Virginia Paycheck Calculator (2026)

How the Virginia Paycheck Calculator: Take-Home Pay Works

This Virginia paycheck calculator estimates your take-home pay in Virginia using the 2026 federal brackets, Social Security, Medicare and Virginia's state income tax (graduated rates from 2% to 5.75%). Virginia has four graduated brackets that top out at 5.75% on income above $17,000, which means most workers reach the top rate quickly. Enter your salary, pay frequency, filing status and any pre-tax deduction to see net pay per paycheck and per year.

How Virginia taxes wages

Virginia taxes income at 2% on the first $3,000 of taxable income, 3% on the next $2,000, 5% up to $17,000 and 5.75% above $17,000, and the brackets are the same for single and joint filers. In practice this behaves almost like a flat 5.75% tax after the first few thousand dollars. The state standard deduction is $8,750 for single filers and $17,500 for joint filers, and each taxpayer gets a personal exemption of $930.

Virginia generally conforms to federal treatment of traditional 401(k) contributions, so deferrals reduce state wages. The calculator applies the brackets after your pre-tax deduction, the standard deduction and exemption. Because the top rate is reached at low income, the effective state rate on a $65,000 salary is about 4.5%, which is noticeably higher than in neighboring North Carolina.

How this calculator estimates your Virginia paycheck

The calculator starts with your gross pay, subtracts the pre-tax deduction you enter, and applies the 2026 federal standard deduction of $16,100 for single filers or $32,200 for married couples filing jointly. Federal income tax comes from the seven 2026 brackets, Social Security is 6.2% up to $184,500 and Medicare is 1.45% with a 0.9% surcharge above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (joint). For Virginia it then applies graduated rates from 2% to 5.75% income tax after a state standard deduction of $8,750 for single filers and $17,500 for joint filers and a personal exemption of $930 for single filers and $1,860 for joint filers. Pre-tax deferrals reduce state taxable income in the estimate, as they do on most state returns. Results are estimates; your employer's payroll system and your tax return are final. See the US paycheck guide for the full method.

What jobs pay in Virginia

About 4,109,320 people worked in Virginia in May 2025. The median annual wage across all of them was $55,690 ($26.78 an hour), 9% above the national median of $50,980. The average wage was higher, at $74,040, 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, Medicare and the Virginia taxes in this calculator, a single worker on that $55,690 median takes home about $44,539 a year, or $3,712 a month and $1,713.03 every two weeks.

Wage figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Virginia. Take-home pay: this page's 2026 calculator, single filer, no pre-tax deductions, default settings.

The biggest jobs in Virginia and what they take home

The largest occupations in Virginia by number of workers are below. Each row shows the median salary and what a single filer keeps after 2026 taxes in Virginia.

Most of the largest occupations sit near or below the middle of the pay range: 9 of these 15 pay less than the $55,690 median for all workers, which is why the overall median is lower than many people expect.

Worked example: $65,000 salary in Virginia, paid every two weeks

A single Virginia employee 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. After the $2,600 deferral and the $16,100 federal standard deduction, taxable income is $46,300 and federal income tax is about $5,308. Social Security is $4,030 and Medicare is $943. Virginia state income tax is about $2,774, an effective state rate of 4.27% of gross pay.

Net pay is about $49,346 a year, or $1,897.91 per paycheck, which is 75.9% of gross pay. Change any input in the calculator above to test your own situation.

Married couple example: $110,000 combined pay

A married couple filing jointly in Virginia with $110,000 of combined wages and 6% ($6,600) going to traditional retirement plans has federal taxable income of $71,200 and pays about $8,048 in federal income tax and $8,415 in FICA. Virginia income tax comes to roughly $4,575. Estimated take-home pay is about $82,362 a year, or $3,167.78 per biweekly paycheck.

Well-paid occupations in Virginia

Among occupations with at least 6,200 workers in Virginia, 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.

Jobs that are unusually common in Virginia

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 Virginia and say a lot about which industries hire there.

Is pay higher in Virginia? Popular jobs compared

Median annual wages for well-known jobs in Virginia and the United States. Pay usually tracks living costs, so a higher wage does not always mean more money left over.

Starting wages in Virginia

The lowest-paid 10% of workers in Virginia earn under $14.68 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 Virginia minimum wage on the U.S. Department of Labor state minimum wage page, since several states raise it each year.

Which career fields pay most in Virginia

BLS groups every job into broad career fields. Here is how many people work in each across Virginia, the field's median salary and what that salary takes home in Virginia. Management pays the most at a median of $141,720; food preparation and serving related pays the least at $35,110.

Entry-level to top pay for Virginia jobs

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 Virginia jobs show how much room there is to grow, with take-home pay at each level.

Virginia take-home pay at three salaries

These estimates assume a single filer, no pre-tax deductions and the 2026 federal standard deduction.

• $40,000: federal income tax about $2,620, FICA $3,060, Virginia income tax about $1,486, leaving roughly $32,834 a year ($1,262.85 per biweekly paycheck).
• $65,000: federal income tax about $5,620, FICA $4,973, Virginia income tax about $2,923, leaving roughly $51,484 a year ($1,980.16 per biweekly paycheck).
• $100,000: federal income tax about $13,170, FICA $7,650, Virginia income tax about $4,936, leaving roughly $74,244 a year ($2,855.54 per biweekly paycheck).

Use the calculator to add retirement deferrals, change your filing status or switch pay frequency. For comparisons, see the national paycheck calculator and the paycheck calculators by state hub.

Where the tax goes on a $65,000 Virginia paycheck

Of about $13,516 in total annual taxes for a single filer earning $65,000 with no pre-tax deductions, federal income tax is about 42%, Social Security and Medicare together are about 37%, Virginia income tax is about 22%. Federal taxes dominate almost everywhere, which is why federal planning tools such as the federal income tax calculator and a correctly completed W-4 matter as much as the state rate.

Virginia local taxes and payroll deductions

Virginia has no local income taxes on wages, so a Virginia paycheck shows state withholding only. Employees do not pay a state disability or paid family leave premium, although Virginia's unemployment insurance is funded by employers. The state has a reciprocity agreement with the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, so residents of those places who work in Virginia can file an exemption form, and Virginia residents who work in those places are taxed by Virginia instead.

Set state withholding with Form VA-4 by claiming exemptions. Northern Virginia commuters who work in D.C. or Maryland should verify that the correct state is being withheld, since errors are common when a job is remote or split between locations.

Retirement income, credits and special Virginia rules

Virginia does not tax Social Security benefits. Residents 65 and older can claim an age deduction of up to $12,000 per person, which phases out at higher incomes, and the state exempts military retirement pay up to a set amount for qualifying veterans. The earned income credit is a percentage of the federal credit, and Virginia offers a low-income credit and a credit for taxes paid to other states.

Bonuses are taxed as wages, with flat-rate supplemental withholding that is only a prepayment. Virginia's income tax return is due May 1, a bit later than the federal deadline, which surprises many filers.

Living and working in Virginia: how the tax burden compares

Virginia's sales tax is 5.3% in most areas, with a higher regional rate of 6% in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads and a lower rate on groceries. Property taxes are set by counties and cities and vary widely. Northern Virginia has high pay tied to government contracting and technology, but housing costs are among the highest on the East Coast, while Richmond, the Shenandoah Valley and southwest Virginia are much cheaper.

Compare Virginia with North Carolina and Maryland using the calculators. If you commute into Washington, D.C., remember that D.C. taxes residents and Virginia taxes its residents, and reciprocity avoids double withholding but not different rates.

Virginia income tax at a glance

• State income tax: graduated, from 2% to 5.75%
• State standard deduction: $8,750 single, $17,500 joint
• Personal exemption: $930 single, $1,860 joint
• State pre-tax retirement treatment: follows the federal exclusion
• Withholding form: Form VA-4
• Agency: Virginia Tax

These are the assumptions built into the calculator above. Rates, exemptions and payroll premiums change from year to year, so verify each item with the agency listed before making a large financial decision.

What a $100 pre-tax contribution really costs in Virginia

Contributing $100 per paycheck to a traditional 401(k) or HSA reduces your take-home pay by less than $100 because it lowers taxable income. In the $65,000 single-filer example for Virginia, the annual contribution of $2,600 cuts net pay by only about $2,139, or $82.25 per biweekly paycheck, so the true cost of each $100 contribution is roughly $82.25. The saving comes from both federal and Virginia income tax, though not from Social Security or Medicare. Use the 401(k) calculator to see how those contributions grow.

Virginia paycheck rules: pay frequency, minimum wage and final pay

Virginia's minimum wage is scheduled to rise with inflation and is about $12.77 an hour in 2026, above the federal $7.25, so confirm the current figure with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry. State law requires employers to pay salaried employees at least monthly and hourly employees at least every two weeks or twice a month. Final wages are due on or before the next regular payday. Virginia also protects workers from wage theft through civil claims and fines, and employers must provide pay stubs. Overtime follows the federal 40-hour rule.

Common mistakes with Virginia paychecks

• Assuming Virginia is low tax. The top 5.75% rate applies above $17,000 of taxable income.
• Missing reciprocity forms. Commuters between Virginia, D.C. and Maryland should file the right exemption form.
• Budgeting from gross pay. Plan with net pay per paycheck, about $1,897.91 in the $65,000 example.
• Forgetting FICA. Social Security and Medicare add 7.65% for most employees. See what is FICA tax.
• Not updating withholding. Review your W-4 and Form VA-4 after a move, marriage or new job, using the W-4 withholding calculator.

Key takeaways

• Virginia taxes wages with graduated rates from 2% to 5.75%.
• Pre-tax retirement deferrals lower federal income tax but not FICA.
• A single worker earning $65,000 keeps about 76% of gross pay in the standard example.
• Compare states using total cost of living, not only income tax.
• Confirm current figures with Virginia Tax and IRS.gov.

What a typical Virginia paycheck covers

On the $55,690 median, the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of gross pay on housing allows rent of about $1,392 a month. Using the 50/30/20 rule on the $3,712 monthly take-home pay, that is about $1,856 for needs such as rent, food and transport, $1,113 for wants and $742 for savings and debt payments.

If rents run above $1,392 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.