SalarySplitUS salary guide Reviewed 2026-07-29
What percentage is taken from a paycheck?
There is no single US paycheck deduction percentage. The share depends on income, filing status, state, pre-tax benefits, and W-4 elections.
The fixed and variable pieces
For most employees, Social Security is 6.2% of supported wages up to the annual wage base, and Medicare is 1.45% of supported wages. Federal and state income taxes are not fixed percentages of gross salary.
Why withholding is not your tax liability
A paystub shows amounts withheld by an employer. A tax return reconciles that prepayment with actual liability. SalarySplitHub estimates the latter, so it cannot predict an exact paystub.
How to calculate your effective deduction rate
Add income tax, FICA, state payroll items, and other deductions for a period, then divide by gross pay for that period. Keep pre-tax savings separate if you want to measure taxes only.
This content is educational and does not predict employer withholding. See the calculation methodology and limitations.