Pay Stub Example
A sample pay stub for an hourly employee, with every section numbered and explained — and the math behind each figure.
Create Your Pay Stub| Earnings | Rate | Hours | Current | 8YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3Regular | $25.00 | 80 | $2,000.00 | $20,000.00 |
| 4Overtime | $37.50 | 4 | $150.00 | $1,500.00 |
| 5Gross pay | 84 | $2,150.00 | $21,500.00 |
| 6Taxes | Current | YTD |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $174.15 | $1,741.50 |
| Social Security | $133.30 | $1,333.00 |
| Medicare | $31.17 | $311.70 |
| Illinois income tax | $106.43 | $1,064.30 |
| Total taxes | $445.05 | $4,450.50 |
How to read the pay stub
The numbers match the markers on the sample above.
- 1
Employer and employee
Who paid and who was paid. The employer's name and address are at the top; the employee's name, and usually an employee ID or the last four digits of the Social Security number, follow. A lender or landlord checks this against your other documents first.
- 2
Pay period and pay date
The pay period is the stretch of work being paid for — here two weeks, April 26 to May 9. The pay date is the day the money arrives, usually a few days after the period closes. Taxes are counted in the year of the pay date.
Pay period vs. pay date → - 3
Regular earnings
Hours × rate. 80 hours at $25.00 is $2,000.00. A salaried employee's stub shows the salary for the period on this line instead, often with no hours.
Hourly to salary calculator → - 4
Overtime
Its own line, with its own hours and rate. Time and a half on $25.00 is $37.50, so 4 overtime hours add $150.00. Bonuses, commissions and holiday pay get separate lines in the same way.
Overtime calculator → - 5
Gross pay
Everything earned in the period before anything comes out: $2,000.00 + $150.00 = $2,150.00. This is the number to use when a form asks for gross income.
Gross pay vs. net pay → - 6
Taxes
Four lines here. Federal income tax ($174.15) depends on the Form W-4. Social Security is 6.2% of gross ($133.30) and Medicare 1.45% ($31.17); together they are often labeled FICA. State income tax ($106.43) is Illinois's 4.95%. Stubs abbreviate these in many ways — FIT, OASDI, MED, SIT.
Pay stub abbreviations explained → - 7
Net pay
Gross pay minus everything withheld: $2,150.00 − $445.05 = $1,704.95. This is the take-home amount, and it should match the deposit in your bank account.
Why a deposit and a pay stub can differ → - 8
Year-to-date (YTD)
The running total of each line since January 1. This is the tenth paycheck of the year and the earlier nine were the same, so every YTD figure is ten times the current one. The last stub of the year should agree with your Form W-2.
What YTD means on a pay stub →
Does the pay stub add up?
Three checks work on any pay stub. If one fails, ask payroll before you rely on the stub.
- Earnings lines add up to gross pay: $2,000.00 + $150.00 = $2,150.00
- Gross pay minus all deductions is net pay: $2,150.00 − $445.05 = $1,704.95
- Social Security is 6.2% and Medicare 1.45% of taxable wages: $2,150.00 × 6.2% = $133.30
- Each YTD figure is last stub's YTD plus this period's amount
To check the income tax lines, put the same pay into the hourly paycheck calculator or the paycheck calculator.
How other pay stubs differ
- Salaried employee
- One earnings line with the salary for the period, usually without hours. The taxes work the same way. Salaried pay stub checklist
- Benefits and retirement
- A deductions section lists health insurance, 401(k) and similar items, marked pre-tax or after-tax. Pre-tax vs. after-tax deductions
- Other states
- Nine states have no income tax line at all; others add disability, paid-leave or local tax lines. Pay stub rules by state
- Contractor or self-employed
- The payment and the year-to-date total, with no tax lines. Contractor pay stubs · Self-employed pay stubs
- Different layouts
- The same information can be arranged many ways. See 10 pay stub templates, or download a blank pay stub.
Common questions
What does a pay stub look like?
A pay stub is a one-page statement, usually wider than it is tall. The employer and employee are at the top with the pay period and pay date, earnings are listed on one side and taxes and deductions on the other, and net pay is at the bottom. Most have a current column and a year-to-date column.
What information is on a pay stub?
The employer and employee, the pay period and pay date, hours and rate or salary, gross pay, each tax and deduction, net pay, and year-to-date totals. Many states list what a pay stub must show, so the exact lines vary by state.
Is a pay stub the same as a paycheck?
No. The paycheck is the payment — a paper check or a direct deposit. The pay stub is the statement that explains it: how gross pay was worked out and what was taken out to reach net pay.
How do I get a copy of my pay stub?
From your employer. Most employers post pay stubs in an online payroll portal; otherwise ask payroll or human resources. If you are the employer, or you are self-employed, you create the pay stub yourself.
Why doesn't this example show health insurance or a 401(k)?
To keep the arithmetic easy to follow, the example has taxes only. Benefits appear in the deductions section as their own lines. Pre-tax deductions such as most health premiums and traditional 401(k) contributions also lower the wages that income tax is figured on.
Can I use this sample pay stub as my own?
No. It is an illustration with made-up names. A pay stub has to show pay that was really earned and paid; you can create one with your own details in the pay stub generator.