California charges 1-13.3% state income tax. Use the paycheck calculator pre-loaded with California rates.
Open Paycheck Calculator →California's graduated state tax (1-13.3%) means your withholding rate depends on your income level. Higher earners see a larger state bite from each paycheck, while lower earners benefit from the lower initial brackets. With no local income taxes, the state rate is your only state-level deduction. The paycheck calculator pre-loads California's structure so you can model your exact net pay.
California uses a graduated income tax with brackets ranging from 1-13.3%. Lower income is taxed at lower rates, with the 13.3% top rate applying only to income in the highest bracket. This progressive structure means your effective state tax rate is always lower than the top marginal rate. California does not have local income taxes, so the state graduated rate is the total state-level income tax burden.
The table below shows what you actually keep at five salary levels in California, accounting for federal tax, FICA, and California's graduated (1-13.3%) state tax.
See how California compares to other West states. Each link takes you to the paycheck calculator landing page for that state.
For a comprehensive breakdown of California’s tax structure, salary comparisons, cost-of-living analysis, and more, visit the full California take-home pay page.