Maryland Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your Maryland take-home pay — federal tax, Maryland's progressive state income tax, Social Security, and Medicare all included.
Maryland payroll tax overview
Maryland uses a progressive income tax at the state level, with rates from 2% up to 5.75%. What makes Maryland distinctive is that every county (plus Baltimore City) adds its own additional local income tax on top of the state rate — typically between 2.25% and 3.2% depending on where you live.
This calculator estimates the state-level portion only. Your actual total withholding will be higher once your specific county's local tax is added — check your county's rate for the complete picture.
Worked example
A single filer earning $75,000/year in Maryland (state tax only, no county tax), paid biweekly:
| Item | Per paycheck | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,884.62 | $75,000.00 |
| Federal income tax | ≈ $313.00 | ≈ $8,140.00 |
| Social Security | $178.85 | $4,650.00 |
| Medicare | $41.83 | $1,087.50 |
| Maryland state tax | ≈ $134.62 | ≈ $3,500.00 |
| Net pay (before county tax) | ≈ $2,216.32 | ≈ $57,622.50 |
Local income context: how Maryland compares
According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, Maryland's median household income is $102,905 — among the highest in the country the 2024 national median of $81,604. Maryland's high statewide income — among the top five nationally — is driven substantially by its share of the Washington D.C. metro area, where federal government employment, defense contracting, and biotech (notably around NIH in Bethesda) support some of the highest household incomes in the country.
Median household income reflects a full household (often two earners), while the calculator above estimates take-home pay for a single individual's salary — so it's a useful benchmark for context rather than a direct comparison, but it helps illustrate how a given salary stacks up against typical earnings in Maryland.
Frequently asked questions
How Maryland compares to other states
Maryland's state-only top rate of 5.75% looks moderate on paper, but once a typical county tax of 2.5%–3.2% is added, total marginal rates for many Maryland residents can reach 8%–9%, putting the state's effective burden closer to high-tax states like Minnesota or New York than the headline state rate alone suggests. This mandatory county layer is a distinctive feature that sets Maryland apart from most other states.
Maryland cost-of-living context
Maryland's cost of living, particularly in the Washington D.C. suburbs and Baltimore metro area, is above the national average, driven largely by housing costs. When evaluating a Maryland job offer, factor in both the county-level income tax addition and local housing costs alongside the state-level take-home pay this calculator estimates.
More frequently asked questions
Maryland minimum wage context
Maryland sets a statewide minimum wage with scheduled annual adjustments. Montgomery County and a few other jurisdictions set their own local minimum wage above the statewide rate — worth checking separately if you're entering an hourly rate for a job in one of these areas into this calculator.