How much is unemployment in your state?

Unemployment benefits by state

Search for your state to see its 2026 maximum weekly benefit, how many weeks it pays, and the formula it uses — then open its page for a personal estimate.

Select a state to open its calculator →

Sorted by maximum weekly benefit. Amounts are 2026 values; several states adjust in January, July or October — each state page shows its own timing notes.

How unemployment benefits are calculated

Every state answers the same question — roughly how much of your lost paycheck should insurance replace — but each uses its own arithmetic. Almost all of them follow the same four steps:

1. 1

   Set the base period

   The state looks at your earnings in a fixed window before you file — usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. Your current or final paycheck typically isn’t counted yet, though most states offer an alternate base period if the standard one leaves you short.

2. 2

   Measure your earnings

   Next the state summarizes those wages — most commonly your single highest-earning quarter, but some use the average of your two highest quarters, and others your total annual wages. This is why two people with the same salary can land on different amounts.

3. 3

   Apply the state formula

   The state divides or multiplies that figure by a statutory rate to target roughly half of your average weekly wage. The methods fall into a few families — a fraction of your high quarter (e.g. high quarter ÷ 26), a percentage of a two-quarter average, a share of annual wages, or a fixed benefit table. See the exact method for your state in the table above, or read our full methodology.

4. 4

   Clamp to the state min and max

   Finally the result is capped between the state’s minimum and maximum weekly benefit. This ceiling is what varies most between states — from around $235 to $1,152a week in 2026 — and it’s why high earners in low-cap states are replaced far below half their pay. A separate rule then sets how many weeks you can collect.

What changes your weekly amount

Two people laid off the same week can receive very different checks. These are the factors that move the number — the calculator handles the first three automatically once you pick your state.

Do you qualify, and how do you claim?

Eligibility rules differ by state, but almost every state applies the same three tests. You generally need to (1) have earned enough in your base period to meet a monetary requirement, (2) have lost your job through no fault of your own — layoffs and position eliminations almost always qualify — and (3) be able to work, available for work, and actively looking while you claim.

Timing matters more than most people expect: in most states your claim is effective the week you file, not the day you were laid off, so file the week you lose your job— even if your severance isn’t finalized. You file with your own state’s agency; for example California and Texaseach run their own portal, and every state page here links straight to the official one. If you’re not sure where to start, the U.S. Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop finder points you to your state’s office.

Being fired for misconduct or quitting without good cause can disqualify you, but both are defined more narrowly than people fear, and denials can be appealed. When in doubt, apply — it costs nothing, and only the state can make the determination.

Unemployment calculators, in plain language

Popular states & next steps