Bonus Pay Calculator
Enter salary and a target percentage to calculate a gross bonus. The tool also shows annual gross pay including the modeled bonus. Withholding depends on your payroll method and location; see the separate US estimate below.
Last reviewed 8 October 2026
Educational estimate only. This is not payroll, tax, legal or HR advice.
How to calculate a bonus
That is the whole calculation for a straightforward plan. A $70,000 salary with a 10% target bonus produces a $7,000 gross bonus. Everything else that happens to that number — performance multipliers, proration, caps — is applied on top of it.
| Salary | 5% | 10% | 15% | 20% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $2,500 | $5,000 | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| $70,000 | $3,500 | $7,000 | $10,500 | $14,000 |
| $100,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| $150,000 | $7,500 | $15,000 | $22,500 | $30,000 |
Related tools and next steps
Bonus pay questions
How do you calculate bonus pay?
Multiply annual base salary by the target bonus percentage. A $70,000 salary with a 10% target gives $7,000 gross. If the plan has a performance multiplier, apply it next; if you did not work the full period, prorate; if there is a cap, apply it last.
How much is a 10% bonus on $70,000?
$7,000 gross. Take-home pay depends on the payroll method and your own deductions.
Is bonus pay calculated on gross or net salary?
The salary input is gross base pay. Check your plan document for which pay components and salary dates it includes.
Why was my bonus taxed so heavily?
A US bonus may use federal supplemental withholding plus Social Security, Medicare, and state or local withholding. The federal percentage method is not always used. Withholding is reconciled with final tax liability on your return.
Is this gross or take-home bonus pay?
Gross. The result is before payroll deductions. For a 2026 US separately identified bonus, use the related withholding estimate to model selected deductions.
When should I use the bonus payout calculator instead?
When your plan involves a performance multiplier, a company or team factor, a threshold, a scorecard or a cap. This page handles the simple salary-times-percentage case.
Can I calculate a fixed bonus amount?
Yes. If you already know the cash amount, enter it in the fixed bonus field and the calculator will use it as the gross estimate instead of deriving one from salary.
Do I get a bonus if I leave before it is paid?
The answer depends on your plan terms and applicable law. Check service, payment-date and departure clauses; this calculator does not decide eligibility.
Reviewed 8 October 2026 by BonusPayCalc. Gross planning estimates only — not payroll, tax, legal or HR advice. See methodology for how formulas are chosen, or report a correction.
Four questions that change the answer
The salary × percentage formula is the starting point, not the finish. Four things commonly move the number, and they are the reason two people on identical salaries with identical target percentages receive different bonuses.
Why the bonus in your bank account is smaller
For a separately identified US bonus, try the 2026 bonus withholding calculator.
This calculator reports gross pay. The amount deposited can be lower after payroll withholding and deductions, which depend on the country, employer and payment.
Worked examples
Straightforward target bonus. Salary $70,000, target 10%, full year worked, plan paid at 100%.
The amount deposited depends on the payroll method, earlier wages, state and other deductions. Use the separate US withholding estimate if its assumptions match your payment.
Above-target year. Same salary and target, but the plan paid at 115%: 70,000 × 10% × 1.15 = $8,050.
Mid-year joiner. Same salary and target, started 1 July, plan paid at 100%: 70,000 × 10% × 6/12 = $3,500.
Working backwards. You received $9,600 and your salary is $80,000. Your effective bonus was 12% of salary. If your target was 10%, the plan paid at 120% — use the bonus multiplier calculator to separate the target from the multiplier.
What counts as a good bonus percentage
There is no universal “good” percentage without the plan’s payout history and eligibility rules. Compare the target with what the plan actually paid in past years, and check whether the award is capped, prorated or discretionary.
| Illustrative offer | Target on $70,000 salary | Assumed payout factor | Illustrative gross payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 10% = $7,000 | 100% | $7,000 |
| B | 15% = $10,500 | 60% | $6,300 |
These are arithmetic scenarios, not market averages or a prediction for either offer. A higher target can still produce a lower payout if the plan’s performance factor is lower.
Choose the next calculation
If an employer promises a particular net bonus and you know the assumed combined deduction rate, use the bonus gross-up calculator to solve for a gross amount. It is not a payroll-tax calculation.
If an employer has a fixed team budget to divide rather than an individual salary-based target, use the bonus pool allocation calculator. The total budget stays fixed while participant weights change.