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Wisconsin Hourly Paycheck Calculator

An hourly wage in Wisconsin is reduced by federal income tax, FICA of 7.65% (6.2% Social Security up to the annual wage base plus 1.45% Medicare), and Wisconsin's graduated income tax (3.5% to 7.65%) in 2026. Enter your wage and hours to see net pay for any pay frequency. Against the 4 states Wisconsin borders, the same $25 an hour is worth $42,424 here: Iowa keeps $174 more ($42,598), Minnesota leaves $475 less ($41,949), Michigan leaves $672 less ($41,752) and Illinois leaves $1,036 less ($41,388). Iowa is the only border worth crossing for the tax alone.

Estimated take-home

$1,632

every two weeks · $42,424 a year

For $25/hr, 40 hrs a week · Wisconsin · single

Take-home 82%Taxes & deductions 18%

Pay stub

ItemPer paycheckPer year
Gross pay$2,000.00$52,000
Federal income tax− $156.15− $4,060
Social Security (FICA)− $124.00− $3,224
Medicare (FICA)− $29.00− $754
Wisconsin income tax− $59.15− $1,538
Take-home pay$1,631.70$42,424

FICA is Social Security plus Medicare.

Estimate based on 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules updated Oct 2026 How we calculate

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You keep

82¢of every dollar

On average you keep 82¢ of each dollar. Of your next $1,000, you’d keep about $760: the dashed line.

Insights

  • Next $1,000

    Every extra $1,000 you earn adds about $760 to your take-home. The other $240 goes to tax.

  • Overtime

    One more overtime hour a week ($37.50) would add about $57 to each paycheck after withholding.

  • In Texas

    In Texas the same pay would leave you $1,538 more a year. Texas has no state income tax.

State comparisons cover income and payroll taxes only; living costs and other taxes differ.

Effective tax rate 18.4%

What common hourly wages leave in Wisconsin

Worked full time at 40 hours a week in Wisconsin, here is what common wages leave after federal tax, Wisconsin income tax and FICA in 2026:

WageGrossWisconsin taxYou keepShare kept
$18/hour$37,440$897$31,36683.8%
$25/hour$52,000$1,538$42,42481.6%
$35/hour$72,800$2,515$57,53079.0%

Wisconsin takes about 3.0% of that money on top of the 8% federal marginal rate and 7.65% FICA.

How Wisconsin ranks on hourly wages

Across all 50 states and DC, Wisconsin ranks 20th for what $25 an hour leaves in 2026. That is $165 more than the median state ($42,260), and $2,751 more than Oregon, where the same $25 an hour leaves $39,674.

The best outcome anywhere is $43,962 in Alaska and the other states with no wage income tax, $1,538 more than Wisconsin keeps.

Wisconsin hourly wages against the states next door

Crossing a state line changes what the same hourly wage is worth without changing what you are paid. Here is $25 an hour in Wisconsin against the states it borders:

StateState income taxYou keepvs Wisconsin
Wisconsin$1,538$42,424—
Illinois$2,574$41,388$1,036 less
Iowa$1,364$42,598$174 more
Michigan$2,210$41,752$672 less
Minnesota$2,013$41,949$475 less

How hourly take-home pay is calculated in Wisconsin

Your hourly wage is just the starting point. Wisconsin workers pay federal and state taxes on their annualized income, plus mandatory FICA contributions. Here's exactly how it works.

  • Annualized income determines your bracket: Your employer annualizes your hourly income (hourly rate × hours × 52 weeks) to determine the correct withholding for each paycheck.
  • Wisconsin state income tax: Wages are taxed through Wisconsin's graduated income tax (3.5% to 7.65%), applied to each paycheck based on your annualized income and filing status.
  • Social Security and Medicare: FICA taxes are 6.2% for Social Security (up to the annual wage base) and 1.45% for Medicare. These are fixed percentages with no deductions or exemptions.
  • Pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income: Contributions to a 401(k), HSA, or FSA are deducted before taxes are calculated, lowering both your taxable income and your tax bill.

The calculator combines all these factors to show your exact take-home pay per paycheck, per month, and annually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hourly wages in Wisconsin are subject to federal income tax (based on your annualized income and filing status), Wisconsin's graduated income tax (3.5% to 7.65%), and FICA taxes (Social Security at 6.2% up to the annual wage base and Medicare at 1.45%). The calculator annualizes your hourly income to determine the correct tax bracket, then shows your actual per-paycheck take-home.

Multiply your hourly rate by your weekly hours, then by 52: $25/hour × 40 hours × 52 weeks is $52,000 a year. That annualized figure sets your federal and Wisconsin bracket. In Wisconsin it works out to $31,366 on $18 an hour, $42,424 on $25 an hour, $57,530 on $35 an hour: take-home, not gross.

Federal income tax (using progressive brackets based on your annualized income and filing status), Wisconsin's graduated income tax (3.5% to 7.65%), Social Security tax (6.2% up to the wage base, currently $176,100 for 2026), and Medicare tax (1.45% on all income, plus 0.9% for earnings over $200,000 if single or $250,000 if married).

Wisconsin's minimum wage is set by state law and may be higher than the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour. Some cities within Wisconsin have their own higher local minimums. Check your employer's offer against the current Wisconsin Department of Labor rates to verify compliance.

Your total annual tax is the same however often you're paid; only the per-paycheck withholding changes. On $25 an hour in Wisconsin that is about $1,632 every two weeks, $1,768 semi-monthly or $3,535 a month after tax. The calculator adjusts withholding for weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly and monthly periods.

Against the 4 states Wisconsin borders, the same $25 an hour is worth $42,424 here: Iowa keeps $174 more ($42,598), Minnesota leaves $475 less ($41,949), Michigan leaves $672 less ($41,752) and Illinois leaves $1,036 less ($41,388). Iowa is the only border worth crossing for the tax alone.

Wisconsin's brackets are relatively spread out compared to compressed-bracket states, meaning taxpayers move through rates more gradually. However, the starting rate of 3.54% is higher than many progressive states, which means even lower earners pay more than they might expect. A $100,000 earner pays an effective rate around 5%-6% (approximately $5,000-$6,000 annually), while the same earner in a flat-tax state like Pennsylvania would pay $3,070 (3.07% flat, though PA may have local EIT).

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