Massachusetts Paycheck Calculator 2026

A Massachusetts paycheck loses ground in four predictable places before it reaches your bank account. The IRS takes federal income tax based on the W-4 you filed, the Social Security Administration collects 6.2% on wages up to the $184,500 wage base, and Medicare takes another 1.45% with no cap. On top of that, Massachusetts applies its flat 5% state income tax to nearly all of your earnings, since the state does not use the graduated brackets you see elsewhere.

The fifth deduction is the one that surprises newcomers: a small Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) contribution withheld from wages, separate from income tax. Massachusetts has no state disability insurance line, so that PFML slice is the only state payroll add-on beyond income tax. Pre-tax choices matter too, every dollar you route into a 401(k) (up to the $24,500 deferral limit) or a health plan shrinks the wages that both federal and the 5% state tax see, which is the most direct lever you have over take-home pay.

On a $60,000 salary, Massachusetts's flat 5% income tax comes to about $2,680 a year for a single filer after the state's own deductions and exemptions — on top of $4,590 in federal FICA, which is the same in every state. 20 of the 42 states that tax income have a lower top rate than Massachusetts's 5%, although Massachusetts adds a 4% surtax on income above $1,107,750 in 2026.

The state minimum wage is $15.00/hr , above the federal $7.25 floor — about $31,200 a year at 40 hours a week. Massachusetts also withholds for paid family leave, which most states do not.