Washington paycheck taxes at a glance
| Income tax on wages | None |
|---|---|
| WA Paid Leave (0.81%) | 0.807% of wages up to $184,500 |
| WA Cares (0.58%) | 0.58% of wages |
| Minimum wage (2026) | $17.13 an hour (higher in Seattle ($21.30) and some other cities) |
Example: a $101,900 salary in Washington
The median household income in Washington is about $101,946 (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 | $3,919.23 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$522.62 |
| Social Security | −$242.99 |
| Medicare | −$56.83 |
| WA Paid Leave (0.81%) | −$31.63 |
| WA Cares (0.58%) | −$22.73 |
| Take-home pay | $3,042.43 |
That's $79,103 a year in take-home pay, or 22.4% of gross pay going to taxes.
Take-home pay by salary in Washington
Single filer, paid biweekly, standard W-4, no pre-tax deductions:
| Salary | Per paycheck | Per year | State payroll | Total tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,298.66 | $33,765 | $555 | 15.6% |
| $60,000 | $1,906.07 | $49,558 | $832 | 17.4% |
| $80,000 | $2,461.55 | $64,000 | $1,110 | 20% |
| $100,000 | $2,992.03 | $77,793 | $1,387 | 22.2% |
| $150,000 | $4,296.55 | $111,710 | $2,081 | 25.5% |
| $200,000 | $5,626.07 | $146,278 | $2,649 | 26.9% |
What changed for 2026
- The total Paid Family and Medical Leave premium rose from 0.92% of wages in 2025 to 1.13% in 2026. Employees pay 71.43% of it, about 0.81% of wages, up to the Social Security wage base.
- The state minimum wage rose to $17.13 an hour on January 1, 2026. It's set to rise to $17.73 on January 1, 2027.
- Since January 1, 2026, workers on nonimmigrant work visas are automatically exempt from WA Cares unless they tell their employer in writing that they want to keep contributing.
- People who took the WA Cares private-insurance exemption can cancel it and rejoin the program between January 1, 2026 and June 30, 2028.
Washington pay rules worth knowing
- Employers must pay all wages owed on an established regular payday, at intervals of no longer than a month.
- When you leave a job, whether you quit or are fired, your final wages are due at the end of the established pay period.
What comes out of a Washington paycheck
No state income tax is withheld in Washington, but your stub will show two state lines on top of federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare:
- Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML). The 2026 premium is 1.13% of wages, and employees pay 71.43% of it, about 0.81% of wages. It applies up to the Social Security wage base ($184,500 in 2026), so the most an employee pays this year is about $1,489.
- WA Cares Fund. A flat 0.58% of wages, with no cap. At $100,000 that’s $580 a year; at $250,000 it’s $1,450.
The take-home table above includes both, under “State payroll.”
Paid Family and Medical Leave: what you get for it
PFML is an insurance program run by the Employment Security Department. If you need time off to recover from a serious health condition, bond with a new child, or care for a family member, you can apply for partial wage replacement while you’re away. The premium rate is reset each year, and the 2026 increase is why your deduction went up in January even if your pay didn’t. If you work for a small employer (under 50 employees), you still pay your share; only the employer share is waived.
WA Cares: who pays and who doesn’t
WA Cares is a state long-term care insurance program that started collecting premiums in July 2023. Everyone covered pays the same 0.58% rate regardless of salary, and the premiums fund benefits for long-term care services later in life.
The early opt-out for people who had bought private long-term care insurance is closed to new applicants. Applications were accepted from October 2021 through December 2022, and only for policies in place by November 1, 2021. Today, exemptions are limited to specific groups, listed in the FAQ below. If you live in Oregon or Idaho and commute into Washington, the out-of-state-resident exemption is the one to look at. You apply for an exemption through WA Cares, not through your employer.
If you took the private-insurance exemption years ago and have changed your mind, a window is open from January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028 to cancel the exemption and start contributing again.
Where Washington collects instead
Washington leans on consumption taxes. You pay the 6.5% state sales tax plus local rates on most purchases, so part of the money you keep from each paycheck goes back to the state when you spend it. The sales tax calculator shows what a given rate adds to a purchase. The capital gains tax affects investors who sell large amounts of stock or other long-term assets, but not wages.
Moving here or comparing offers
If you’re moving from a state with income tax, run your salary through the calculator above with both states to see the difference per paycheck, then weigh it against housing and sales tax costs. A traditional 401(k) contribution lowers your federal income tax but not PFML or WA Cares, since both apply to gross wages. The 401(k) calculator and salary calculator help you model an offer.
Estimates only. Your employer’s payroll system and your W-4 determine your actual paycheck.
Sources
- Washington L&I: Minimum Wage
- Washington L&I: Local Minimum Wage Rates
- Washington L&I: 2027 Minimum Wage Announcement
- WAC 296-126-023: Pay Intervals
- RCW 49.48.010: Wages Due on Termination
- WA Cares Fund: How It Works
- WA Cares Fund: Exemptions
- Washington DOR: Capital Gains Tax
- Washington DOR: Retail Sales Tax
- Census Bureau: Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas, 2025
- esd.wa.gov
- paidleave.wa.gov
- IRS Publication 15-T (federal withholding)
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington have a state income tax?
Not on wages. Washington does tax individuals on long-term capital gains, starting at 7% on gains above a large annual standard deduction ($278,000 for 2025), but that tax applies to sales of assets like stocks, not to your paycheck.
Can I opt out of WA Cares?
Only if you qualify for one of the current exemptions. These cover people who live outside Washington, active-duty service members with an off-duty civilian job, spouses and registered domestic partners of active-duty service members, veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 70% or higher, and nonimmigrant visa holders. The one-time exemption for people with private long-term care insurance closed to new applicants at the end of 2022.
Does my employer pay part of my Paid Leave premium?
Employers with 50 or more employees pay 28.57% of the total premium, and you pay the other 71.43%. Employers with fewer than 50 employees don't have to pay the employer share, but they still deduct the employee share from your pay.
What's the minimum wage in Seattle?
Seattle's 2026 minimum wage is $21.30 an hour. Several other cities also set their own rates above the state's $17.13, including Tukwila, SeaTac (for hospitality and transportation employers), Bellingham, Burien, Renton and Everett, along with unincorporated King County.
Do I pay sales tax instead of income tax in Washington?
Washington relies heavily on sales tax. The state rate is 6.5%, and cities and counties add their own local rates on top, so the total depends on where you buy. The Department of Revenue's rate lookup tool gives the exact rate for an address.
Facts verified November 6, 2026. Estimates only; your employer's payroll system and your W-4 determine your actual withholding.