Wisconsin Payroll Tax Calculator
Calculate payroll taxes in Wisconsin. See FICA, federal withholding, and Wisconsin state tax up to 7.65%. Employer cost breakdown included.
| Levy | Who pays | Rate | Wages taxed | On $77,488 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment insurance (new employer, payroll under $500,000; 3.25% at $500,000 or more) | Employer | 3.05% | First $14,000 | $427 |
| Unemployment insurance (experience-rated range) | Employer | 0% to 12% | First $14,000 | $0 to $1,680 |
Sources: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Unemployment Insurance 2026 tax rates (Wis. Stat. 108.18, Schedule D). Your own UI rate is on the state's annual rate notice.
These taxes default to a $77,488 salary with Wisconsin's brackets up to 7.65%; for Wisconsin take-home pay per paycheck, use our Wisconsin Paycheck Calculator.
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Pre-filled: Census Bureau
Total Employer Cost/Year
Estimated • Based on your inputs
Total Employee Tax/Year
$16,812.00
Detailed Breakdown
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Results should not be considered financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.
How This Calculator Works
Calculation methodology and assumptions
Wisconsin income tax walks its own brackets (top rate 7.65%) on the salary after the federal standard deduction. Employer total: Wisconsin unemployment tax at 3.05% of the first $14,000, $427 a year here (0% to 12% once experience-rated).
How Social Security, Medicare and FUTA are worked out (the same in every state)
Key State Information
Wisconsin payroll facts: State income tax up to 7.65%. Median household income: $77,488. Uses federal minimum wage: $7.25/hr.
Example Calculation
Let's break down payroll taxes on a typical paycheck in Wisconsin.
An employee earning Wisconsin's median household income of $77,488/year, paid biweekly ($2,980 gross per check), single filer, no additional withholding. Per check: federal income tax ≈ $316, FICA ≈ $228, and Wisconsin income tax ≈ $121.
Result: Employee take-home: approximately $60,210/year ($2,316/check) — an effective tax rate of 22.3%. Employers also pay a matching FICA share ($5,928/year) plus federal unemployment tax (FUTA) and state unemployment tax on a wage base and rate the state sets.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an employee cost beyond salary in Wisconsin?
On Wisconsin's median household income of $77,488, a new employer pays $6,397 on top of salary (8.26%): $5,928 Social Security and Medicare match, $42 FUTA and $427 Wisconsin unemployment tax.
How does Wisconsin set an employer's unemployment tax rate?
By reserve percentage on Schedule D of Wis. Stat. 108.18, the schedule the Department of Workforce Development applies for 2026. Each rate is a basic rate plus a solvency rate, and there is one column for employers with payroll under $500,000 and one for larger payrolls. A new account starts at 3.05% (3.25% with the larger payroll), or 2.5% (2.7%) in construction, on the first $14,000 each employee earns: $427, $455, $350 or $378 a year per employee. Experience-rated accounts run from 0% to 12% ($1,680 at the top); an account at 0% still files the quarterly contribution and wage report, and the new rate arrives on the notice DWD mails each October.
Does excluding corporate officers from Wisconsin unemployment tax save money?
Only above a 2.7% rate. Wisconsin lets certain corporations elect, by March 31 of the year, to leave principal corporate officers' wages out of state unemployment tax (Wis. Stat. 108.02(15)), but the federal FUTA return does not follow that election: the credit for state tax is lost on those wages and FUTA runs at the full 6%, $420 on the first $7,000 instead of $42. For an officer paid at least $14,000, the election saves $427 of Wisconsin tax at the 3.05% new-employer rate and adds $378 of FUTA, a net $49; at a rate of 2.7% or less it saves nothing or costs more.