Unemployment benefits by state: how much you get and for how long

How much unemployment will I get? The formula in three steps

Every state works out your weekly benefit amount the same basic way: it looks at what you were paid in your base period, usually the first four of the last five finished calendar quarters before you file, applies its formula, and holds the result between a weekly minimum and maximum. The calculator above does this for all 50 states and DC, and the state table shows every number it uses. DOL Significant Provisions, July 2026 · NYSDOL P832

1. 1Find your high quarter. The calendar quarter of your base period in which you were paid the most. Most states use it, or the average of your two highest quarters. New York's example: a base period is "one year of your work and wages (four calendar quarters)".
2. 2Apply your state's fraction. For example 1/26 of high-quarter wages in California, New York and Florida, 1/25 in Texas, 47% of your average weekly wage in Illinois, 1.25% of a year of pay in Oregon.
3. 3Hold it between the minimum and the maximum. If the result is above the state maximum you get the maximum; below the minimum, the minimum, as long as you qualify at all. The maximum in force when you file stays with you for the whole benefit year in Florida, Texas and Kentucky.

Turning the fraction into a share of your pay. A quarter is 13 weeks. If you were paid the same amount every week, your high quarter is 13 weeks of pay, two quarters are 26 weeks and a year is 52 weeks. So 1/26 of high-quarter wages is 13/26 = 50% of a week's pay; 1/25 is 13/25 = 52%; 1/23 is 56.5%; 1/21 is 61.9%; 4% of high-quarter wages is 4% x 13 = 52%; 4.25% is 55.25%; 1.25% of a year of pay is 1.25% x 52 = 65%; 1.1923% of a year is 62%. Georgia's 1/42 of two quarters is also 61.9%, Delaware's 1/46 of two quarters 56.5%, Vermont's 1/45 of two quarters 57.8%, Maine's 1/22 of the average of two quarters 59.1%, Maryland's 1/24 54.2%, Michigan's 4.1% 53.3%, and Pennsylvania's (4% + $2) x 0.98 about 51%. Uneven pay changes the answer, because states use your best quarters, not your average.

Worked examples: $800 a week in California, $1,000 a week in Texas, $40,000 a year in Tennessee

Three of the most searched cases, worked with each state's own formula and cap. Each assumes the same pay every week of the base period.

California, $800 a week

$400 a weekHigh quarter: $800 x 13 = $10,400. EDD's table (DE 2320) puts $10,374.01 to $10,400.00 at $400, which is 50%. Under the $450 maximum. Up to 26 weeks: $10,400 in all (26 x $400, less than half of $41,600 in base-period wages).

Texas, $1,000 a week

$520 a weekHigh quarter: $1,000 x 13 = $13,000. Divided by 25 = $520, which is 52%. Under the $605 maximum. The year is capped at 26 x $520 = $13,520 or 27% of $52,000 = $14,040, whichever is less: $13,520.

Tennessee, $40,000 a year

$325 a weekTwo highest quarters average $10,000; 1/26 of that is $384.62, above Tennessee's $325 maximum, so you get $325, about 42% of your $769.23 weekly pay. At 12 weeks that is $3,900 in all.

The same pay in other states. $800 a week ($10,400 a quarter) is $400 in New York (1/26) and Washington (3.85% of $10,400 is $400.40, rounded down), $416 in Texas (1/25), $376 in Illinois (47%) and $409 in Pennsylvania (the state table puts high-quarter wages of $10,388 to $10,412 at $409), but $275 in Florida, its maximum. $1,000 a week is $500 in New York and Washington, $450 in California (its maximum starts at high-quarter wages of $11,674.01), and $275 in Florida. EDD DE 2320 · NYSDOL P832 · Washington ESD · IDES · PA L&I · Fla. Stat. § 443.111(3)

Unemployment benefits by state: formula, minimum, maximum and weeks

Every number the calculator uses, for all 50 states and DC. The baseline is the U.S. Department of Labor's Significant Provisions of State Unemployment Insurance Laws, "effective as of July 1, 2026"; where a state's own agency posted a later or more exact figure, that figure and its date are used and named. The waiting week comes from DOL's Comparison of State Unemployment Insurance Laws, Table 3-7, checked against the state where its pages could be read. DOL Significant Provisions, July 2026 · DOL Comparison 2023, Table 3-7

How long does unemployment last?

Up to 26 weeks in most states, but 15 states now pay less, and in several the number of weeks moves with the state's unemployment rate. Your own number can also be lower than your state's maximum: most states cap the year's total at a share of your base-period wages (often one-third), so short or uneven work histories get fewer weeks. The date tool below counts the weeks from the day you file. DOL Significant Provisions, July 2026

• 12 weeks: Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Louisiana while its rate is low. Florida pays 12 weeks if its average unemployment rate is at or below 5 percent, one more week for each 0.5 percent increment above that, up to 23 weeks, and caps the year at 25% of your base-period wages, never more than $6,325. North Carolina's Division of Employment Security says the maximum is now 12 weeks (12 to 20, set on January 1 and July 1). Tennessee pays 12 weeks while its rate is at or below 5.5%. Louisiana pays 12 weeks when its average unemployment rate is five percent or less, up to twenty weeks. Arkansas pays 9 to 12 weeks.Fla. Stat. § 443.111(5)(c) · NC DES · Tennessee Department of Labor · La. R.S. 23:1595
• 14 to 16 weeks: Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma. Alabama pays 14 to 20 weeks by the unemployment rate. Georgia pays 14 weeks when its seasonally adjusted rate is 4.5% or less; for claims filed July 1 to December 31, 2026 it uses the April rate, which was 3.5%. Kentucky pays 16 weeks while its state average rate is 6.5% or less, up to 24. Iowa pays up to 16 weeks or one-third of your base-period wages, Kansas 10 to 16, Oklahoma 16.Alabama Department of Labor · Georgia DOL · KRS 341.385 · Iowa Workforce Development · DOL Significant Provisions, July 2026
• 20 to 24 weeks: Arizona, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina. Arizona pays 24 weeks when the prior quarter's unemployment rate is under 5% (26 when it is higher); Missouri 8 to 20; Montana 8 to 24; South Carolina 13 to 20.DOL Significant Provisions, July 2026
• 26 weeks or more: everywhere else. Including California, New York, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington. Idaho pays 10 to 26 weeks by your wages and its rate, and Massachusetts lists 10 to 30 weeks.DOL Significant Provisions, July 2026

1. The day you file

   Your claim and your benefit year start. California: "Your claim will begin on the Sunday of the week in which you apply for benefits."

2. Week 1

   In most states an unpaid waiting week (7 days). Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey and Wyoming have none.

3. Two to three weeks

   The U.S. Department of Labor says "It generally takes two to three weeks after you file your claim to receive your first benefit check." California says about three weeks.

4. Every week or two

   You request payment (certify) for each week, reporting any work and pay. See weekly claims.

5. Your state's last week

   Regular benefits stop when you have been paid your maximum benefit amount, or at the end of the benefit year, 52 weeks after you filed, whichever comes first.

Who qualifies: your wages, why the job ended, and the weekly rules

• Enough wages in the base period. Each state sets a floor. New York, for claims filed in 2026: at least $3,500 in one quarter, wages in at least two quarters, and total wages at least 1.5 times your high quarter. California: at least $1,300 in one quarter, or $900 in your high quarter and 1.25 times that in the whole base period. Georgia: wages in at least 2 quarters and total wages at least 1.5 times your highest quarter. A few states count in minimum-wage terms: New Jersey, for 2026, asks for at least $310 a week for 20 base weeks, or $15,500 in all; Rhode Island and Arizona also tie the floor to the minimum wage.NYSDOL P832 · EDD DE 2320 · Georgia DOL · NJDOL: New benefit rates for 2026 · DOL Significant Provisions, July 2026
• You lost the job through no fault of your own. The U.S. Department of Labor lists it as a basic condition. Quitting or being fired for misconduct is the most common reason for a denial; whether your reason counts is decided by the state, and you can appeal. See why claims are denied, and if the firing itself broke the law, wrongful termination.DOL: How do I file for unemployment insurance?
• Able, available and looking for work, every week. New York: you must be "ready, willing, and able to work; and be actively looking for work." Most states ask you to report your job search each week.NYSDOL P832
• Reduced hours can still count. You may get a partial benefit while working fewer hours. Texas's example: with a $240 weekly benefit amount, you can claim while your pay is under 125% of it ($300); a $280 paycheck leaves $20 in benefits.TWC: Eligibility issues

Severance, your last paycheck, part-time work and taxes

• Severance can delay or cut benefits. Georgia warns that "A severance package, pay in lieu of notice, or a continuation of pay with full benefits from an employer may affect UI benefits." Louisiana takes one week off your entitlement for each week of severance that equals your weekly benefit. Report it when you file. More on severance pay.Georgia DOL handbook · La. R.S. 23:1595
• Your final paycheck is separate. Wages you earned are owed whether or not you get unemployment, by your state's deadline: see your final paycheck.Final paycheck page
• Unemployment benefits are taxable. The IRS says "Generally, you must include in income all unemployment compensation you receive." You can have federal income tax withheld with Form W-4V; Pennsylvania withholds at 10 percent if you ask.IRS Topic 418 · PA L&I
• Health insurance and food. Losing the job usually ends employer health coverage; COBRA lets you keep it for a time at your own cost. If money is tight while you wait for the first check, look at SNAP food help. More programs are on the Government benefits hub.Government benefits hub
• Hurt at work, or too sick to work? Unemployment is for people able to work. If an injury on the job keeps you out, see workers' comp; if a disability will keep you out for a year or more, Social Security disability.Workers' comp page

How to file for unemployment, and what to do next

1. 1File right away, in the state where you worked. The U.S. Department of Labor: "You should contact your state's unemployment insurance program as soon as possible after becoming unemployed" and "Generally, you should file your claim with the state where you worked." In California, "Do not wait to apply".
2. 2Have your work history ready. Employers' names and addresses for the last 18 months (California counts your earnings over the past 18 months), dates, gross pay, the reason each job ended, and any severance or vacation pay. A wrong reason is the most common start of a denial.
3. 3Check the wage statement (monetary determination). Compare the quarters and wages with your pay stubs and W-2s. If wages are missing, ask the agency to correct them; in New York you can also ask for the Alternate Base Period if it would pay more.
4. 4Prepare for the eligibility interview. If you quit, were fired, or your employer disputes the claim, expect questions about why the job ended. Answer the reason the job ended in plain facts, with dates and documents. You can practise it below.
5. 5Request payment every week. Certify for each week, including the waiting week, and report any pay. Missing a week can lose that week.
6. 6If you are denied, appeal fast. Appeal deadlines are short and run from the date on the notice. See unemployment appeal.

The eligibility interview: what you may be asked, and what you can say

When the reason the job ended needs a decision, the agency may ask you and your former employer for your accounts, often by phone. Keep to facts you can show: dates, who said what, and documents.

Common questions

Getting help

Your state's unemployment agency decides your claim, and its determination is the official figure. Free help with denials and hearings comes from legal aid; more programs are on the Government benefits hub.

Official sources

1. U.S. Department of Labor, ETA: Significant Provisions of State Unemployment Insurance Laws, effective July 2026 (formula, minimum and maximum weekly benefit, weeks payable, all states and DC; "effective as of July 1, 2026") oui.doleta.gov
2. U.S. Department of Labor, ETA: Comparison of State Unemployment Insurance Laws 2023, chapter 3, Monetary entitlement (Table 3-5 weekly benefit amounts; Table 3-6 automatic adjustment dates; Table 3-7 state initial waiting periods) oui.doleta.gov
3. U.S. Department of Labor: How do I file for unemployment insurance? (contact your state as soon as possible; file in the state where you worked; first check generally two to three weeks after you file) dol.gov
4. IRS Topic 418, Unemployment compensation (include it in income; withholding with Form W-4V) irs.gov
5. Alabama Department of Labor: Unemployment FAQ ($45 to $275 effective January 1, 2020; 14-20 weeks; waiting week) workforce.alabama.gov
6. California EDD: Unemployment benefits ($40 to $450 each week; about three weeks to the first payment) edd.ca.gov
7. California EDD, DE 2320 Rev. 67 (1-24): Unemployment insurance benefit table and rules (high quarter; 26 times the weekly amount or half of base-period wages; one-week unpaid waiting period) edd.ca.gov
8. Connecticut Department of Labor: Information on unemployment tax rate for calendar year 2026 (maximum $721 frozen October 2024 through October 2028; minimum $44) portal.ct.gov
9. Florida Statutes § 443.111 (2026): weekly benefit amount 1/26 of high-quarter wages, $32 to $275 (§ 443.111(3)); 12 to 23 weeks by the unemployment rate; $6,325 cap (§ 443.111(5)) flsenate.gov
10. Florida Statutes § 443.091 (2026): a waiting period of 1 week (§ 443.091(1)(f)) flsenate.gov
11. Georgia Department of Labor: Individuals FAQs, Unemployment insurance ($55 to $365; 14 to 26 weeks by the seasonally adjusted rate; 14 weeks at 4.5% or less) dol.georgia.gov
12. Georgia Department of Labor, press release May 21, 2026 (April unemployment rate 3.5%) dol.georgia.gov
13. Georgia Department of Labor: Unemployment insurance claimant handbook (2 highest quarters divided by 42; severance may affect benefits; reconsideration of wages) dol.georgia.gov
14. Illinois Department of Employment Security: Table 1 of weekly benefit amounts, BEN 548 (benefit years beginning on or after 1/1/2026; 47%; $628, $748 with spouse, $859 with child) ides.illinois.gov
15. Iowa Workforce Development: Iowans’ unemployment benefits to increase starting July 5 (2026; maximum $790) workforce.iowa.gov
16. Iowa Workforce Development: Monetary eligibility (divide by 23 for zero dependents, maximum $644; 16 times the weekly amount or one-third of base-period wages) workforce.iowa.gov
17. Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance: Employer guide 2026 (1.1923% of base-period wages; $39 to $746 effective July 5, 2026; 16 to 24 weeks) ui.ky.gov
18. KRS 341.385: duration of benefits (16 weeks at a state average unemployment rate of 6.5% or less, up to 24) apps.legislature.ky.gov
19. La. R.S. 23:1595: duration of benefits (12 weeks at an average unemployment rate of five percent or less, up to twenty; severance reduces entitlement) legis.la.gov
20. Minn. Stat. § 268.07: weekly benefit amount (50 percent of the average weekly wage, base period or high quarter) revisor.mn.gov
21. Minn. Stat. § 268.085: eligibility conditions (a nonpayable period of one week) revisor.mn.gov
22. New Jersey Department of Labor: New benefit rates for 2026 (unemployment maximum $905, from $875) nj.gov
23. New York State Department of Labor: What is the maximum benefit rate? ($869 starting October 6, 2025) dol.ny.gov
24. New York State Department of Labor, P832 (2/26): How your weekly unemployment insurance benefit payment is calculated (1/26 above $3,575; $869 maximum; $140 minimum as of January 2026; $3,500 in one quarter for 2026 claims) dol.ny.gov
25. North Carolina Division of Employment Security: Unemployment benefits FAQs ($15 to $350; last two quarters divided by 52; 12 weeks; unpaid waiting week; Extended Benefits) des.nc.gov
26. Oregon Employment Department: Minimum and maximum weekly benefit amounts ($211 and $902 for claims filed on or after June 28, 2026; usually 1.25% of base-period wages) oregon.gov
27. Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry: Weekly benefit rate FAQs (maximum $605 for claims after January 1, 2023; dependents $5 and $3, at most $8; 18 to 26 times the rate; 10 percent withholding) pa.gov
28. Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry: Eligibility information (rate table: high-quarter wages of $10,388 to $10,412 give $409) pa.gov
29. Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development: Apply for unemployment benefits (up to $325 a week; 12 weeks at a state average rate of 5.5% or less) tn.gov
30. Texas Workforce Commission: Unemployment insurance law, eligibility issues (2025-2026 weekly benefits $75 to $605; waiting week; partial benefits below 125% of the weekly amount) efte.twc.texas.gov
31. Texas Labor Code §§ 207.002, 207.005: 1/25 of high-quarter wages; maximum 47.6 percent and minimum 7.6 percent of the state average weekly wage, set by October 1; increases capped at $14 and $1 a year; 26 times the benefit or 27 percent of wage credits tcss.legis.texas.gov
32. Vermont Department of Labor: Calculating your UI benefits (two highest quarters divided by 45; maximum $751) labor.vermont.gov
33. Washington Employment Security Department: Estimate your benefit (two highest quarters x 0.0385; $383 to $1,208) esd.wa.gov
34. Washington Employment Security Department, news release 2026 (minimum $383 and maximum $1,208 for new claims opened on or after July 5, 2026) esd.wa.gov
35. How unemployment insurance benefits are determined: maximum $1,154 a week from October 4, 2026 Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance

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