Pay Raise Calculator (After Taxes)
A 5% raise isn’t 5% in your pocket. Enter your salary and raise to see the after-tax increase, your extra monthly take-home, and whether it beats inflation.
Tools to negotiate and track your pay
Learn moreGross raise vs real raise
Your raise is taxed at your marginal rate — the bracket your top dollars fall in — plus 7.65% FICA. So a higher earner keeps less of each raise dollar. And if the percentage is below inflation, your real buying power actually fell even though the number went up.
How it’s calculated & sources
Gross raise = salary × raise%. We estimate federal tax on the raise by stacking it on top of your taxable income (salary minus the standard deduction) across the 2025 brackets, then subtract 7.65% FICA. State tax is not included.
Benchmark: ~3% inflation (a raise below CPI is a real-terms pay cut) and your federal marginal bracket + 7.65% FICA, 2025.
Results update as you type and are general estimates, not personalized financial, tax, medical or legal advice. Verify with a professional.
Worked example
A 5% raise on $70,000 is $3,500 gross. After the 22% bracket and FICA, you keep about $2,400 — roughly $200 more per month — and it beats 3% inflation.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t I keep the whole raise?
It’s taxed at your marginal rate plus payroll taxes. The calculator shows the combined bite.
Does a raise ever push me into a worse spot?
Only the dollars above each threshold are taxed at the higher rate, so a raise always leaves you with more after tax — the “bracket bump” fear is a myth.