How much does workers' comp pay?

Compare a temporary total disability estimate with your wage. The applicable minimum, cap, injury date and eligibility rules matter; this is not a settlement or entitlement determination.

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Your wage and your state

Gross, before tax. Usually a 13- or 52-week average — not just last week.

Presets apply only to the displayed injury-date periods. Custom mode assumes a two-thirds rate and models no minimum or waiting period; other states may use different rules.

 

Two-thirds of your wage—
State weekly maximum—
Estimated weekly benefit—
Modeled wage replacement rate—
Unpaid waiting period—
Total over 8 weeks—
Show the math

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    The cap is the number that decides your cheque

    Almost every explanation of workers' compensation starts and ends with "two thirds of your wages." That is true, and it is also the least useful part of the sentence. Missouri's own wording carries the qualifier that matters: temporary total disability pays "66 2/3% of the injured worker's average weekly wage, not to exceed a maximum amount set by the law." The maximum is where the real arithmetic happens.

    For the displayed Missouri period, a $3,000 weekly wage produces $2,000 at two thirds, but the $1,294.71 cap reduces the modeled replacement rate to about 43%. At $1,200, the model gives $800. At a very low positive wage, the $40 minimum can instead raise the result. These examples assume eligibility and do not model partial-disability earnings or offsets.

    The presets cover Missouri temporary total disability for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 and California temporary disability for 2026, plus dated presets for Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia; each state's figures and sources are on its own page, linked below. Only Missouri's waiting period is modelled. Missouri has a $40 weekly minimum under section 287.170; California lists a $264.61 minimum and $1,764.11 maximum. Confirm the applicable injury date, benefit type and any adjustments with the administrator. These presets are not rates for every injury year.

    Two thirds of gross is more than it sounds

    The replacement rate looks harsher than it is, because the comparison is unfair. Your wage was taxed; the benefit is not. IRS Publication 525 states that "amounts you receive as workers' compensation for an occupational sickness or injury are not included in your income," with a narrow exception where state law treats part of the payment as a pension based on years of service.

    For a household budget, compare the estimated benefit with actual take-home pay and essential expenses. Do not infer a universal net-pay replacement percentage from a gross-wage rule. Return-to-work decisions depend on medical restrictions and available work, not on this calculation.

    The first days you miss

    Nearly every state has a waiting period, and most make it retroactive if you are off long enough. Missouri does not pay "for the first three business days or less of disability," but adds that "if you are unable to work for more than 14 days the 'three-day waiting period' will be paid." Both numbers — the wait and the threshold that claws it back — are set by state law and vary widely.

    Missouri’s threshold can change the timing of payments. The tool approximates a partial week using one seventh of the weekly rate per day and does not reconstruct a work calendar. Confirm the actual waiting days and payment period with the administrator. Follow medical advice and work restrictions rather than changing a return date to fit this estimate.

    Permanent partial disability uses different rules

    This weekly TTD calculator does not estimate a permanent disability settlement. For Missouri scheduled injuries, permanent partial disability can use a fixed number of weeks per body part, multiplied by your weekly rate and by the percentage of disability the rating assigns. Missouri's schedule turns on where the loss occurred, not just which limb: an arm is 232 weeks at the shoulder, 222 between shoulder and elbow, 210 at the elbow and 200 between elbow and wrist. A hand at the wrist is 175. A leg is 207 at the hip, 160 at or above the knee and 155 below the knee. A foot is 150 in the tarsus and 110 in the metatarsus. One eye is 140. Where the member is totally lost by severance or complete loss of use, the weeks increase by ten percent.

    The trap is the second cap. Missouri limits permanent partial disability to 55 percent of the state average weekly wage — $678.18 — against 105 percent for temporary total. That is roughly half. A worker who has been receiving $1,294.71 a week can see the rate fall to $678.18 the moment the claim moves from temporary to permanent, with no change in their injury and no error by anyone. Knowing which cap you are being paid under is the first question to ask about any number you are quoted.

    A rating is also a judgment, not a measurement. Two physicians can assess the same shoulder differently, and the percentage is what multiplies through the whole calculation. If a settlement is built on a rating you have not seen explained, ask for it in writing before agreeing to anything.

    If the number looks wrong

    Start with the average weekly wage and ask which pay periods and earnings were included. Treatment of overtime, other employment, bonuses and unpaid time can differ by jurisdiction. Compare the written calculation with your records rather than assuming the wage figure is correct or incorrect.

    Then check the benefit type, applicable date, cap, minimum, payment period and waiting-day adjustment. Those details make a payment explanation easier to assess without guessing at the cause of a difference.

    If the disagreement is not arithmetic, contact the state workers’ compensation agency for its dispute procedures and deadlines. Consider qualified advice for a disputed entitlement or settlement. This calculator does not replace the claim record, medical findings or governing rules.

    Workers' comp rates by state

    Each state page lists the current rate, weekly maximum, minimum and waiting period, read from that state's own agency.

    California · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Michigan · Missouri · New Jersey · New York · North Carolina · Ohio · Pennsylvania · Texas · Virginia

    Compare all states

    Frequently asked questions

    How much does workers comp pay per week?

    In most states the wage-replacement rate for temporary total disability is two thirds of your average weekly wage, and Missouri states it as 66 2/3% of the injured worker's average weekly wage, not to exceed a maximum amount set by the law. That maximum is the part people miss. Missouri caps temporary total disability at 105% of the state average weekly wage, which is $1,294.71 a week from 1 July 2026. California's 2026 temporary disability maximum is $1,764.11 a week and its minimum is $264.61.

    Why is my workers comp cheque less than two thirds of my wage?

    A weekly maximum can reduce the wage-replacement percentage. Other explanations include the wage calculation, payment period, waiting days, partial disability or eligibility rules. Compare the administrator’s calculation with your wage records and benefit type before assuming the cap explains the difference.

    Is workers compensation taxable?

    Generally no. IRS Publication 525 states that amounts you receive as workers' compensation for an occupational sickness or injury are not included in your income. There is a narrow exception where state law treats part of the payment as a pension or annuity based on years of service. Because the benefit is untaxed, two thirds of gross wages usually replaces a noticeably larger share of your take-home pay than the headline percentage suggests.

    Do I get paid for the first few days I miss?

    Not at first, and in many states not at all unless you are off long enough. Missouri does not pay compensation for the first three business days or less of disability, but if you are unable to work for more than 14 days that three-day waiting period is then paid. The length of the waiting period and the retroactive threshold are both set by state law, so check yours before assuming the first week is lost.

    How is a permanent partial disability settlement calculated?

    By a schedule of weeks per body part, multiplied by your weekly rate and by the percentage of disability assigned. Missouri's schedule is level-specific rather than one figure per limb: an arm is 232 weeks at the shoulder, 210 at the elbow and 200 between elbow and wrist; a hand at the wrist is 175; a leg is 207 at the hip but 160 at or above the knee; a foot is 150 in the tarsus and 110 in the metatarsus; one eye is 140. Where the member is totally lost by severance or complete loss of use, the scheduled weeks increase by ten percent. Note that permanent partial disability usually carries a lower weekly cap than temporary total disability: in Missouri it is 55% of the state average weekly wage rather than 105%.

    Sources & further reading

    Rate sources and calculator checked: October 8, 2026. Illustrations are our calculations, not benefit awards.