Tennessee Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your Tennessee take-home pay per paycheck. Tennessee has no state income tax, so only federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare come out of your wages. Works for salary or hourly pay and uses the 2026 IRS tax brackets.
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, so only federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare are withheld.
Estimate only. Spreads your 2026 annual tax evenly across paychecks, so it can differ slightly from IRS withholding tables. Does not include local taxes, the tips or overtime deductions, or other benefits.
Your pay: per paycheck, month and year
| Per paycheck | Per month | Per year |
|---|
What comes out of a Tennessee paycheck
Tennessee does not tax wages. The state once taxed some interest and dividend income through the Hall income tax, but that tax was fully repealed starting in 2021, so Tennessee now has no personal income tax at all. A Tennessee paycheck usually has only these taxes withheld:
| Tax | 2026 rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 10% to 37% | Based on your taxable income, filing status and Form W-4 |
| Social Security | 6.2% | On wages up to $184,500 |
| Medicare | 1.45% | Plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000 |
| Tennessee state income tax | None | No state or local tax on wages |
Tennessee unemployment insurance is paid by employers, not taken out of your check, and the state has no disability insurance payroll tax. Tennessee does have one of the highest combined sales tax rates in the country, which matters for your overall budget. Pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) contributions and health insurance premiums still come out before you are paid.
Tennessee minimum wage take-home pay
Tennessee has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour applies to most jobs. Tipped employees can be paid a cash wage of $2.13 an hour, as long as tips bring them to at least $7.25.
- Full-time at $7.25 (40 hours, 52 weeks)$15,080
- Federal income tax (single, standard deduction)$0
- Social Security + Medicare$1,154
- Take-home pay per year$13,926
At this income, the $16,100 standard deduction leaves no federal taxable income, so only Social Security and Medicare are withheld. Tipped workers can also check the federal No Tax on Tips deduction, which can lower federal income tax on qualified tips.
Tennessee payday, break and final pay rules
Tennessee’s wage regulations, in Tennessee Code section 50-2-103, cover when you are paid and how quickly you get your last check.
| Rule | What Tennessee law requires |
|---|---|
| How often you are paid | Most private employers with five or more workers must pay at least twice a month. |
| Final paycheck | Due by the next regular payday or 21 days after you leave, whichever is later. The same rule applies whether you quit or are fired. |
| Meal break | A 30-minute unpaid break if you are scheduled to work 6 hours in a row, unless the nature of the job already gives ample chances to take a meal break. |
Example. You leave on March 1 and your employer pays every two weeks, with the next payday on March 6. Because 21 days (March 22) is later than the next payday, your employer has until March 22 to pay you. Plan for that gap if you are changing jobs.
Tennessee sales tax and the professional privilege tax
Tennessee raises most of its money through sales tax, so the state’s tax bill shows up at the register rather than on your pay stub.
| Tax | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| State sales tax | 7% | Local governments add up to 2.75%, so the combined rate reaches 9.75% in much of the state. |
| Groceries | 4% state | Food and food ingredients have a lower state rate, plus the local rate. |
| Professional privilege tax | $400 a year | Owed by certain licensed professionals, such as attorneys, physicians, securities agents, broker-dealers, investment advisers and lobbyists. It is not withheld from pay. |
Worked example. A worker who spends $24,000 a year on taxable purchases at a 9.75% combined rate pays about $2,340 in sales tax. That is still less than the roughly $3,000 a $60,000 earner would pay in a state with a 5% income tax, but the gap is smaller than the paycheck alone suggests. Lawmakers have proposed bills to cut or repeal the professional privilege tax, so check the Tennessee Department of Revenue for the current list of professions.
Tennessee take-home pay by hourly wage
Full-time pay (40 hours a week, 52 weeks) for a single filer with no deductions, starting at the $7.25 federal minimum wage:
| Hourly wage | Yearly gross | Federal tax + FICA | Take-home per year | Per biweekly check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $7.25 | $15,080 | $1,154 | $13,926 | $535.63 |
| $12.00 | $24,960 | $2,795 | $22,165 | $852.48 |
| $15.00 | $31,200 | $3,951 | $27,249 | $1,048.05 |
| $20.00 | $41,600 | $5,994 | $35,606 | $1,369.45 |
| $25.00 | $52,000 | $8,038 | $43,962 | $1,690.85 |
| $30.00 | $62,400 | $10,082 | $52,318 | $2,012.25 |
| $40.00 | $83,200 | $15,839 | $67,361 | $2,590.82 |
Hours, overtime and deductions change these numbers. Our overtime pay calculator shows what extra hours add.
Tennessee take-home pay by salary
For a single filer with no 401(k) or other deductions, paid every two weeks in 2026:
| Salary | Federal tax | FICA | Take-home per year | Per biweekly check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,620 | $3,060 | $34,320 | $1,320.00 |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $42,355 | $1,629.04 |
| $60,000 | $5,020 | $4,590 | $50,390 | $1,938.08 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $61,592 | $2,368.94 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $79,180 | $3,045.38 |
These amounts are the same in every state without a wage income tax. Someone earning $60,000 in a state with a 5% income tax would take home about $3,000 less a year. Compare any state with our main paycheck calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Does Tennessee have a state income tax?
No. Tennessee does not tax wages, and the Hall tax on interest and dividends was fully repealed starting in 2021. Tennessee paychecks have only federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare withheld, plus any pre-tax deductions.
How much is $60,000 a year after taxes in Tennessee?
For a single filer with no deductions, $60,000 a year in Tennessee is about $50,390 after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare in 2026, or about $1,938.08 per biweekly paycheck.
What is the minimum wage in Tennessee?
Tennessee has no state minimum wage, so the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour applies, and $2.13 an hour for tipped employees. Full-time at $7.25 an hour is $15,080 a year before taxes.
Do Tennessee cities tax wages?
No. Tennessee cities and counties do not have local income taxes on wages, so your paycheck is the same whether you work in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville or anywhere else in the state.
How long does a Tennessee employer have to pay my final check?
Until the next regular payday or 21 days after you leave, whichever comes later. The rule is the same whether you resign or are let go.
Do Tennessee workers pay a professional tax?
Most do not. The $400 professional privilege tax applies only to certain licensed professionals, such as attorneys, physicians and securities agents, who pay it directly to the state each year. It is never taken out of a paycheck.
This calculator is for educational purposes only and is not tax advice. It estimates 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare from IRS and Social Security Administration figures. Your employer’s withholding depends on your Form W-4 and IRS withholding tables, and may differ slightly.