Washington paycheck calculator employers use for hourly paychecks
The Washington paycheck calculator on this page helps employers estimate payroll taxes and take-home pay for hourly and salaried employees. Because Washington does not impose state personal income tax on wages, this calculator does not include Washington state income tax withholding. However, Washington employees may still be subject to state payroll deductions such as Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave and the WA Cares Fund.
If calculating payroll withholdings seems complicated, don’t worry. The calculator above was designed to help employers estimate withholding taxes and net pay for Washington employees quickly and easily. It is intended as an estimate only, but it can provide a practical payroll preview for regular wages, overtime, federal payroll withholding, FICA taxes, Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave premiums, and WA Cares Fund deductions.
The Washington paycheck calculator at the top of this page makes it easy for employers to double-check payroll calculations for hourly employees and help estimate take-home pay. It accounts for federal payroll taxes, overtime rates, pre-tax deductions, and Washington-specific payroll contributions that may apply. Further down this page, you will also find additional information about how payroll calculations differ for salaried and hourly employees. If you reward employees with performance bonuses, you may also want to try our Washington bonus tax calculator.
Is Payroll Handled Differently for Hourly and Salaried Employees?
In general, the payroll process is very similar regardless of the type of employee. Employers begin with an employee’s gross wages, which is the total amount earned during a pay period, and then withhold federal payroll taxes and any additional deductions such as health insurance premiums, retirement contributions, wage garnishments, Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave premiums, or WA Cares Fund deductions.
Washington does not impose a state personal income tax on wages, so employers generally do not withhold Washington state income tax from employee paychecks. Instead, payroll calculations in Washington usually focus on federal income tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, Additional Medicare when applicable, and Washington-specific payroll deductions such as Paid Family & Medical Leave and WA Cares Fund contributions.
Gross Wages for Hourly Employees
For hourly employees in Washington, gross wages are calculated by multiplying the number of hours worked during a pay period by the employee’s hourly pay rate.
Although the calculation itself is straightforward, employers must also account for overtime pay requirements. Under federal labor law, non-exempt employees must generally receive overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a workweek, unless an exemption applies. Overtime wages are typically paid at 1.5 times the employee’s regular hourly rate.
Employers should ensure payroll calculations properly account for overtime hours when determining gross pay for hourly workers.
Gross Wages for Salaried Employees
For employees who receive an annual salary, gross pay is determined by dividing the employee’s annual salary by the number of pay periods in a year.
For example, if an employee earns an annual salary of $100,000, their gross wages per pay period would look like this (assuming no other pre-tax deductions):
| Pay Schedule | Gross Wages (based on $100k salary) |
| Weekly (52 pay periods/year) | $1923.08 |
| Bi-Weekly (26 pay periods/year) | $3846.15 |
| Bi-Monthly (24 pay periods/year) | $4166.67 |
| Monthly (12 pay periods/year) | $8333.33 |
Employers should choose a pay schedule that works best for their organization while ensuring payroll compliance and accurate withholding calculations.