Paycheck on a visa
Your take-home pay as an F-1, J-1, H-1B or other visa holder, with the IRS rules for nonresidents. Pick your tax status below.
Estimate with 2026 federal rules and each state's latest published rates, not tax advice. Calculated in your browser: nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Take-home pay per paycheck
$1,910.32
$49,668.47 a year · 17.2% of gross in taxes
- Take-home 83%
- Federal tax 13%
- California taxes 4%
| Line | Paycheck | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | $60,000.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$304.31 | −$7,912.00 |
| Social Security | −$0.00 | −$0.00 |
| Medicare | −$0.00 | −$0.00 |
| California income tax | −$63.06 | −$1,639.53 |
| State disability insurance (SDI) | −$30.00 | −$780.00 |
| Take-home | $1,910.32 | $49,668.47 |
What each visa changes
| Visa | Tax residency | Social Security and Medicare | Standard deduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-1, M-1 (students, OPT, CPT) | Nonresident for the first 5 calendar years | No, while nonresident | No (India: yes, treaty) |
| J-1 student | Nonresident for the first 5 calendar years | No, while nonresident | No (India: yes, treaty) |
| J-1 teacher, researcher, trainee | Nonresident for 2 of the last 6 years | No, while nonresident | No |
| Q (cultural exchange) | Exempt individual, like J | No, while nonresident | No |
| H-1B, L-1, O-1, TN, E-2 | Substantial presence test: usually resident after 183 days | Yes | Once resident |
| Green card | Resident from the first day | Yes | Yes |
Not sure if you are a resident? Run the substantial presence test.
$60,000 on a visa: the same salary, three tax statuses
Single filer, paid every two weeks, 2026 rules. A nonresident on F-1 or J-1 takes home $1,698 more than a resident in Texas, a nonresident on H-1B $2,892 less.
| Tax status | Federal tax | FICA | Take-home Texas | California tax | Take-home California |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resident (green card, H-1B after the test) | $5,020 | $4,590 | $50,390 | $2,420 | $47,970 |
| Nonresident (H-1B, L-1, O-1 in year one) | $7,912 | $4,590 | $47,498 | $2,420 | $45,078 |
| Nonresident F-1, J-1 (OPT, CPT, on campus) | $7,912 | $0 | $52,088 | $2,420 | $49,668 |
State income tax follows each state's own rules and is the same here whatever the federal status. Per paycheck in Texas: $1,938.07 resident, $1,826.84 nonresident, $2,003.38 on F-1.
Frequently asked questions
Do F-1 students on OPT pay Social Security and Medicare?
No, while they are nonresident aliens: work allowed by the F-1 visa (on-campus jobs, CPT, OPT) is exempt. On $60,000 that keeps $4,590 a year in your pocket. After 5 calendar years as a student you usually become a resident and the exemption ends, even on the same visa.
Do H-1B workers pay Social Security?
Yes. Only F, J, M and Q visa work is exempt. An H-1B worker pays Social Security and Medicare from the first paycheck: $4,590 a year on $60,000.
Why do nonresidents pay more federal income tax?
A nonresident alien cannot claim the standard deduction and files single. On $60,000 in Texas, federal income tax is $7,912 for a nonresident against $5,020 for a resident. Students and business apprentices from India keep the standard deduction under the US-India tax treaty.
What if my employer withheld FICA by mistake?
Ask your employer to refund it first. If it does not, file Form 843 with the IRS, with a copy of your visa, Form I-94 and pay statements, as Publication 519 explains.