{
  "id": "gross-pay",
  "version": "405cc2e816c8",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "Gross Pay Calculator",
  "question": "What is my gross pay?",
  "summary": "Computes gross pay per paycheck, week, and year from hours, hourly rate, and overtime, or the gross pay needed for a take-home amount after federal and state taxes.",
  "category": "finance",
  "subcategory": "tax-and-pay",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/finance/gross-pay-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/finance/gross-pay-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "Hours: weekly gross = rate × regular hours + rate × overtime multiplier × overtime hours; yearly = weekly × 52; per paycheck = yearly ÷ paychecks a year. Take-home: find the gross pay G whose take-home pay G − federal withholding (Pub 15-T Worksheet 1A) − Social Security and Medicare − G × state rate equals the amount you want (bisection to a trillionth).",
  "assumptions": [
    "An estimate, not tax advice. A year has 52 weeks; every paycheck is the same.",
    "Take-home mode: a 2020 or later Form W-4 with Step 3 = $2,200 per child under 17, no pre-tax deductions, and state and local tax as one flat rate on gross pay. Social Security and Medicare are the year’s amounts spread evenly.",
    "Overtime: the multiplier you choose (the Fair Labor Standards Act requires at least 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 a week for non-exempt employees)."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "mode": {
        "title": "Work out gross pay from",
        "description": "Hours and an hourly rate, or the take-home pay you want (net to gross).",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "hours",
          "net"
        ]
      },
      "rate": {
        "title": "Hourly rate",
        "description": "Pay for one regular hour.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 100000
      },
      "hours": {
        "title": "Regular hours a week",
        "description": "Hours a week paid at the regular rate.",
        "type": "number",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 168
      },
      "ot": {
        "title": "Overtime hours a week",
        "description": "Hours a week paid at the overtime rate.",
        "type": "number",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 168
      },
      "otx": {
        "title": "Overtime rate (times the hourly rate)",
        "description": "Overtime pay per hour as a multiple of the regular rate: 1.5 for time and a half, 2 for double time.",
        "type": "number",
        "minimum": 1,
        "maximum": 5
      },
      "net": {
        "title": "Take-home pay a paycheck",
        "description": "The pay you want to receive per paycheck after taxes.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "USD",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 1000000
      },
      "freq": {
        "title": "Pay frequency",
        "description": "How often you are paid: 52, 26, 24, or 12 paychecks a year.",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "weekly",
          "biweekly",
          "semimonthly",
          "monthly"
        ]
      },
      "status": {
        "title": "Filing status (W-4)",
        "description": "The filing status on your Form W-4.",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "single",
          "mfj",
          "hoh"
        ]
      },
      "kids": {
        "title": "Children under 17",
        "description": "Qualifying children under 17 on your W-4: $2,200 each in Step 3.",
        "type": "integer",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 20
      },
      "stateRate": {
        "title": "State and local tax rate",
        "description": "State and local income tax together, as a percent of gross pay.",
        "type": "number",
        "x-unit": "percent",
        "minimum": 0,
        "maximum": 30
      },
      "date": {
        "title": "Pay date",
        "description": "The date of the paycheck: its year picks the tax rates.",
        "type": "string",
        "format": "date"
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "gross": {
      "label": "Gross pay a paycheck",
      "description": "Pay per paycheck before any tax or deduction.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "yearly": {
      "label": "Gross pay a year",
      "description": "Gross pay per paycheck times the paychecks in a year.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "weekly": {
      "label": "Gross pay a week",
      "description": "Gross pay for one week.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "overtimePay": {
      "label": "Overtime pay a week",
      "description": "Overtime hours times the overtime rate.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "federal": {
      "label": "Federal income tax",
      "description": "Federal income tax withheld per paycheck (Pub 15-T), take-home mode.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "fica": {
      "label": "Social Security and Medicare",
      "description": "Social Security and Medicare per paycheck, take-home mode.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "stateLocal": {
      "label": "State and local tax",
      "description": "Gross pay times the state and local rate.",
      "format": "money"
    },
    "takeHome": {
      "label": "Take-home pay",
      "description": "Gross pay less the taxes shown.",
      "format": "money"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "mode": "hours",
      "rate": 20,
      "hours": 40,
      "ot": 0,
      "otx": 1.5,
      "net": 1500,
      "freq": "biweekly",
      "status": "single",
      "kids": 0,
      "stateRate": 0,
      "date": "2026-09-30"
    },
    "outputs": {
      "gross": 1600,
      "yearly": 41600,
      "weekly": 800,
      "overtimePay": 0
    },
    "text": "Your gross pay is $1,600.00 a paycheck, $41,600.00 a year."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "mode": "hours",
        "rate": 20,
        "hours": 40,
        "ot": 5,
        "otx": 1.5,
        "freq": "biweekly"
      },
      "expect": {
        "overtimePay": 150,
        "weekly": 950,
        "yearly": 49400,
        "gross": 1900
      },
      "source": "hand calculation in content.mdx: 20 × 40 + 20 × 1.5 × 5 = 950 a week; × 52 = 49,400; ÷ 26 = 1,900"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "mode": "hours",
        "rate": 30,
        "hours": 37.5,
        "freq": "semimonthly"
      },
      "expect": {
        "weekly": 1125,
        "yearly": 58500,
        "gross": 2437.5
      },
      "source": "hand calculation in content.mdx: 30 × 37.5 = 1,125 a week; × 52 = 58,500; ÷ 24 = 2,437.50"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "mode": "net",
        "net": 1690.8461538461538,
        "freq": "biweekly",
        "status": "single",
        "date": "2026-03-13"
      },
      "expect": {
        "gross": 2000,
        "federal": 156.15384615384616,
        "fica": 153
      },
      "source": "IRS Pub 15-T (2026) Worksheet 1A and Pub 15: $2,000 every two weeks, single, leaves $1,690.85 (hand calculation in content.mdx); the solver finds $2,000 back"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "mode": "net",
        "net": 2563.8333333333335,
        "freq": "semimonthly",
        "status": "mfj",
        "kids": 1,
        "stateRate": 4,
        "date": "2026-03-13"
      },
      "expect": {
        "gross": 3000,
        "federal": 86.66666666666667,
        "fica": 229.5,
        "stateLocal": 120
      },
      "source": "IRS Pub 15-T (2026) Worksheet 1A and Pub 15: $3,000 twice a month, married, 1 child, 4% state leaves $2,563.83 (hand calculation in content.mdx)"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA (1.5 times the regular rate over 40 hours a week). https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/23-flsa-overtime-pay",
    "IRS, Publication 15-T (2026), Worksheet 1A and the Annual Percentage Method tables. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15t.pdf",
    "IRS, Publication 15 (2026), section 9: Social Security 6.2% to $184,500, Medicare 1.45%, Additional Medicare 0.9% over $200,000. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdf"
  ],
  "related": [
    "gross-income",
    "paycheck",
    "overtime",
    "hourly-to-salary"
  ],
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-09-30",
      "note": "A take-home pay date before 2026 is refused: the page has the 2026 tables only."
    }
  ]
}