Net to Gross Pay Calculator
Work out the gross pay you need to take home a target net amount.
Enter your net pay and total deduction rate to see gross pay and total deductions.
Most pay calculators run forward: start with gross pay (the figure before anything is taken out), subtract tax and deductions, and show net pay (your take-home). This one runs the other way. You know the take-home you want, and you need the gross figure that produces it. The formula is gross equals net divided by (1 minus the deduction rate). If you keep 70 percent of your pay, a deduction rate of 30 percent, then a $3,500 take-home needs 3500 divided by 0.70, which is $5,000 gross.
Why work backward? A freelancer quoting a day rate needs to cover tax before profit. Someone negotiating a salary knows the take-home they need to pay the rent and wants the gross to ask for. A new hire comparing two offers wants to undo the deductions to compare like with like. In each case you have the net and want the gross.
The honest caveat is the deduction rate. Real income tax is progressive, charged in bands, so your true average rate is not one flat number, and it rises as you earn more. The rate you enter should be your combined effective rate: income tax plus payroll taxes (such as Social Security and Medicare in the United States), plus anything else withheld like pension or health contributions. Pull it from a recent payslip by dividing total deductions by gross pay. Treat the result here as a solid estimate for planning and negotiation, not a precise tax filing. For the exact figure once brackets and allowances come into play, a full payroll calculator for your country will be closer.