Arizona paycheck taxes at a glance
| Income tax on wages | Flat 2.5% |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction | $16,100 single · $32,200 married filing jointly |
| Minimum wage (2026) | $15.15 an hour (tipped employees at least $12.15 plus tips) |
Example: a $82,900 salary in Arizona
The median household income in Arizona is about $82,940 (2025 data). Here's what one earner with that salary, paid every two weeks, filing single with no pre-tax deductions, would see on each paycheck in 2026:
| Gross pay | $3,188.46 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$361.85 |
| Social Security | −$197.68 |
| Medicare | −$46.23 |
| Arizona income tax | −$64.23 |
| Take-home pay | $2,518.47 |
That's $65,480 a year in take-home pay, or 21% of gross pay going to taxes.
Take-home pay by salary in Arizona
Single filer, paid biweekly, standard W-4, no pre-tax deductions:
| Salary | Per paycheck | Per year | State taxes | Total tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,297.02 | $33,723 | $598 | 15.7% |
| $60,000 | $1,895.87 | $49,293 | $1,098 | 17.8% |
| $80,000 | $2,442.79 | $63,513 | $1,598 | 20.6% |
| $100,000 | $2,964.71 | $77,083 | $2,098 | 22.9% |
| $150,000 | $4,247.83 | $110,444 | $3,348 | 26.4% |
| $200,000 | $5,551.13 | $144,330 | $4,598 | 27.8% |
What changed for 2026
- The standard deduction is indexed to inflation the same way as the federal one. From the 2025 amounts of $15,750 (single), $31,500 (married filing jointly) and $23,625 (head of household), that gives $16,100, $32,200 and $24,150 for 2026.
- The minimum wage rose to $15.15 an hour on January 1, 2026, under Arizona's annual cost-of-living adjustment. Tipped employees must be paid at least $12.15 an hour.
Arizona pay rules worth knowing
- Employers must set two or more paydays each month, no more than 16 days apart.
- If you're fired, your final pay is due within seven working days or by the end of the next regular pay period, whichever is sooner. If you quit, it's due by the regular payday for that pay period.
What you owe versus what’s withheld
Arizona’s income tax is simple: 2.5% of income after the standard deduction, minus a small credit for dependents. The calculator above uses that to estimate your Arizona tax for 2026.
What your employer actually withholds can be different. Arizona doesn’t use a withholding formula based on your filing status. Instead, you choose a flat percentage of your gross taxable wages on Form A-4: 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, 3.0% or 3.5%. If you don’t turn in an A-4, your employer uses 2.0%.
Because the standard deduction takes a fixed $16,100 off the top for a single filer, the tax you owe as a share of salary rises with income. In the calculator, a single filer owes about:
| Salary | Arizona tax | Share of salary | Withheld at the 2.0% default |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $598 | 1.5% | $800 |
| $60,000 | $1,098 | 1.8% | $1,200 |
| $100,000 | $2,098 | 2.1% | $2,000 |
| $150,000 | $3,348 | 2.2% | $3,000 |
At $40,000, the default over-withholds by about $200, which comes back as a refund. At $150,000 it falls short by about $350, which you’d owe in April. Married couples, who get a $32,200 deduction, often owe less than 2% even at higher combined incomes. Look at your share of salary in the calculator, then pick the closest A-4 rate. If you’re between two rates, choose the higher one and you’ll get a small refund.
The standard deduction follows the federal one
Arizona law sets the standard deduction at $15,750 for single filers, $31,500 for joint filers and $23,625 for heads of household (the 2025 amounts) and indexes it each year with the same method used for the federal deduction. That makes the 2026 amounts $16,100, $32,200 and $24,150, the same as the federal figures. Arizona also lets you add part of your charitable donations to the standard deduction (34% for 2025), which the calculator doesn’t include.
Working in Arizona, living elsewhere
Arizona doesn’t have formal reciprocity agreements, but residents of California, Indiana, Oregon and Virginia who work in Arizona can file Form WEC with their employer to stop Arizona withholding. They claim the credit for their home state’s tax on Arizona’s nonresident return instead.
The income tax calculator estimates your federal tax for the year, and the W-4 calculator helps you set federal withholding to match.
Estimates only. Your employer’s payroll system, your W-4 and your Form A-4 determine your actual paycheck.
How we calculate: The 2026 standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 joint, $24,150 head of household) is Arizona’s 2025 amount indexed the way state law requires; the Arizona Department of Revenue had not yet published the 2026 figures. The dependent credit uses the 2025 amounts.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor: State minimum wage laws
- U.S. Department of Labor: Minimum wages for tipped employees
- Arizona Revised Statutes 23-363: Minimum wage and tip credit
- Arizona Revised Statutes 23-351: Payment of wages
- Arizona Revised Statutes 23-353: Final pay
- Arizona Revised Statutes 43-1041: Standard deduction
- Arizona Department of Revenue: 2025 Form 140 instructions
- Arizona Department of Revenue: 2026 Form A-4
- Arizona Department of Revenue: 2026 Form WEC instructions
- Census Bureau: Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas, 2025
- azleg.gov
- azdor.gov
- IRS Publication 15-T (federal withholding)
Frequently asked questions
What percentage should I choose on Arizona Form A-4?
The 2026 Form A-4 offers 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, 3.0% or 3.5% of gross taxable wages, plus an optional extra dollar amount. Pick the rate closest to your expected Arizona tax divided by your wages. For a single filer with no other income, that's about 1.5% at $40,000, about 2% at $80,000, and a little more above that.
What happens if I never filled out an A-4?
Your employer withholds 2.0% of your gross taxable wages. That's more than a single filer owes at lower salaries and less than they owe at higher ones, so it's worth checking.
Can I have no Arizona tax withheld?
Yes, if you expect to owe no Arizona income tax for the year. You make that election on Form A-4, and it must be renewed every year by February 15.
I live in California and work in Arizona. Does my employer withhold Arizona tax?
Not if you file Form WEC with your employer. Residents of California, Indiana, Oregon and Virginia can claim the credit for taxes paid to their home state on Arizona's nonresident return, so Arizona lets them opt out of Arizona withholding.
Does Arizona give a credit for children?
Yes. Arizona's dependent tax credit is $100 for each dependent under 17 and $25 for each older dependent (2025 amounts). It shrinks for single filers with federal adjusted gross income over $200,000 and joint filers over $400,000.
Facts verified November 6, 2026. Estimates only; your employer's payroll system and your W-4 determine your actual withholding.