Washington Take-Home Pay Calculator for 2027
Short answer: A single, full-time worker at Washington's 2027 minimum wage of $17.73 grosses $36,878 a year and takes home an estimated $31,353 after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family & Medical Leave. Washington has no state income tax.
Washington take-home pay estimator (2027)
What comes out of a Washington paycheck in 2027
| Item | $17.73 (state min.) | $22.14 (Seattle min.) |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $36,878 | $46,051 |
| Federal income tax (est.) | −$2,177 | −$3,278 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,286 | −$2,855 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$535 | −$668 |
| WA Cares Fund (0.58%) | −$214 | −$267 |
| Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) | −$313 | −$391 |
| Estimated take-home | $31,353 | $38,592 |
The rates behind the estimate
- Federal income tax: the 2027 tax brackets and $16,600 single standard deduction announced in IRS IR-2026-133.
- Social Security and Medicare: 6.2% and 1.45% for the employee, according to IRS Topic 751. The Social Security wage base is not modeled.
- WA Cares Fund: 0.58% of gross wages, per the program's employer page.
- Paid Family & Medical Leave: 1.2% total for 2027; employees pay 70.7% (about 0.848% of wages), per the Employment Security Department.
Credits (child tax credit, EITC), health insurance premiums, union dues, wage garnishments, and Form W-4 extra withholding. The calculator also assumes no income besides this job. If you work in a city with a payroll or head tax, add it separately.
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington have a state income tax?
No. Washington does not tax wages at the state level, so a Washington paycheck has federal income tax and FICA taken out, plus two state payroll premiums: WA Cares Fund and Paid Family & Medical Leave.
What is the WA Cares Fund deduction?
It is a long-term care insurance premium of 0.58% of gross wages, according to the WA Cares Fund. Unlike Paid Leave, premiums are not capped at the Social Security wage base. Employees with an approved exemption do not pay it.
What is the Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave premium in 2027?
The total premium rate is 1.2% of gross wages starting January 1, 2027, up from 1.13% in 2026. Employees pay 70.7% of the total premium and employers pay 29.3%, according to the Employment Security Department, which makes the employee share about 0.848%.
How much do I take home on $17.73 an hour in Washington?
For a single full-time worker with no pre-tax deductions, our estimate is about 31,353 dollars a year, or roughly 1,206 dollars per two-week paycheck, using 2027 federal brackets. Your actual paycheck depends on your W-4 and employer.
Why is my paycheck different from this estimate?
Withholding follows your Form W-4 and the IRS withholding tables, which can over- or under-withhold relative to your actual tax. Health insurance premiums, retirement contributions and other deductions also change take-home pay. Treat this as a planning tool.
Do Seattle workers pay a city income tax on wages?
We do not model any city-level tax, and Washington has no state income tax on wages. Seattle's minimum wage rises to $22.14 in 2027; check with the City of Seattle if you have questions about local taxes.
Sources and citations
Every dollar figure on this page was checked against the official pages below on November 14, 2026. If an agency updates its guidance, the agency page controls.
- IRS IR-2026-133: Tax year 2027 inflation adjustments (Nov. 5, 2026)
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2026-35 (2027 adjusted items)
- IRS Topic no. 751: Social Security and Medicare withholding rates
- Washington Employment Security Department: Paid Family & Medical Leave premium rate increases to 1.2% in 2027
- WA Cares Fund: Employer information (0.58% premium)
- Washington L&I: Minimum Wage
- Seattle Office of Labor Standards: Seattle's 2027 minimum wage announcement (Sept. 28, 2026)