California, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts, Indiana, Maryland, Colorado, Minnesota, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Iowa, Nevada, Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Idaho, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska & Vermont Unemployment Benefits Calculator
Uses California’s statutory maximum of $450/week over up to 26 weeks.
California, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts, Indiana, Maryland, Colorado, Minnesota, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Iowa, Nevada, Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Idaho, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, Vermont share this page.
Their rules produce the same answer to within a rounding difference, so publishing
separate near-identical pages would add URLs without adding information. Every figure
below applies to all 27 states.
California weekly benefit estimator
Uses California’s statutory maximum of $450/week over up to 26 weeks.
Estimated weekly benefit —
Total over the claim —
Wage replacement rate —
California at a glance
| Figure | California | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $450 | [5] |
| Maximum weeks payable | 26 weeks | [5] |
| Maximum potential total | $11,700 | [5] |
| State minimum wage (context) | $16.90/hr | [4] |
California highlighted. Same data as the table below, shown as a distribution so the comparison is visible at a glance.
Highlighted: California, ranked 33 of 50. Median $624.
California benefit by wages and claim length
Every cell is a total payout computed with California's $450 cap and 26-week limit.
| Top-quarter wages | 4 wks | 6 wks | 8 wks | 10 wks | 12 wks | 14 wks | 16 wks | 20 wks | 26 wks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000 | $462 | $692 | $923 | $1,154 | $1,385 | $1,615 | $1,846 | $2,308 | $3,000 |
| $4,000 | $615 | $923 | $1,231 | $1,538 | $1,846 | $2,154 | $2,462 | $3,077 | $4,000 |
| $5,000 | $769 | $1,154 | $1,538 | $1,923 | $2,308 | $2,692 | $3,077 | $3,846 | $5,000 |
| $6,000 | $923 | $1,385 | $1,846 | $2,308 | $2,769 | $3,231 | $3,692 | $4,615 | $6,000 |
| $7,000 | $1,077 | $1,615 | $2,154 | $2,692 | $3,231 | $3,769 | $4,308 | $5,385 | $7,000 |
| $8,000 | $1,231 | $1,846 | $2,462 | $3,077 | $3,692 | $4,308 | $4,923 | $6,154 | $8,000 |
| $9,000 | $1,385 | $2,077 | $2,769 | $3,462 | $4,154 | $4,846 | $5,538 | $6,923 | $9,000 |
| $10,000 | $1,538 | $2,308 | $3,077 | $3,846 | $4,615 | $5,385 | $6,154 | $7,692 | $10,000 |
| $11,000 | $1,692 | $2,538 | $3,385 | $4,231 | $5,077 | $5,923 | $6,769 | $8,462 | $11,000 |
| $12,000 | $1,800 | $2,700 | $3,600 | $4,500 | $5,400 | $6,300 | $7,200 | $9,000 | $11,700 |
| $13,500 | $1,800 | $2,700 | $3,600 | $4,500 | $5,400 | $6,300 | $7,200 | $9,000 | $11,700 |
| $15,000 | $1,800 | $2,700 | $3,600 | $4,500 | $5,400 | $6,300 | $7,200 | $9,000 | $11,700 |
| $17,000 | $1,800 | $2,700 | $3,600 | $4,500 | $5,400 | $6,300 | $7,200 | $9,000 | $11,700 |
| $19,000 | $1,800 | $2,700 | $3,600 | $4,500 | $5,400 | $6,300 | $7,200 | $9,000 | $11,700 |
| $22,000 | $1,800 | $2,700 | $3,600 | $4,500 | $5,400 | $6,300 | $7,200 | $9,000 | $11,700 |
| $25,000 | $1,800 | $2,700 | $3,600 | $4,500 | $5,400 | $6,300 | $7,200 | $9,000 | $11,700 |
| $28,000 | $1,800 | $2,700 | $3,600 | $4,500 | $5,400 | $6,300 | $7,200 | $9,000 | $11,700 |
| $32,000 | $1,800 | $2,700 | $3,600 | $4,500 | $5,400 | $6,300 | $7,200 | $9,000 | $11,700 |
Worked figures for California
California values:
| Quarterly | Annualized | Wba | Capped | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $4,000 | $16,000 | $154 | No | $4,000 |
| $6,000 | $24,000 | $231 | No | $6,000 |
| $8,000 | $32,000 | $308 | No | $8,000 |
| $10,000 | $40,000 | $385 | No | $10,000 |
| $12,000 | $48,000 | $450 | Yes | $11,700 |
| $14,000 | $56,000 | $450 | Yes | $11,700 |
| $16,000 | $64,000 | $450 | Yes | $11,700 |
| $18,000 | $72,000 | $450 | Yes | $11,700 |
| $20,000 | $80,000 | $450 | Yes | $11,700 |
| $24,000 | $96,000 | $450 | Yes | $11,700 |
| $28,000 | $112,000 | $450 | Yes | $11,700 |
| $32,000 | $128,000 | $450 | Yes | $11,700 |
How California compares nationally
On maximum weekly benefit, California ranks #33 of 50 at $450 — 28% below the median of $624. The national range runs from $235 (Mississippi) to $1,152 (Washington).
| Rank | State | Maximum weekly benefit |
|---|---|---|
| #31 | Michigan | $530 |
| #32 | Arkansas | $451 |
| #33 | California | $450 |
| #34 | Delaware | $450 |
| #35 | Alaska | $442 |
Standard 26-week states, ranked
Same rule structure as California:
| State | Maximum weekly benefit | vs California |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | $605 | +34.4% |
| California | $450 | — |
| Wisconsin | $370 | -17.8% |
| Tennessee | $325 | -27.8% |
| Arizona | $320 | -28.9% |
| Louisiana | $282 | -37.3% |
| Mississippi | $235 | -47.8% |
California questions, answered with California numbers
What is the most California pays per week?▾
$450/week · rank #33/50 · needs ~$11,700 in your top quarter.
How long can a California claim run?▾
26 weeks · max total $11,700 · matches the 26-week norm.
Top-quarter wages of $15,000 — what then?▾
$450/week (capped at $450) · $11,700 over 26 weeks · replaces 39% of prior wages.
Does it cover California rent?▾
$1,950/month vs $2,745 median 2BR rent · ratio 0.7x.
Other standard 26-week states
Last reviewed 2026-08-27. California figures only — verify with the relevant California agency before acting. How this is calculated.