Effective Tax Rate Calculator
See what you actually pay, your effective rate across all your income, the marginal bracket on your next dollar, and your after-tax take-home. Works for a W-2 salary or self-employment income. Instant, no sign-up.
What do you earn?
Enter your income to see your real effective tax rate, your marginal bracket, and your after-tax take-home.
Effective vs. marginal, why it matters
People say they’re “in the 24% bracket” and assume they pay 24% of everything, but that’s the marginal rate, the tax on the last dollar. Your effectiverate, total tax over total income, is what you really pay, and it’s always lower, because the brackets stack: your first dollars are taxed least, the standard deduction is taxed at zero, and only income above each threshold gets the higher rate. Knowing both is useful: the effective rate tells you your true burden; the marginal rate tells you what a raise, a bonus, or an extra contract will actually be taxed at.
Frequently asked
What's the difference between effective and marginal tax rate?
Your effective tax rate is your total tax divided by your total income, the real percentage you pay overall. Your marginal rate is the rate on your next dollar of income, i.e. the top bracket you reach. Because the US uses progressive brackets, your effective rate is always lower than your marginal rate.
Why is my effective tax rate lower than my tax bracket?
Only the income in each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate, your first dollars are taxed at the lowest rate, and only the income above each threshold is taxed higher. Add the standard deduction (which is taxed at 0%) and your average, or effective, rate ends up well below the marginal bracket you're 'in.'
Does this include state tax?
Yes, pick your state and the effective rate reflects federal plus state income tax. For self-employment income it also includes self-employment tax, which is why a self-employed effective rate runs higher than a W-2 salary at the same income.