How Maryland taxes your paycheck in 2026
Maryland uses graduated brackets running from 2% up to 6.5%. On top of that, every Maryland worker pays federal income tax plus 6.2% Social Security (on the first $184,500 of 2026 wages) and 1.45% Medicare with no cap. This calculator applies all of it at once, so the take-home figure is the real one.
Maryland income tax brackets, 2026
Applied to taxable income — that is, your wages after the Maryland standard deduction and personal exemption. Single filer figures shown.
| Rate | Taxable income (single) |
|---|---|
| 2% | $0 – $1,000 |
| 3% | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| 4% | $2,000 – $3,000 |
| 4.75% | $3,000 – $100,000 |
| 5% | $100,000 – $125,000 |
| 5.25% | $125,000 – $150,000 |
| 5.5% | $150,000 – $250,000 |
| 5.75% | $250,000 – $500,000 |
| 6.25% | $500,000 – $1,000,000 |
| 6.5% | $1,000,000 and above |
Standard deduction: $3,350 single / $6,700 married · Personal exemption: $3,200 single / $6,400 married.
What Maryland state tax costs at different salaries
Single filer, Maryland state income tax only — federal tax and FICA are on top of these figures.
| Annual salary | Maryland income tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $2,011 | 4.02% |
| $75,000 | $3,199 | 4.27% |
| $100,000 | $4,386 | 4.39% |
| $150,000 | $6,916 | 4.61% |
Local income tax in Maryland
Some Maryland cities and counties levy their own income tax on top of the state rate. Pick yours from the dropdown above — options include Baltimore City / Montgomery Co. (3.20%), Howard County (3.20%), Anne Arundel County (2.70%), Worcester County (2.25%).
How Maryland compares with neighbouring states
State income tax owed by a single filer on a $75,000 salary — Maryland against the states around it:
| State | Tax on $75,000 | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $2,303 | 3.07% |
| West Virginia | $2,546 | 3.39% |
| Maryland (this state) | $3,199 | 4.27% |
| Virginia | $3,498 | 4.66% |
| Delaware | $3,609 | 4.81% |
Maryland ranks third-lowest of these 5 at that salary, costing about $896 a year more than Pennsylvania. Where you physically work usually decides which state withholds, so a short commute across a border can change your take-home meaningfully.
Why your effective Maryland rate isn't 6.5%
On a $75,000 salary the headline rate is 6.5%, but the real bite is about 4.27%. Two things cause the gap. First, the brackets are marginal — only income inside each band is taxed at that band's rate. Second, Maryland shelters the first $6,550 of income (a $3,350 standard deduction plus a $3,200 personal exemption) before any tax applies.
Worth noting: Maryland's $6,550 of shelter is well below the federal standard deduction of $16,100, so you pay Maryland tax on roughly $9,550 more income than you pay federal tax on — about $621 a year in extra state tax at the top rate.
Local tax applies in Maryland. Some cities or counties add their own income tax on top of the state rate — select yours from the dropdown above, since it can exceed the state tax itself in a few places.
Federal taxes on top
Every Maryland worker also pays federal income tax plus 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare. Those rules are identical in all 50 states — see the main paycheck calculator for how FICA, the wage base, pre-tax deductions and FICA-exempt occupations work.
Nearby states
Compare Maryland with Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia — or see the full list of all 50 states and DC.