Alaska employee unemployment contribution
What this line takes out of your pay in 2026, what it is calculated on, and where the rate comes from.
What Alaska employee unemployment contribution costs at different salaries
Alaska employee unemployment contribution is charged at 0.5% of wages in Alaska, but only on the first $54,200 earned in the year. The figure is set in statute, so it is the amount actually withheld rather than an approximation.
This assessment stops applying above $54,200 of wages, so the amount flattens once pay passes that ceiling while the share of gross keeps falling.
| Salary | Per year | Per biweekly cheque | Share of gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $200 | $8 | 0.500% |
| $60,000 | $271 | $10 | 0.452% |
| $85,000 | $271 | $10 | 0.319% |
| $150,000 | $271 | $10 | 0.181% |
How Alaska compares
2 states in this model run a employee unemployment contribution programme funded by an employee deduction. Ranked by employee rate, Alaska is 1 of 2. Rates are not directly comparable as benefits — each programme sets its own wage base, benefit ceiling and eligibility rules. See every payroll deduction in the model.
| State | Employee rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 0.50% | Wages up to a cap |
| New Jersey | 0.38% | Wages up to a cap |
A single filer paid biweekly in Alaska, on 2026 rules reviewed through 2026-08-09. The rate traces to Alaska DOL — employee unemployment contribution.
More on Alaska pay and deductions
Alaska paycheck calculator
Alaska's own brackets, deductions and payroll assessments, with the sources behind each.
Where Alaska ranks
What Alaska leaves you against every other state on the same salary, and where a move gains most.
Alaska unemployment benefits
How Alaska works out a weekly benefit, for how long, and the caps either side of it.
Alaska wage garnishment limits
The most a creditor can take from a Alaska paycheck, where state law is stricter than federal.
Common questions
How much does Alaska employee unemployment contribution take out of a Alaska paycheck?
0.5% of wages, charged only on the first $54,200 you earn in the year. Above that ceiling the deduction stops for the rest of the year, so it takes a larger share of a lower salary than a higher one.
Is Alaska employee unemployment contribution taken out of every paycheck?
Yes, while you are being paid wages in Alaska and, where a ceiling applies, until you reach it for the year. It is withheld by your employer alongside federal tax and FICA rather than being something you pay separately at filing time.
Can my Alaska employer charge less than this?
Yes. The figure modelled here is the MAXIMUM an employee can be charged. Employers may set a lower employee share, or cover more of the cost themselves, so a real payslip can show less than this and still be correct. It should not show more.