Anchorage Paycheck Calculator (2026)
Net pay in Anchorage after federal tax, FICA, state and local taxes.
How the Anchorage Paycheck Calculator: Take-Home Pay Works
This Anchorage paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay in Anchorage, Alaska, using the 2026 federal brackets, Social Security and Medicare. Anchorage workers pay only federal income tax and FICA because Alaska has no state income tax, and residents also receive an annual dividend from the state's fund. Enter your salary, pay frequency, filing status and any pre-tax deduction to see net pay per paycheck and per year.
How Anchorage paychecks are taxed
An Anchorage paycheck shows federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare and no state or city income tax. On $65,000 with a traditional 401(k), federal tax and FICA total about $10,300 a year, leaving roughly 80% of gross pay. Alaska repealed its state income tax in 1980.
The Permanent Fund Dividend paid to eligible residents each year is taxable federal income but is not part of your paycheck.
Local taxes and payroll deductions in Anchorage
Anchorage has no local income tax and no state disability or paid family leave deduction. Alaska employees pay a small unemployment insurance contribution, which appears on the stub. Oil and gas, aviation and logistics, health care, government and the military are major employers, and seasonal and shift work are common.
See the Alaska paycheck calculator for statewide rules.
How much Anchorage workers earn
The Anchorage, AK metro area had about 177,050 jobs in May 2025. The median annual wage across all of them was $60,200 ($28.94 an hour), 1% below the Alaska median of $61,000 and 18% above the national median of $50,980. The average wage was higher, at $75,180, because a smaller number of high earners pull the average up; the median is the better guide to a typical paycheck.
After federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare (Alaska has no state income tax), a single worker on that $60,200 median takes home about $50,310 a year, or $4,192 a month and $1,935.00 every two weeks.
| Where pay falls | Annual wage | Take-home a year | Per biweekly paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% earn less than | $34,770 | $29,979 | $1,153.02 |
| 25% earn less than | $42,600 | $36,239 | $1,393.80 |
| Median (half earn more) | $60,200 | $50,310 | $1,935.00 |
| 25% earn more than | $93,620 | $74,317 | $2,858.35 |
| 10% earn more than | $129,160 | $99,030 | $3,808.85 |
Wage figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Anchorage, AK metropolitan area. Take-home pay: this page's 2026 calculator, single filer, no pre-tax deductions, default settings.
Take-home pay for Anchorage's most common jobs
These are the occupations with the most workers in the Anchorage area. Each row shows the median salary and what a single filer keeps after 2026 taxes in Anchorage.
| Job | Workers | Median salary | Take-home a year | Per biweekly paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 4,990 | $115,290 | $89,475 | $3,441.36 |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,710 | $37,520 | $32,177 | $1,237.59 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 4,070 | $40,310 | $34,408 | $1,323.38 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,600 | $33,280 | $28,787 | $1,107.21 |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,290 | $120,030 | $92,791 | $3,568.88 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 3,070 | $68,620 | $56,830 | $2,185.76 |
| Cashiers | 2,890 | $36,350 | $31,242 | $1,201.61 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,780 | $40,510 | $34,568 | $1,329.53 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,620 | $44,510 | $37,766 | $1,452.53 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 2,560 | $48,150 | $40,676 | $1,564.46 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,340 | $26,080 | $22,983 | $883.94 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 2,300 | $54,100 | $45,433 | $1,747.42 |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,920 | $53,550 | $44,993 | $1,730.51 |
| Construction Laborers | 1,860 | $56,160 | $47,080 | $1,810.77 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,720 | $79,270 | $64,279 | $2,472.28 |
Large occupations tend to pay below the median: 11 of these 15 pay less than the $60,200 median for all workers, which is why the overall median is lower than many people expect.
Worked example: $65,000 salary in Anchorage
A single Anchorage worker earning $65,000, paid every two weeks and contributing $100 per paycheck to a traditional 401(k), has gross pay of $2,500.00 per paycheck. Federal income tax after the $2,600 deferral and the $16,100 standard deduction is about $5,308. Social Security is $4,030 and Medicare is $943. Alaska state income tax is about $0, state payroll programs add about $260.
Net pay is about $51,860 a year, or $1,994.60 per paycheck, which is 79.8% of gross pay. Change any input in the calculator above to test your own situation.
Higher-paying jobs with many openings in Anchorage
Among occupations with at least 500 workers in the Anchorage area, these have the highest median pay. Federal tax takes a larger share at these salaries, so compare the take-home column rather than the salary when weighing offers.
| Job | Median salary | Top 10% earn over | Take-home a year | Share kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $232,240 | $369,150 | $170,594 | 73% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $161,800 | $236,490 | $121,209 | 75% |
| Lawyers | $153,590 | $336,190 | $115,630 | 75% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $137,990 | $201,870 | $105,030 | 76% |
| Construction Managers | $137,980 | $228,330 | $105,023 | 76% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $133,620 | $308,170 | $102,061 | 76% |
| Managers (other) | $132,210 | $195,190 | $101,103 | 76% |
| Financial Managers | $129,220 | $209,590 | $99,071 | 77% |
Occupations concentrated in the Anchorage area
A location quotient compares how common a job is locally with its share nationwide: 2.0 means twice as concentrated as the U.S. overall. These occupations stand out in the Anchorage area and say a lot about which industries hire there.
| Job | Workers | Times the U.S. share | Median salary | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | 260 | 22.6x | $101,640 | $79,927 |
| Commercial Pilots | 590 | 10.9x | $99,920 | $78,724 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | 280 | 10.7x | $160,970 | $120,645 |
| Aircraft Service Attendants | 270 | 7.6x | $46,760 | $39,565 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 1,010 | 6.4x | $94,120 | $74,667 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 500 | 4.9x | $90,960 | $72,457 |
| Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks | 540 | 4.0x | $45,870 | $38,853 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 480 | 3.7x | $77,310 | $62,908 |
Anchorage pay vs. Alaska and the U.S. for popular jobs
Median annual wages for well-known jobs in the Anchorage area, the whole state of Alaska and the United States. Pay usually tracks living costs, so a higher wage does not always mean more money left over.
| Job | Anchorage area | Alaska | U.S. | Anchorage vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $109,480 | $97,550 | 18% above |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $79,260 | $63,970 | 24% above |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $66,190 | $70,100 | $58,640 | 13% above |
| Electricians | $82,440 | $89,440 | $63,190 | 30% above |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $83,460 | $83,680 | 2% below |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $115,020 | $99,130 | $76,210 | 51% above |
| Nursing Assistants | $45,370 | $46,370 | $42,260 | 7% above |
| Retail Salespersons | $37,520 | $37,290 | $35,410 | 6% above |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,560 | $45,150 | $44,770 | same |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $33,280 | $33,280 | $31,200 | 7% above |
| Medical Assistants | $51,930 | $52,560 | $45,690 | 14% above |
What hourly jobs pay in Anchorage
The lowest-paid 10% of workers in the Anchorage area earn under $16.72 an hour. Common hourly jobs pay the median rates below; a 40-hour week at that rate takes home the amount shown after 2026 taxes. Check the current Alaska minimum wage on the U.S. Department of Labor state minimum wage page, since several states raise it each year.
| Job | Median hourly wage | Gross per 40-hour week | Take-home per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $16.00 | $640.00 | $553.60 |
| Cashiers | $17.48 | $699.20 | $600.93 |
| Retail Salespersons | $18.04 | $721.60 | $618.84 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $21.40 | $856.00 | $726.30 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $19.48 | $779.20 | $664.89 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $19.30 | $772.00 | $659.14 |
Pay by career field in Anchorage
BLS groups every job into broad career fields. Here is how many people work in each across the Anchorage area, the field's median salary and what that salary takes home in Anchorage. Management pays the most at a median of $124,600; food preparation and serving related pays the least at $35,490.
| Career field | Workers | Median salary | Take-home a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | 13,840 | $124,600 | $95,932 | $7,994 |
| Legal | 1,490 | $108,470 | $84,705 | $7,059 |
| Architecture and Engineering | 3,950 | $106,640 | $83,425 | $6,952 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | 13,470 | $104,640 | $82,026 | $6,835 |
| Computer and Mathematical | 3,340 | $94,990 | $75,276 | $6,273 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | 3,160 | $90,530 | $72,156 | $6,013 |
| Business and Financial Operations | 8,970 | $82,780 | $66,735 | $5,561 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | 8,550 | $78,400 | $63,671 | $5,306 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | 9,260 | $73,930 | $60,544 | $5,045 |
| Construction and Extraction | 9,920 | $73,860 | $60,495 | $5,041 |
| Protective Service | 4,110 | $71,280 | $58,690 | $4,891 |
| Community and Social Service | 4,060 | $64,150 | $53,468 | $4,456 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | 1,770 | $53,790 | $45,185 | $3,765 |
| Production | 3,240 | $51,580 | $43,418 | $3,618 |
| Office and Administrative Support | 21,740 | $51,330 | $43,218 | $3,602 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | 17,980 | $49,240 | $41,547 | $3,462 |
| Healthcare Support | 9,160 | $44,550 | $37,798 | $3,150 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | 5,160 | $40,510 | $34,568 | $2,881 |
| Sales and Related | 13,110 | $39,680 | $33,904 | $2,825 |
| Personal Care and Service | 4,430 | $38,040 | $32,593 | $2,716 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | 150 | $38,010 | $32,569 | $2,714 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | 16,180 | $35,490 | $30,554 | $2,546 |
How pay grows with experience in Anchorage
The median hides a wide range. The lowest-paid 10% in a job are often new to it, while the top 10% are usually experienced, specialized or in management. The ranges below for common Anchorage jobs show how much room there is to grow, with take-home pay at each level.
| Job | Bottom 10% earn under | Take-home | Median | Top 10% earn over | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $85,840 | $68,875 | $115,290 | $155,150 | $116,690 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $35,720 | $30,738 | $40,310 | $55,230 | $46,336 |
| General and Operations Managers | $65,050 | $54,187 | $120,030 | $223,230 | $164,715 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $47,990 | $40,548 | $68,620 | $98,550 | $77,766 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $28,160 | $24,687 | $40,510 | $51,830 | $43,618 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $37,240 | $31,953 | $44,510 | $75,070 | $61,341 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $35,250 | $30,362 | $48,150 | $64,480 | $53,732 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $38,910 | $33,289 | $54,100 | $75,290 | $61,495 |
Cost of living in Anchorage: rent, sales tax and housing
Anchorage is more expensive than most of the United States, with one-bedroom rents around $1,200 to $1,600 a month and higher costs for groceries and utilities. The city has no state sales tax, though local sales taxes exist in some areas, and property taxes are high.
Hourly wages in Anchorage: what different pay rates take home
Many Anchorage workers are paid by the hour, so here is the estimated take-home pay at common wage rates for a single filer working 2,080 hours a year, using 2026 federal rules and the Anchorage and state taxes in this calculator. The figures assume no pre-tax deductions, so your own paycheck will differ once benefits are included.
| Hourly wage | Annual gross (2,080 hrs) | Annual take-home | Biweekly take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $31,200 | $27,124 | $1,043 |
| $20 | $41,600 | $35,439 | $1,363 |
| $25 | $52,000 | $43,754 | $1,683 |
| $35 | $72,800 | $59,754 | $2,298 |
| $50 | $104,000 | $81,578 | $3,138 |
Overtime is taxed as ordinary wages, so an extra hour is worth less than the wage rate after tax. Use the hourly paycheck calculator to include overtime hours and different pay frequencies.
How a 401(k) contribution changes a Anchorage paycheck
On a $65,000 salary with no retirement savings, estimated take-home pay in Anchorage is $54,148 a year. Contributing 6% to a traditional 401(k), which is $3,900, reduces take-home pay by only $3,432 because the contribution lowers federal income tax. A 10% contribution of $6,500 lowers take-home pay by $5,720.
In other words, each dollar you save costs roughly 88 cents of take-home pay at this income. If your employer matches contributions, the true cost is even lower, so contributing at least enough to receive the full match is one of the most reliable ways to raise your total pay. Roth contributions cost the full dollar of take-home pay but grow tax-free.
Single or married: a $120,000 household in Anchorage
Filing status changes the outcome even when income is the same. A single filer earning $120,000 in Anchorage takes home about $92,770 a year, while a married couple filing jointly with one earner at $120,000 takes home about $100,300, a difference of $7,530 a year, because the joint standard deduction is $32,200 and the joint brackets are twice as wide.
If both spouses work, each employer withholds as if the job were the only income, which can leave you under-withheld, so use the multiple jobs paycheck calculator and update Form W-4. Head-of-household filers with a qualifying dependent can use the head of household calculator.
Rent and a budget on a typical Anchorage salary
On the $60,200 median, the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of gross pay on housing allows rent of about $1,505 a month. Using the 50/30/20 rule on the $4,192 monthly take-home pay, that is about $2,096 for needs such as rent, food and transport, $1,258 for wants and $838 for savings and debt payments.
If rents run above $1,505 for the home you want, the usual fixes are a roommate, a longer commute or a second income in the household; the rent affordability calculator tests your own numbers.
Common Questions
What is the average salary in Anchorage?
The median wage in the Anchorage, AK area was $60,200 a year ($28.94 an hour) in May 2025, and the average was $75,180. A single filer on the median takes home about $50,310 a year after 2026 taxes.
What is a good salary in Anchorage?
Earning more than $93,620 puts you in the top quarter of Anchorage-area workers and above $129,160 in the top 10%, based on BLS data for May 2025.
What is the most common job in Anchorage?
Registered Nurses, with about 4,990 workers in the area and a median salary of $115,290.
Does Anchorage have a city income tax?
No. Anchorage has no city income tax, and Alaska does not tax wages.
Which withholding form applies in Anchorage?
Employees use the federal Form W-4. Texas and Florida do not have state income tax withholding forms.
Is this Anchorage paycheck calculator accurate?
It is an estimate using 2026 federal rules and simplified Alaska and local rules. Compare with your pay stub.
How to check this calculator
This calculator shows the tax year, assumptions, inputs, and worked examples used to explain the estimate. Where result tables are provided, you can enter the example values in the calculator and compare the output with the displayed example to reproduce the calculation.
Tax and payroll rules can change, and a calculator estimate is not the same as an employer payroll statement or filed tax return. For an important decision, compare the result with your pay stub and the relevant official IRS, Social Security Administration, Department of Labor, or state guidance. See our methodology and editorial approach for source and review information.
Results are estimates for education only and are not financial, tax or legal advice.