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Colorado Paycheck Calculator

Estimate your Colorado take-home pay — federal tax, FICA, 4.4% state tax, 0.44% FAMLI, and optional city OPT.

Your Pay Details

Total gross pay before any deductions.

Pre-tax deductions

Pre-tax retirement contributions — capped at $24,500 per year.

Your share of employer plan premiums, paid pre-tax.

Colorado city Occupational Privilege Tax (OPT)

Denver, Glendale, Greenwood Village, and Sheridan levy flat-dollar Occupational Privilege Taxes — not percentage city income taxes. Denver charges about $5.75 per month for employees when monthly wages exceed $500. Enter the annualized amount ($5.75 × 12 = $69 for Denver). Leave percentage fields at 0.

Colorado cities use flat monthly OPT amounts, not percentage rates. Leave at 0 unless you have a percentage-based local tax elsewhere.

Not used for standard Colorado OPT. Leave at 0.

Annualized monthly OPT — Denver employee share is $5.75/month ($69/year) when wages exceed $500/month.

Denver Occupational Privilege Tax — City and County of Denver

Advanced optionsOvertime, tips, Roth, and special tax situations

Exempt from federal income tax up to $25,000 under OBBBA — but fully taxable on your state return.

After-tax — reduces take-home pay but not your taxes.

Results update automatically as you type — nothing is submitted or stored.

Your Estimated Take-Home

Net pay per bi-weekly paycheck

$2,229

$57,963 per year ·22.3% of gross withheld

Gross

$2,885

Federal tax

$295

10.2% effective

FICA

$221

Colorado tax

$127

4.4% effective

Colorado local taxes

$0

$0 earned income·$0 flat·0.00% effective

  • Federal income tax$7,670
  • FICA$5,738
  • CO state tax$3,300
  • Colorado local taxes$0
  • Pre-tax deductions$0
  • Take-home pay$57,963
Gross pay$75,000
Federal income tax$7,670
FICA$5,738
CO state tax$3,300
Colorado local taxes$0
Pre-tax deductions$0
Take-home pay$57,963

How Colorado paychecks are calculated

Colorado paycheck math stacks federal tax, FICA, a flat state rate, FAMLI, and sometimes a city Occupational Privilege Tax. Start with gross pay. Pre-tax 401(k), HSA, and health premiums reduce federal AGI — and Colorado withholding on the default W-4 path uses that same wage base before applying 4.4%. FAMLI is different: the 0.44% employee premium runs on gross wages up to $184,500, so a 401(k) lowers income tax but not FAMLI.

Every figure updates live in your browser from the 2026 rules on this page.

Colorado city Occupational Privilege Tax

Denver, Glendale, Greenwood Village, and Sheridan charge OPT as a flat monthly dollar amount when wages exceed a city threshold — not a percentage of income like Detroit or Columbus. Denver's employee share is $5.75 per month when monthly wages pass $500. Annualize your city's monthly OPT and enter it in the flat local tax field; this calculator does not guess your municipality.

Illustrative city OPT on a $75,000 Colorado salary — enter your own amount in the calculator
City (illustrative)Annual OPTState + OPTTake-home
None$0$3,300$57,963
Denver ($5.75/month)$69$3,369$57,894
Glendale ($4/month)$48$3,348$57,915
Greenwood Village ($2/month)$24$3,324$57,939

Colorado paycheck examples

Every dollar below is computed by the engine above — not typed by hand.

$75,000 salary, no city OPT

Line itemAmount
Gross pay (annual)$75,000
Federal income tax−$7,670
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)−$5,738
Colorado income tax−$3,300
CO FAMLI (employee)−$330
City OPT (flat local)−$0
Take-home (annual)$57,963
Take-home (per Bi-Weekly paycheck)$2,229

$75,000 with Denver OPT

Line itemAmount
Gross pay (annual)$75,000
Federal income tax−$7,670
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)−$5,738
Colorado income tax−$3,300
CO FAMLI (employee)−$330
City OPT (flat local)−$69
Take-home (annual)$57,894
Take-home (per Bi-Weekly paycheck)$2,227

A $250,000 earner hits the FAMLI wage cap — premium stops at $812 (0.44% × $184,500) while Colorado income tax is $11,000.

Weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly pay in Colorado

$75,000 single filer, default W-4 withholding, no city OPT
Pay frequencyPaychecks / yrGross per paycheckCO tax per paycheckFAMLI per paycheckNet per paycheck
Weekly52$1,442$63.46$6.35$1,115
Bi-Weekly26$2,885$126.92$12.69$2,229
Semi-Monthly24$3,125$137.50$13.75$2,415
Monthly12$6,250$275.00$27.50$4,830

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Estimate only — not tax advice

This calculator models 2026 federal rules, Colorado DR 1098 default withholding (4.4% on W-4 wages), FAMLI employee premiums, and user-supplied city OPT amounts. Form DR 0004 elections, OPT wage thresholds, and return-side credits are not fully modelled. Confirm amounts with your employer, the Colorado Department of Revenue, or a licensed tax professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much tax is taken out of a paycheck in Colorado?
Federal income tax, FICA, Colorado's flat 4.4% state tax, and the 0.44% FAMLI employee premium. Some cities add a flat Occupational Privilege Tax on top. On $75,000 as a single filer with no city OPT, this calculator estimates $7,670 federal, $5,738 FICA, $3,300 Colorado income tax, and $330 FAMLI — about $2,229 per bi-weekly check.
What is the Colorado income tax rate?
A flat 4.4% on wages for 2026. Colorado's constitution requires a single rate with no brackets. Employer withholding on a standard IRS W-4 (no Colorado Form DR 0004) is 4.4% of Colorado wages after pre-tax deferrals such as 401(k), HSA, and §125 health premiums.
What is Colorado FAMLI and how much is withheld?
Colorado's Family and Medical Leave Insurance program withholds a 0.44% employee premium on gross wages, capped at the federal Social Security wage base ($184,500 for 2026). On $75,000 that is $330 a year. FAMLI is post-tax payroll — it lowers take-home pay but not your Colorado income-tax base.
Does Colorado have local income tax?
Not in the Ohio or Michigan sense. Denver and a few other cities charge Occupational Privilege Tax as a flat monthly dollar amount when wages exceed a threshold — Denver's employee share is $5.75 per month ($69 annualized). Enter that annual figure in the flat local tax field; this calculator does not hard-code city rates.
How much is taken out of a $75,000 paycheck in Colorado?
With no city OPT, total withholding and payroll deductions are $17,038 on $75,000 gross — $57,963 take-home annually, or about $2,229 per bi-weekly paycheck. Add Denver's annualized OPT ($69) and take-home falls to $57,894.
How is a Colorado hourly paycheck calculated?
Annualize first: hourly rate × hours per week × 52. At $25 an hour for 40 hours that is $52,000 gross. This calculator estimates $4,060 federal, $3,978 FICA, $2,288 Colorado tax, and $229 FAMLI — about $797 per weekly check.
Does a 401(k) lower Colorado state tax?
Yes. Colorado withholding on the default W-4 path uses federal adjusted gross income, so traditional 401(k), HSA, and qualified health premiums reduce the 4.4% base. FAMLI still runs on gross wages. On $75,000 with a $10,000 deferral, Colorado income tax drops from $3,300 to $2,860 here while FAMLI stays $330.
What is the difference between gross and take-home pay in Colorado?
Gross is everything before deductions; take-home is what hits your account after taxes and benefit elections. At $75,000 gross with no city OPT, take-home is about $57,963 — roughly 77 cents on the dollar before any municipal OPT.
Is this Colorado paycheck calculator the same as ADP or SmartAsset?
No affiliation. This tool uses Colorado Department of Revenue 2026 withholding rates, FAMLI Division premium rates, and user-supplied city OPT amounts embedded in the page. Use it to understand your breakdown; confirm amounts with your employer or a licensed tax professional.

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⚠️ Disclaimer

This calculator provides estimates only. For personal financial advice, consult a licensed professional. Actual results may vary based on individual circumstances and current market conditions.