California paycheck taxes at a glance
| Income tax on wages | Progressive, 1% – 12.3% |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction | $5,900 single · $11,800 married filing jointly |
| CA SDI (1.3%) | 1.3% of wages |
| Minimum wage (2026) | $16.90 an hour (higher in some cities and counties and for some industries) |
2026 California income tax brackets (single filers)
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $11,455 | 1% |
| $11,456 – $27,156 | 2% |
| $27,157 – $42,860 | 4% |
| $42,861 – $59,497 | 6% |
| $59,498 – $75,196 | 8% |
| $75,197 – $384,108 | 9.3% |
| $384,109 – $460,926 | 10.3% |
| $460,927 – $768,212 | 11.3% |
| $768,213 and up | 12.3% |
Example: a $102,200 salary in California
The median household income in California is about $102,159 (2025 data). Here's what one earner with that salary, paid every two weeks, filing single with no pre-tax deductions, would see on each paycheck in 2026:
| Gross pay | $3,930.77 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$525.15 |
| Social Security | −$243.71 |
| Medicare | −$57.00 |
| California income tax | −$196.75 |
| CA SDI (1.3%) | −$51.10 |
| Take-home pay | $2,857.06 |
That's $74,284 a year in take-home pay, or 27.3% of gross pay going to taxes.
Take-home pay by salary in California
Single filer, paid biweekly, standard W-4, no pre-tax deductions:
| Salary | Per paycheck | Per year | State taxes | Total tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,278.91 | $33,252 | $1,068 | 16.9% |
| $60,000 | $1,847.57 | $48,037 | $2,353 | 19.9% |
| $80,000 | $2,346.34 | $61,005 | $4,105 | 23.7% |
| $100,000 | $2,806.51 | $72,969 | $6,211 | 27% |
| $150,000 | $3,933.85 | $102,280 | $11,511 | 31.8% |
| $200,000 | $5,081.39 | $132,116 | $16,811 | 33.9% |
What changed for 2026
- The SDI withholding rate rose from 1.2% in 2025 to 1.3% in 2026, still with no cap on the wages it applies to.
- The statewide minimum wage rose from $16.50 to $16.90 an hour on January 1, 2026.
California pay rules worth knowing
- Most employees must be paid at least twice a month. Wages earned from the 1st to the 15th are due by the 26th, and wages earned from the 16th to month-end by the 10th of the next month.
- If you're fired, all final wages, including accrued vacation, are due immediately. If you quit with at least 72 hours' notice, they're due on your last day; without notice, within 72 hours.
- An employer that willfully pays final wages late owes a waiting-time penalty of up to 30 days' wages.
What California takes out of each paycheck
A California pay stub has two state lines on top of the federal ones:
- California income tax (PIT), withheld from each check using tables the Employment Development Department (EDD) publishes every year.
- SDI, a flat 1.3% of gross wages in 2026, with no wage cap.
The employer-paid taxes, unemployment insurance and the Employment Training Tax, don’t come out of your pay. The tables above show the state’s bracket schedule and what both deductions add up to at different salaries.
Why your withholding may not match the tax you owe
California withholding is an estimate made with EDD’s own schedules, not the income tax brackets themselves. EDD’s 2026 exact-calculation tables apply rates from 1.1% to 14.63%, each 10% above the matching bracket rate (1.1% instead of 1%, 10.23% instead of 9.3%, and so on). The schedules also use their own standard deduction and allowance credits.
So the state tax withheld over the year can differ from what you owe when you file Form 540. This calculator shows the tax you’ll owe for 2026, not the withholding estimate. If your stub shows more California tax than the estimate here, the excess comes back as a refund when you file. If you’d rather have that money in your paycheck, a DE 4 lets you change your California allowances without touching your federal W-4.
How SDI works at higher incomes
Through 2023, SDI stopped once your wages reached a yearly cap. Senate Bill 951 removed that cap starting in 2024, so SDI now grows with your pay: $1,300 a year at $100,000 and $3,900 at $300,000. It’s the one California deduction with no ceiling, so it also takes 1.3% of every bonus.
SDI isn’t money you simply lose. It’s the premium for California’s Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave programs. If you have a baby, need surgery, or take time off to care for a seriously ill family member, you claim through EDD and receive partial wage replacement.
Leaving a job in California
Before you sign off on your last day, check that your final check includes all accrued, unused vacation; California counts it as wages that must be paid out. If a final check arrives late, the waiting-time penalty described above can add a day’s pay for each day of delay, up to 30 days.
Planning with the numbers
The income tax calculator shows your full-year federal liability, which helps when you’re deciding whether to adjust your W-4 or DE 4. The salary calculator converts an hourly offer to an annual figure, useful when you’re comparing jobs in cities with different local minimum wages. To see how pre-tax retirement savings change your take-home pay, enter a 401(k) percentage in the calculator above, then use the 401(k) calculator to project the balance.
Estimates only. Your employer’s payroll system, your W-4 and DE 4 determine your actual paycheck.
Sources
- California DIR: Minimum Wage FAQ
- California DIR: Paydays, Pay Periods and the Final Payment of Wages
- EDD: What Are State Payroll Taxes?
- EDD: California Withholding Schedules for 2026 (Method B)
- Census Bureau: Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas, 2025
- ftb.ca.gov
- ftb.ca.gov
- edd.ca.gov
- IRS Publication 15-T (federal withholding)
Frequently asked questions
What is CA SDI on my paycheck?
SDI (State Disability Insurance) is an employee-paid deduction that funds two programs, Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave. It pays partial wage replacement if you can't work because of a non-work illness, injury or pregnancy, or while you bond with a new child or care for a seriously ill family member. In 2026 it's 1.3% of your wages.
Is there a maximum SDI deduction in 2026?
No. Senate Bill 951 removed the taxable wage limit and the maximum withholding starting in 2024, so SDI applies to every dollar of wages. Someone earning $200,000 pays $2,600 in SDI for 2026.
Do I pay California unemployment tax out of my paycheck?
No. Unemployment Insurance (UI) and the Employment Training Tax (ETT) are paid by employers. SDI and state income tax are the only California payroll deductions taken from your wages.
Do I need to fill out a DE 4 as well as a W-4?
The DE 4 is California's own withholding certificate. It lets you set California withholding allowances separately from your federal W-4, including extra allowances for estimated deductions such as large itemized deductions. Filing one is how you fine-tune state withholding without changing your federal withholding.
Facts verified November 6, 2026. Estimates only; your employer's payroll system and your W-4 determine your actual withholding.