Washington State Salary Calculator 2026: No Income Tax, Highest Sales Tax
Washington State has no personal income tax, making it one of the most financially attractive states for high earners — particularly in the Seattle metro area, where tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta pay some of the highest salaries in the country. A software engineer earning $160,000 in Washington takes home roughly $118,000 after federal tax and FICA, compared to about $107,000 for the same salary in California. That $11,000 annual difference compounds significantly over a tech career.
The tradeoff is that Washington has the highest combined state and local sales tax in the nation, averaging 10.25% and reaching 10.35% in Seattle. The state sales tax is 6.5%, plus local rates of 1.0-4.0%. This heavily impacts consumer spending — a $30,000 car costs $3,075 in sales tax in Seattle vs $0 in Oregon (which has no sales tax). Washington also has a Business and Occupation (B&O) tax on companies and, starting 2022, a 7% tax on long-term capital gains above $250,000, though this does not affect wage income.
This calculator converts your Washington State salary across all standard pay frequencies. With no state income tax on wages, the calculation is clean — federal tax and FICA are your only payroll deductions. Enter your gross salary to see what Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, or any Washington location pays in real take-home terms.
Key Data & Statistics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Washington State Income Tax | 0% on wages (no income tax) |
| WA Capital Gains Tax | 7% on gains over $250K |
| Federal Tax | 10-37% (7 brackets) |
| FICA | 7.65% (SS + Medicare) |
| WA Sales Tax (state + local) | 6.5% state + up to 4% local |
| Seattle Sales Tax | 10.35% |
| WA Median Household Income | ~$90,000 |
| Seattle Median Tech Salary | ~$155,000 |
Pre-Calculated Examples
| Scenario | Gross | Net / Result | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| $70K in WA | $70,000 | $56,500 | Fed ~$8,500 + FICA ~$5,355 | No state tax |
| $95K in WA | $95,000 | $73,700 | Fed ~$13,000 + FICA ~$7,268 | No state tax |
| $160K in WA | $160,000 | $118,000 | Fed ~$28,500 + FICA ~$12,240 | No state tax |
| $160K WA vs CA | $160,000 | WA: $118,000 vs CA: $107,000 | Washington advantage: ~$11,000/year |
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Who Uses This Calculator?
Tech salary maximisation
Calculate take-home pay for Seattle tech offers where the combination of high salaries and no state income tax creates the highest net pay for tech workers in the US.
Washington vs Oregon comparison
Compare Washington (no income tax, high sales tax) with Oregon (income tax up to 9.9%, no sales tax) to determine which state gives you more purchasing power based on your spending habits.
Remote work from Washington
Evaluate the benefit of establishing Washington residency as a remote worker, keeping your high-paying out-of-state salary while paying zero state income tax.
Sales tax impact analysis
Estimate how Washington's 10%+ sales tax on purchases affects your real purchasing power compared to the income tax savings, especially for big-ticket purchases.