when comparing benefit values across state lines.
You cannot lower FICA, but you can shrink the federal line — the only tax line Texas leaves you with.
Every $1,000 into a traditional 401(k) saves $220 in federal tax at the 22% bracket. The 2026 limit is $24,500. HSA contributions ($4,400 single / $8,750 family) also skip FICA when made through payroll.
A large annual refund means you over-withheld all year. Update dependents (Step 3) or extra withholding (Step 4c) so each Texas paycheck lands closer to your true federal liability.
If you moved from an income-tax state, you have a built-in raise: redirect what used to be state withholding (often $300-$600/month) into savings before lifestyle absorbs it.
Your take-home number feeds directly into tax, refund, and budgeting decisions.
See your complete federal tax breakdown, effective rate, and marginal bracket for the year.
Income tax calculator →Estimate your 2026 federal refund from your withholding so far.
Tax refund calculator →Turn your per-paycheck number into a monthly budget and savings plan.
Budget planner →