Elizabeth, NJ Paycheck Calculator 2026

How paychecks work in New Jersey

Elizabeth, New Jersey residents follow the same statewide payroll rules as everyone else in New Jersey, with the additional local considerations noted below. Every paycheck issued in New Jersey has three federal withholdings — federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare — followed by New Jersey's own withholding rules and any local wage tax that applies where you work. New Jersey has a progressive state income tax with a top marginal rate of 10.75%. New Jersey's economy blends pharmaceuticals, financial services, logistics (Port of NY/NJ), and a huge NYC commuter workforce.

This page explains, step by step, how gross wages become take-home pay in New Jersey: what the federal government takes, what the state of New Jersey takes, which cities and localities add their own withholding, and how minimum wage, overtime, and pay-frequency rules interact with common benefits like 401(k) contributions and pre-tax health premiums.

Federal taxes on New Jersey paychecks

Regardless of where you live, the IRS applies the same federal income tax brackets, standard deduction, and FICA contributions. For 2026, the federal tax brackets range from 10% on the first ~$12,400 of taxable income (single) up to 37% on income above roughly $626,000. Most workers land in the 12%, 22%, or 24% brackets after subtracting the $16,100 single (or $32,200 married-jointly) standard deduction.

On top of federal income tax, every New Jersey employee pays FICA: 6.2% Social Security up to a $184,500 wage base, plus 1.45% Medicare on all wages, with an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages over $200,000 (single). Employers match Social Security and Medicare dollar-for-dollar; you only see your half on the stub.

New Jersey state income tax

New Jersey uses 7 tax brackets ranging from 1.40% on the first dollars of taxable income up to 10.75% on income above $1,000,000. A personal exemption of $1,000 further reduces taxable income.

The top marginal bracket of 10.75% kicks in only after the income thresholds shown above; most New Jersey residents effectively pay a lower blended rate because the first dollars of income are taxed at the lower brackets, and the state personal exemption reduce the amount actually taxed.

Local wage taxes in New Jersey

Newark imposes a 1% employer payroll tax paid by employers (not withheld); no local wage tax on employees.

FICA: Social Security and Medicare

Social Security is the biggest single deduction most middle-income New Jersey workers see besides federal income tax. It funds retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, and applies at 6.2% until you have earned $184,500 for the year (2026). If you earn more than that, Social Security stops for the remainder of the year — a highly visible bump in take-home pay for high earners late in the calendar year.

Medicare has no cap. All wages are hit at 1.45%, and an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies to any wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). Employers begin withholding the additional 0.9% the pay period you cross $200,000, whether or not you'll actually owe it after year-end.

Overtime rules for New Jersey employees

Follows federal FLSA: 1.5x for hours over 40/week.

Overtime pay itself is taxed exactly the same way as regular wages — there is no special overtime tax rate. But because a paycheck with lots of overtime looks temporarily much larger, employer withholding formulas may withhold a higher percentage than your true annual rate. That withholding is reconciled at tax time via your federal 1040 and New Jersey state return, so if you consistently work overtime you may want to review your W-4 to avoid over-withholding.

Minimum wage in New Jersey

The current minimum wage in New Jersey is $15.49 per hour. New Jersey's minimum wage is indexed to inflation and passed $15 in 2024. At 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year, that equates to roughly $32,219 in gross annual wages before overtime.

Pay frequency rules

At least twice per month, on regular paydays. Most private-sector employees in New Jersey are paid either weekly or bi-weekly, with salaried professionals often on a semi-monthly schedule. Choosing the right pay-frequency assumption is important when using the calculator above, because the same annual salary produces different per-paycheck amounts depending on whether it's split over 26 (bi-weekly) or 24 (semi-monthly) periods.

Reciprocal states

New Jersey has reciprocal income tax agreements with Pennsylvania. If you live in one of those states but work in New Jersey (or vice versa), you generally only pay state income tax to your home state — you fill out a certificate of non-residence with your employer to stop withholding for the work state.

Example take-home pay in New Jersey

The table below shows estimated federal, FICA, and New Jersey state tax for a single filer at several common salary levels, using 2026 rules and the standard deduction. Bi-weekly amounts assume 26 paychecks per year.

Common New Jersey payroll deductions to watch

• 401(k) contributions — pre-tax dollars reduce federal (and, in New Jersey, state) income tax. The 2026 employee limit is $24,500 ($32,000 if age 50+).
• Pre-tax health premiums — Section 125 cafeteria plan contributions reduce federal, state, and FICA-taxable wages.
• HSA contributions — for high-deductible health plans, HSA money is pre-tax at both federal and state levels in New Jersey.
• Garnishments, child support, and Roth 401(k) — these post-tax deductions do not reduce taxable wages but still cut take-home pay.
• New Jersey's top marginal rate of 10.75% applies to income over $1M — third-highest in the U.S.
• NJ also withholds Unemployment Insurance, Family Leave, and Disability contributions from wages.

Key industries and pay levels in New Jersey

New Jersey's top industries include Pharmaceuticals, Financial Services, Logistics, Healthcare, and Telecom. Major employers like Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Prudential Financial, and Verizon anchor a large share of state payrolls, and pay levels tend to track industry mix — states heavy on technology, finance, and aerospace typically show higher median household income than states dominated by agriculture, tourism, or retail.