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Take-home pay after federal, state and local taxes — salary or hourly, with overtime and pre-tax deductions.
California · 2026 take-home pay
$15 an hour after taxes in California
At $15 an hour in California you keep about $12.79 of every hour — $511 a week, $2,216 a month or $26,598 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, California income tax and state payroll programs. California has a graduated income tax plus SDI, and its minimum wage is $16.90 an hour.
Where $15 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $31,200 | $600 | $15.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,564 | −$30 | −$0.75 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$1,934 | −$37 | −$0.93 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$452 | −$9 | −$0.22 |
| California income tax | −$246 | −$5 | −$0.12 |
| SDI (State Disability Insurance, includes Paid Family Leave) | −$406 | −$8 | −$0.20 |
| Take-home pay | $26,598 | $511 | $12.79 |
Effective tax rate 14.8% · federal bracket 12% · California bracket 2%.
SDI (State Disability Insurance, includes Paid Family Leave): 1.3% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $600.00 | $511.49 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,200.00 | $1,022.98 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,300.00 | $1,108.23 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,600.00 | $2,216.46 |
$15 an hour at different hours
Take-home in California for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $15 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $300 | $273 | $14,204 |
| 30 hours a week | $450 | $394 | $20,486 |
| 40 hours a week | $600 | $511 | $26,598 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $713 | $596 | $31,003 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $825 | $681 | $35,394 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $15 an hour good pay in California?
- Minimum wage: $15 an hour is below California's minimum wage of $16.90 an hour, so most employers there can't pay it. Many cities set higher local minimums.
- Among California workers: It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in California (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median is $28.00 an hour.
- Local prices: California's price level is 110.7% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $26,598 a year buys about what $24,022 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $780 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,108 a month for needs, $665 for wants and $443 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
How California compares on $15 an hour
California ranks 25th of 51 for take-home pay on $15 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
How the federal tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $31,200 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $15,100. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $2,700 | $324 |
| Total | $15,100 | $1,564 |
How the California income tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $31,200 of California wages minus $5,706 standard deduction = $25,494.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | $11,079 | $111 |
| 2% | $14,415 | $288 |
| Personal credits | — | −$153 |
| Total | $25,494 | $246 |
Common questions
How much is $15 an hour after taxes in California?
About $12.79 for every hour you work, or $26,598 a year at 40 hours a week ($31,200 gross). Taxes take about 14.8% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $15 an hour a week after taxes in California?
About $511 a week at 40 hours, from $600 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,023.
How much is $15 an hour a month after taxes in California?
About $2,216 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,600 gross.
Is $15 an hour good pay in California?
$15 an hour is below California's minimum wage of $16.90 an hour, so most employers there can't pay it. It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in California (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in California is $28.00. After taxes and local prices, $26,598 a year buys about what $24,022 would at national-average prices.
Is California a high-tax state for $15 an hour?
It ranks 25th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $15 an hour. The most you'd keep is $27,249 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $25,274 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in California
- $12 an hour in California
- $13 an hour in California
- $14 an hour in California
- $16 an hour in California
- $17 an hour in California
- $18 an hour in California
- $19 an hour in California
$15 an hour in every state · $30,000 a year in California · $35,000 a year in California · California paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, California's income tax rules and California's employee payroll programs (methodology). Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.