Compare Two Salaries After Tax

Two job offers, or a raise on the table, and you want to know what the difference is really worth — not in salary, but in your bank. This salary comparison calculator runs both salaries through the same 2026 tax figures and puts them side by side, so you can see the take-home pay for each, and the gap between them.

Example filled in: $60,000 against $75,000, single, in Texas — the $75,000 job leaves $431.91 more in your bank every two weeks, $11,229.66 more a year.

Salary A

Annual salary A ($) The first salary, in dollars ($) a year — your current pay, or the lower offer.

Salary B

Annual salary B ($) The second salary, in dollars ($) a year — the new offer, or the pay after a raise.

Tax details

Filing status How you file your federal tax — it sets your standard deduction. The same status applies to both salaries, so the comparison is fair. State The state where you work — it sets your state tax. The same state applies to both salaries. Pay frequency How often you get paid — it sets how many paychecks a year you get.

Deductions

401(k) contribution (% of gross pay) The share of gross pay that goes to a 401(k) — the same for both salaries, so the comparison is fair. Health premium per pay period ($) What you pay for health cover each paycheck, in dollars ($) — the same for both salaries.

How to use this calculator

Enter the two annual salaries you want to compare.
Pick your filing status, state, and pay frequency, and your 401(k) and health deductions — the same ones apply to both, so the comparison is fair.
Tap "Compare the two salaries" — the result updates as you change any number, and shows both take-home figures side by side, plus the gap between them.

How the comparison works

Both salaries run through the same 2026 figures as the Paycheck Calculator — standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 married filing jointly in 2026), federal tax from simplified 2026 brackets, FICA = 6.2% Social Security on wages up to $184,500 + 1.45% Medicare (+0.9% over $200,000), plus state tax. When you compare two salaries this way, the gap in take-home pay is usually smaller than the gap in salary, because the higher salary is taxed at a higher rate. Monthly take-home is the biweekly figure times 26, divided by 12.

If you are weighing a raise, the Raise Calculator works out the new salary and the new hourly rate from a percentage. If one side of your comparison is an hourly wage, turn it into a yearly salary first with the Hourly to Salary Calculator, then compare the two salaries here.

Worked example — $60,000 against $75,000 in Texas

$60,000 against $75,000 a year, single, in Texas, paid every two weeks, with 5% going to a 401(k) and $120 a paycheck for health cover:

Salary A ($60,000): gross $2,307.69 a paycheck, federal $164.83, FICA $167.36, state tax $0.00, take-home $1,740.12 a paycheck, $3,770.26 a month, $45,243.12 a year.

Salary B ($75,000): gross $2,884.62 a paycheck, federal $239.18, FICA $211.49, state tax $0.00, take-home $2,169.72 a paycheck, $4,701.06 a month, $56,412.72 a year.

The gap: $431.91 more every two weeks, $935.81 more a month, $11,229.66 more a year. The $15,000 raise is worth $11,229.66 in your bank — the rest goes to tax and the extra 401(k).

Frequently asked questions

Why is the take-home gap smaller than the salary gap?

Because the extra pay is taxed. In the Texas example, the $15,000 raise adds $576.92 of gross pay to each paycheck, but only $431.91 of take-home. The other $145.02 goes to federal tax ($72.04), FICA ($44.13) and the extra 401(k) ($28.85). The higher salary also pushes more of your income into the 12% federal bracket, so the tax on the extra pay is higher than the average rate on the whole salary.

Can I compare an hourly wage with a salary?

Not directly here — this calculator compares two annual salaries. Turn the hourly wage into a yearly salary first with the Hourly to Salary Calculator, then compare the two salaries here.

Does it matter which salary I put in A and which in B?

No. The table shows both, and the gap is worked out as B minus A. If B is the lower salary, the gap comes out negative — that just means A leaves more in your bank.

Can I compare two job offers here?

Yes — that is what this salary comparison calculator is for. Put both salaries in above to compare two job offers salary take home side by side: $60,000 against $75,000 in Texas leaves $431.91 more in your bank every two weeks, $11,229.66 more a year.

Sources and 2026 figures. IRS Publication 15-T; IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32. Standard deduction 2026: $16,100 single / $32,200 married filing jointly. Social Security wage base 2026: $184,500. Social Security 6.2%, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% over $200,000). Results are estimates, not tax advice.

Estimate, not tax advice. This calculator uses simplified 2026 tables for illustration. Verify your withholding with IRS Publication 15-T and a tax professional.