Calculate your take-home pay in Arizona with accurate state income tax (2.5%), federal withholding, and FICA deductions.
2.5%
State Income Tax
$14.70
Minimum Wage
7.4M
Population
💰 Free Payroll Calculator — 2026 Tax Year
Calculate your take-home pay with federal & state taxes
🏛️ Arizona Payroll Tax Overview for 2026
Arizona levies a state income tax with rates ranging from 2.5%. When calculating payroll in Arizona, employers must withhold both federal and state income taxes, along with FICA contributions (Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%).
Arizona Income Tax Brackets (2026)
Income Range
Tax Rate
$0.00 — and above
2.5%
Additional Arizona Payroll Information
Minimum Wage (2026): $14.70 per hour
State Unemployment Insurance (SUI): 0.08-20.6% (employer-paid)
Capital: Phoenix
Population: 7.4M
Note: Flat income tax rate since 2023.
📊 Arizona Take-Home Pay Examples
See how much you'd take home at different salary levels in Arizona (single filer, 2026 tax year):
Annual Salary
Federal Tax
State Tax
FICA
Take-Home
Eff. Rate
$50,000.00
$3,877.50
$1,250.00
$3,825.00
$41,047.50
17.9%
$75,000.00
$7,960.00
$1,875.00
$5,737.50
$59,427.50
20.76%
$100,000.00
$13,460.00
$2,500.00
$7,650.00
$76,390.00
23.61%
🏢 Employer Payroll Tax Cost in Arizona
Employers in Arizona must pay additional payroll taxes on top of each employee's salary. Here's the employer cost breakdown for a $75,000 salary:
Employer SS (6.2%)
$4,650.00
Employer Medicare (1.45%)
$1,087.50
FUTA (0.6%)
$42.00
Total Employer Cost
$80,779.50
+7.71% above salary
❓ Arizona Payroll FAQ
To calculate payroll taxes in Arizona, apply the state income tax rate of 2.5% to your taxable income, then add federal income tax (10-37% based on brackets), Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500), and Medicare (1.45%). Use our calculator above for instant, accurate results.
The minimum wage in Arizona for 2026 is $14.70 per hour. This is above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour. At this rate, a full-time employee (40 hours/week) earns approximately $30,576/year before taxes.
Yes. Arizona has a state income tax with rates of 2.5%. This is in addition to federal income tax and FICA taxes.
Disclaimer: This Arizona payroll calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Actual tax withholdings may vary based on local taxes, additional deductions, and individual circumstances. Arizona tax rates are based on 2026 figures from the IRS and Arizona Department of Revenue. Consult a qualified tax professional for accurate payroll advice.
Disclaimer: NOT tax advice. Mustafa Bilgic is not a CPA, EA, or tax preparer. Consult a qualified tax professional before relying on these estimates.
Arizona Payroll Tax Reference: Statutory Citations and 2026 Specifics
Arizona Tax Law Citations (2026)
Arizona income tax withholding is governed primarily by Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Title 43 — "Taxation of Income." Withholding mechanics specifically derive from ARS § 43-401 ("Withholding tax; rates; election by employee") and the corresponding regulations in Arizona Administrative Code R15-2B. The Arizona Department of Revenue ("ADOR") publishes Form A-4 (Employee's Arizona Withholding Election) and the annual Withholding Tax Tables under authority of these statutes. The official ADOR withholding portal is azdor.gov/businesses-arizona/withholding-tax.
2026 income tax bracket structure. Following the implementation of Senate Bill 1828 (54th Legislature, 2021) accelerated by Governor Ducey's 2022 budget compromise, Arizona transitioned to a single flat 2.5% individual income tax rate effective tax year 2023, which remains in force for 2026. There is no graduated bracket schedule — all taxable Arizona-source income is multiplied by 2.5%, after the federal-conforming standard deduction (or itemized deductions) and the Arizona-specific personal/dependent exemptions are applied.
Recent legislation (2024–2026).HB 2900 (2024) extended Arizona's military pension exemption and clarified treatment of certain federal retirement annuities. SB 1577 (2025) indexed the standard deduction (linked to federal Internal Revenue Code § 63 amounts under the conformity update). The 2026 ADOR Withholding Tax Tables continue to require employers to use the Form A-4 percentage method, with seven employee-elected withholding percentages: 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, 3.0%, and 3.5% — an unusual feature distinguishing Arizona from most flat-tax states.
Arizona 2026 Payroll-Specific Numbers
State Unemployment Insurance (SUI): The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) administers UI under ARS Title 23, Chapter 4. For fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026), experience-rated employers face a 0.04% to 9.72% rate range on the first $8,000 of wages per employee (the Arizona UI taxable wage base). New employers pay a flat 2.0% new-employer rate for the first two to three years until experience-rated. The "joint account" provisions in ARS § 23-733 allow related entities to consolidate experience.
Workers' Compensation: Arizona Industrial Commission ("ICA") regulates rates under ARS Title 23, Chapter 6. Rates are class-code specific; the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) supplies loss costs that ICA approves. The 2026 voluntary loss-cost level filed by NCCI is approximately $0.78 per $100 of payroll for clerical (Class 8810) and significantly higher for construction class codes (often $4–$12 per $100).
Disability Insurance: Arizona does not impose a state-mandated short-term disability insurance program (unlike California, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Hawaii). Employers may offer voluntary STD/LTD as a benefit, with no payroll-tax component.
State-Specific Credits and Deductions: Arizona's "Charitable Tax Credits" (Public/Private School, Qualified Charitable Organizations, Foster Care, and Military Family Relief Fund credits) under ARS §§ 43-1088, 43-1089, 43-1089.01, 43-1089.04 allow taxpayers to redirect portions of state liability to qualifying organizations — these reduce final return liability but do not change paycheck withholding.
Arizona BLS Wage Data (May 2024 OEWS)
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, Arizona's statewide median annual wage was approximately $48,920 in May 2024 (the most recent published year), modestly below the U.S. median of $49,500. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler MSA median wages run higher (around $51,200), while non-metropolitan Arizona registers approximately $42,500. Source: bls.gov/oes/current/oes_az.htm and the May 2024 state estimates index at bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm. For payroll planning, the high-employment occupations (registered nurses ~$87,200; software developers ~$108,400; construction laborers ~$41,300) reflect the Phoenix metro's services-and-construction economy.
Practitioner Insight: What Sets Arizona Apart
What sets Arizona apart for payroll calculations is the employee-elected withholding percentage system on Form A-4. Unlike Colorado's flat 4.4% or Indiana's mandatory 2.95% employer-determined withholding, Arizona permits each employee to choose any of seven withholding percentages (0.5% through 3.5%, in 0.5% increments) regardless of actual liability. This puts under-withholding risk squarely on the employee — and creates a downstream filing-season cash crunch when employees pick 0.5% on a six-figure salary. The flat 2.5% statutory rate also means that pre-tax 401(k) and Section 125 cafeteria deductions deliver a smaller marginal Arizona shelter than they would in a state with a 5%+ top bracket; Arizona retirees concerned about state-tax planning often miscalculate this. Finally, ADOR's "no reciprocal agreement" stance means Arizona employers must withhold for Arizona-source wages even when employees commute from neighboring states like New Mexico or Utah.
Editor's Note
Last reviewed by Mustafa Bilgic on 2026-05-05. Arizona state tax law verified against the Arizona Department of Revenue (azdor.gov), the Arizona Department of Economic Security UI tax rate chart (des.az.gov FY 2026 chart), and IRS Publication 15-T (2026 edition). Mustafa Bilgic is the sole proprietor of PayrollCalculator.us, registered at Malazgirt No: 225, 02000 Adıyaman, Türkiye.
Sources: IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), state Departments of Revenue, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) wage data, and Social Security Administration current FICA rates.
NOT TAX ADVICE: This is an estimate tool. Consult a qualified CPA, EA, or tax professional for your specific situation. We are not a tax preparer or financial advisor.