West Virginia paycheck calculator
West Virginia uses graduated brackets, starting at 2.11% and reaching 4.58% on income above $60,000. Enter your pay above to see what reaches your account.
Where every dollar goes
2026 tax year · 26 pay periods| Line | Per paycheck | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,615.38 | $68,000.00 |
| 401(k) contribution | −$130.77 | −$3,400.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$130.46 | −$3,392.00 |
| Social Security | −$162.15 | −$4,216.00 |
| Medicare | −$37.92 | −$986.00 |
| West Virginia state income tax | −$76.08 | −$1,977.98 |
| Take-home pay | $2,078.00 | $54,028.02 |
Worth knowing for 2026. All five rates were cut about 5% by SB 392, retroactive to 1 January 2026.
How West Virginia withholding is worked out
Your employer starts from gross pay for the period and annualizes it. Pre-tax items such as a 401(k) contribution and a Section 125 health premium come off first. Federal income tax is then worked out bracket by bracket against the 2026 tables after the standard deduction, and West Virginia applies its own schedule.
Social Security is charged at 6.2% on the first $184,500 of wages for 2026. Medicare is 1.45% on everything, with an extra 0.9% once you pass $200,000. Neither is reduced by a 401(k) contribution, which is why your Social Security wage figure on a W-2 is usually higher than your federal wage figure.
Local taxes in West Virginia
Several cities charge a flat weekly service fee (Charleston $3, Huntington $5). Local rates are set by each jurisdiction, so check your own address before relying on a single figure. The calculator above covers federal and state withholding.
Common questions about West Virginia pay
- How much is $68,000 after tax in West Virginia?
- On a $68,000 salary in West Virginia, filing jointly with a 5% 401(k) contribution, take-home pay works out to about $54,028 a year, or $2,078.00 every two weeks. That is an effective rate of 15.5%.
- Does West Virginia have a state income tax?
- Yes. West Virginia uses graduated brackets, starting at 2.11% and reaching 4.58% on income above $60,000.
- What is withheld from your West Virginia paycheck?
- Federal income tax, Social Security at 6.2% up to $184,500, and Medicare at 1.45% with no cap, plus West Virginia state income tax.
- Does a 401(k) contribution lower West Virginia state tax?
- Yes. Pre-tax 401(k) contributions reduce the wages West Virginia taxes, as well as your federal taxable wages. They do not reduce Social Security or Medicare, which are charged on pay before the deferral.
- What is the West Virginia supplemental or bonus tax rate?
- West Virginia does not publish a separate flat rate for bonuses. Employers generally add the bonus to regular pay for the period and withhold on the combined amount.
What take-home pay looks like in West Virginia
Worked out with the West Virginia paycheck calculator above, for a single filer paid every two weeks with no pre-tax deductions. The hourly column assumes a 2,080-hour year, which is the full-time baseline used by the West Virginia hourly paycheck calculator below.
| Gross salary | Per hour | Take-home a year | Every two weeks | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $19.23 | $33,277 | $1,279.87 | 16.8% |
| $55,000 | $26.44 | $44,717 | $1,719.90 | 18.7% |
| $70,000 | $33.65 | $55,758 | $2,144.54 | 20.3% |
| $90,000 | $43.27 | $68,912 | $2,650.47 | 23.4% |
| $120,000 | $57.69 | $88,643 | $3,409.35 | 26.1% |
Notice how the effective rate climbs with income rather than jumping at a bracket edge. That is because the brackets apply in slices: only the dollars above each threshold are taxed at the higher rate.
How West Virginia compares with other states
The same $75,000 salary, single filer, under each state's own 2026 rules. The state column includes income tax plus any employee-paid programs such as disability or paid family leave.
| State | State tax and programs | Take-home a year | Versus this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia (this page) | $2,546 | $59,047 | — |
| Texas | $0 | $61,593 | +$2,546 |
| California | $3,903 | $57,690 | −$1,357 |
| Colorado | $2,922 | $58,671 | −$376 |
The same $75,000 job leaves you about $2,546 a year better off in Texas than in West Virginia, which is $97.92 a paycheck. If you are weighing a move or a remote offer, run both states through the West Virginia salary calculator above and compare the per-paycheck figures rather than the headline salary.
West Virginia take home pay by hourly rate
Full time at 40 hours a week, single filer, no pre-tax deductions. Useful if you are paid by the hour rather than on a salary.
| Hourly rate | Gross a year | Take-home a year | Every two weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $31,200 | $26,484 | $1,018.61 |
| $18.00 | $37,440 | $31,301 | $1,203.87 |
| $20.00 | $41,600 | $34,512 | $1,327.37 |
| $25.00 | $52,000 | $42,434 | $1,632.06 |
| $30.00 | $62,400 | $50,350 | $1,936.52 |
| $40.00 | $83,200 | $64,440 | $2,478.45 |
Overtime is paid at one and a half times these rates. For the 2026 tax year the premium half of qualified overtime may also be deductible on your return, up to $12,500 (single) or $25,000 (joint), which is claimed when you file rather than through payroll withholding.