A New Jersey paycheck loses federal tax, New Jersey income tax, Social Security (6.2 percent) and Medicare (1.45 percent). Three small state items come out too: unemployment, disability (TDI) and family leave (FLI). Enter your pay in the calculator below to see your take home pay. A worker earning $25 an hour on a full time biweekly schedule keeps about $1,616 of every $2,000.
How a New Jersey paycheck is figured
Every paycheck starts with gross pay, which is everything you earned. Deductions come out, and what is left is your net pay, also called take home pay. If the two terms confuse you, read why take home pay is smaller.
Gross pay, minus before tax deductions, minus federal income tax, minus New Jersey income tax, minus Social Security, minus Medicare, minus three New Jersey contributions, minus any other deductions, equals take home pay.
What comes out of a New Jersey paycheck
- Federal income tax. It depends on your pay, filing status and W4.
- New Jersey income tax. It is based on your NJ W4 and New Jersey’s withholding tables.
- Social Security, 6.2 percent. It applies to your first $184,500 of wages in 2026.
- Medicare, 1.45 percent. It applies to all wages, with an extra 0.9 percent on pay above $200,000.
- Unemployment and workforce fund, 0.425 percent. It applies to your first $44,800 of wages.
- Temporary disability (TDI), 0.19 percent. It applies to your first $171,100.
- Family leave (FLI), 0.23 percent. It applies to your first $171,100.
For a plain look at each line, see where each deduction comes from.
What New Jersey does not take
No New Jersey city charges workers a local income tax. Newark and Jersey City have a 1 percent payroll tax, but employers pay it, not workers. Your paycheck is not reduced by it.
2026 numbers you need
| Item |
2026 figure |
| New Jersey income tax rates |
1.4 percent to 10.75 percent |
| NJ unemployment and workforce (worker share) |
0.425 percent on the first $44,800, up to $190.40 a year |
| NJ temporary disability, TDI (worker share) |
0.19 percent on the first $171,100, up to $325.09 a year |
| NJ family leave, FLI (worker share) |
0.23 percent on the first $171,100, up to $393.53 a year |
| Social Security (worker share) |
6.2 percent, up to $184,500 of wages |
| Medicare (worker share) |
1.45 percent, plus 0.9 percent over $200,000 |
| Federal standard deduction |
$16,100 single, $32,200 married jointly, $24,150 head of household |
| NJ withholding allowance |
$1,000 a year for each allowance |
| New Jersey minimum wage |
$15.92 an hour from January 1, 2026 |
New Jersey income tax explained
New Jersey uses a graduated tax. Each slice of your income is taxed at its own rate, so a raise never drops your take home pay by pushing all your income into a higher rate. Here are the tax brackets you pay on your yearly return:
| Rate |
Single or married filing separately |
Married jointly or head of household |
| 1.4% |
$0 to $20,000 |
$0 to $20,000 |
| 1.75% |
$20,001 to $35,000 |
$20,001 to $50,000 |
| 2.45% |
Not used |
$50,001 to $70,000 |
| 3.5% |
$35,001 to $40,000 |
$70,001 to $80,000 |
| 5.525% |
$40,001 to $75,000 |
$80,001 to $150,000 |
| 6.37% |
$75,001 to $500,000 |
$150,001 to $500,000 |
| 8.97% |
$500,001 to $1,000,000 |
$500,001 to $1,000,000 |
| 10.75% |
Over $1,000,000 |
Over $1,000,000 |
Why your paycheck tax does not match these rates
Your employer does not use the yearly brackets above. It uses New Jersey’s withholding tables, which start at 1.5 percent and climb to 11.8 percent. These rates run a little higher than the final tax rates. The goal is to take out enough during the year so you do not owe a lot in April. If too much was taken out, you get a refund when you file.
The table your employer uses comes from your NJ W4. Single workers and people married filing separately use Rate Table A. People married filing jointly, heads of household and surviving spouses use Rate Table B. Each allowance on the NJ W4 lowers your taxable pay by $1,000 a year. The calculator above follows these tables.
Deductions that work differently in New Jersey
This part surprises many workers. On a federal return, health insurance, an HSA and a 401k all lower your taxable pay. In New Jersey they do not all work the same way.
- Regular 401k: Contributions are not counted as New Jersey taxable wages when you make them. You pay New Jersey tax when you take the money out.
- Health insurance through a cafeteria plan: These deductions lower your federal tax and your FICA pay, but New Jersey generally still counts them as taxable wages.
- HSA, 403b and 457 plans: New Jersey does not give the same break on these, even though the federal government does.
That is why the calculator above treats your 401k and your health insurance differently. Check with a tax professional about your own benefits. New Jersey’s rules here are narrow and can change.
Worked examples
These examples use the same math as the calculator above. All three are for a single filer with no W4 credits and no NJ allowances.
Example 1: $25 an hour, full time, paid every two weeks
| Line |
Amount |
| Gross pay (80 hours at $25) |
$2,000.00 |
| Federal income tax (estimate) |
$156.15 |
| New Jersey income tax (estimate) |
$58.73 |
| Social Security |
$124.00 |
| Medicare |
$29.00 |
| NJ unemployment and workforce |
$7.32 |
| NJ disability (TDI) |
$3.80 |
| NJ family leave (FLI) |
$4.60 |
| Take home pay |
$1,616.40 |
About 19 percent of gross pay goes to taxes and state programs. Over a year, that is roughly $42,000 in take home pay.
Example 2: $75,000 salary, paid twice a month, with a 401k and health insurance
This worker puts $150 into a 401k and pays $100 for health insurance each paycheck.
| Line |
Amount |
| Gross pay ($75,000 divided by 24) |
$3,125.00 |
| 401k and health insurance, before tax |
$250.00 |
| Federal income tax (estimate) |
$264.58 |
| New Jersey income tax (estimate) |
$112.93 |
| Social Security |
$187.55 |
| Medicare |
$43.86 |
| NJ unemployment and workforce |
$7.93 |
| NJ disability (TDI) |
$5.94 |
| NJ family leave (FLI) |
$7.19 |
| Take home pay |
$2,245.02 |
Without the two deductions, take home pay would be $2,423.21. So $250 in deductions lowers the paycheck by only about $178. The rest comes back as lower taxes. Notice that the 401k lowers both federal and New Jersey tax, but the health insurance lowers only federal tax and FICA.
Example 3: minimum wage, full time, paid weekly
| Line |
Amount |
| Gross pay (40 hours at $15.92) |
$636.80 |
| Federal income tax (estimate) |
$34.49 |
| New Jersey income tax (estimate) |
$10.81 |
| Social Security |
$39.48 |
| Medicare |
$9.23 |
| NJ unemployment and workforce |
$2.71 |
| NJ disability (TDI) |
$1.21 |
| NJ family leave (FLI) |
$1.46 |
| Take home pay |
$537.41 |
New Jersey paycheck rules
Minimum wage
The New Jersey minimum wage is $15.92 an hour from January 1, 2026. Some seasonal workers and workers at small employers have a lower rate, so check with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development if that may apply to you.
Overtime
In New Jersey, most hourly workers get time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. There is no daily overtime rule like the one in some other states. Some workers are exempt, such as certain salaried managers.
Paydays
Most New Jersey employers must pay workers at least twice a calendar month on regular paydays set in advance. Certain executive and supervisory workers can be paid once a month. Wages are due no more than 10 working days after the pay period ends. That is why the calculator offers weekly, every two weeks, twice a month and monthly pay.
Pay stubs
New Jersey law requires employers to give each employee a statement of deductions for every pay period in which deductions are made. Many employers give a full stub with gross pay, net pay, rate of pay and hours. New Jersey also requires employers to tell you your rate of pay and regular payday when you are hired.
When a job ends
If you quit or are let go, your employer must pay all wages due no later than the regular payday for the pay period in which the job ended. If you need records from a past job, see how to get records from a former employer.
Want to compare with other states? Look up your state’s rules and tools.
Why your real paycheck may differ
- Your W4 and NJ W4. Extra withholding, credits, allowances and a second job all change the tax.
- Bonuses. Employers often withhold federal tax on bonuses at a flat 22 percent, which can look like a big bite.
- Benefits. Health plans, FSAs and commuter benefits may be treated differently for federal tax, New Jersey tax and payroll contributions.
- Year to date totals. Social Security, unemployment and TDI and FLI all stop at wage limits, so high earners may see a raise in take home pay late in the year. Learn how running totals are built.
- Garnishments and other deductions. Child support, loan repayments and union dues come out after tax.
- Rounding. Payroll systems round in different places, so a few cents can differ.
Your pay stub is the final record. If you want a plain guide to reading one, here is a look at every part of a stub.
Need a New Jersey pay stub?
A calculator gives you an estimate. A pay stub is a document. You may need one for an apartment in Jersey City, a car loan in Newark, or your own records as a freelancer in Trenton.
Landlords and lenders usually want your latest two or three. See how many stubs a rental application asks for and what a lender expects to see. Paid as a contractor? Read how contractors and employees differ on paper. Employers can start with a guide for your first hire.
How to make a New Jersey stub in four steps
- Enter your details. Pick New Jersey, your filing status and your pay period. Add the company name, your name and your pay. For a full walkthrough, see eight steps to make your own stub.
- Preview it for free. Compare the net pay with your calculator result and your bank deposit.
- Pay $6.99. Use a debit card, credit card or PayPal on an encrypted page. There is no account and no subscription.
- Download the PDF. It arrives by email within minutes, so double check your address.
What it costs
- Preview: free
- One pay stub: $6.99, with any of seven templates
- Your first classic stub: free for new users
- Typos found later: email us within 24 hours and we fix them
Use real numbers only. A stub built from true figures is a normal record of earnings. A stub built from made up income to win a lease or a loan is fraud, no matter which tool made it. Lenders and landlords often check stubs against bank deposits and tax records. For the papers that back a stub up, see eight papers that show what you earn.
See your stub before you pay
Nothing is charged until you have checked every line.
Build it in about two minutes
Questions people ask
Does New Jersey have a state income tax?
Yes. New Jersey taxes wages with a graduated gross income tax. The rates run from 1.4 percent to 10.75 percent, depending on your income and filing status. New Jersey cities do not charge a local income tax on workers.
How much tax is taken out of a paycheck in New Jersey?
Federal income tax, New Jersey income tax, Social Security at 6.2 percent, Medicare at 1.45 percent, and three small New Jersey contributions come out. For a single worker earning $25 an hour on a full time biweekly schedule, about 19 percent of gross pay goes to these items.
What are TDI and FLI on a New Jersey paycheck?
TDI is Temporary Disability Insurance and FLI is Family Leave Insurance. Both are state programs that workers help pay for. In 2026, workers pay 0.19 percent for TDI and 0.23 percent for FLI on wages up to $171,100.
What is the New Jersey minimum wage in 2026?
The New Jersey minimum wage is $15.92 an hour from January 1, 2026. Some seasonal workers and workers at small employers have a lower rate, so check with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Does New Jersey tax 401k contributions?
Regular 401k contributions are not counted as New Jersey taxable wages when you make them, but they are taxed when you take the money out. New Jersey does not give the same break for other items such as health savings accounts or most cafeteria plan deductions.
How often do New Jersey employers have to pay workers?
Most employers must pay at least twice a calendar month on regular paydays set in advance. Employers may pay certain executive and supervisory workers once a month. Wages are due no more than 10 working days after the pay period ends.
Does New Jersey require pay stubs?
New Jersey requires employers to give each employee a statement of deductions for every pay period in which deductions are made. Many employers give a full stub with gross pay, net pay and hours. Rules can change, so confirm with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
How accurate is a New Jersey paycheck calculator?
It gives a solid estimate, not an exact payroll result. Your real paycheck can differ because of your W4, your NJ W4, bonuses, benefits, garnishments and how your employer rounds. Your pay stub is the final record.
How do I make a New Jersey pay stub from my results?
Open the pay stub tool, pick New Jersey, and enter your real pay details. Preview the stub free, then pay $6.99 to download it. Use only true figures, and compare the net pay with your bank deposit.
The bottom line
New Jersey takes more than federal tax and FICA from your paycheck. State income tax, unemployment, disability and family leave all add up. The calculator above handles each one in seconds, so you know your take home pay before payday.
Need those numbers on paper for a landlord or a lender? Build a stub, check every line, and pay only if it matches your records.
Sources: New Jersey Division of Taxation withholding tables, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development rate information, Tax Foundation 2026 tax brackets (from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025 32) and the Social Security Administration wage base. This page is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Tax rules and wage laws change, so check with a tax professional or the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development for your case.
