If I Make $60,000 a Year, How Much Child Support Do I Pay?
If you make $60,000 a year, your gross pay is about $5,000 a month. For 1 child, most states would order between $513 and $1,105 per month, and the middle (median) state comes out to about $669 per month. For example, in Texas you would pay about $1,000/month for 1 child.
Your exact number depends on your state, the other parent's income, and your custody schedule. The table below shows estimates for all 50 states and Washington, D.C. based on each state's official 2026 guidelines. You can also compare other income levels on our how much is child support page, or see the weekly version of this question: if I make $1,000 a week.
What Is a Typical Payment at $60,000 a Year?
Here is the short answer. These are monthly estimates across all 51 state guidelines for a parent earning $5,000/month gross:
| Children | Typical (median state) | Range across states |
|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $669/mo | $513 - $1,105/mo |
| 2 children | $986/mo | $713 - $1,632/mo |
| 3 children | $1,128/mo | $843 - $2,040/mo |
Estimates assume you are the paying parent. In states that count both parents' incomes, the other parent is modeled at $3,000/month. These estimates are for informational purposes only and are not legal advice.
How Much Child Support Will I Pay in My State?
Find your state below. Each row shows the estimated monthly payment at $60,000 a year ($5,000/month gross) for 1, 2, and 3 children. Click your state for a full calculator where you can enter your real numbers.
| State | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $642/mo | $949/mo | $1,114/mo |
| Alaska | $1,000/mo | $1,350/mo | $1,650/mo |
| Arizona | $683/mo | $1,014/mo | $1,195/mo |
| Arkansas | $609/mo | $872/mo | $1,043/mo |
| California | $1,020/mo | $1,632/mo | $2,040/mo |
| Colorado | $756/mo | $1,130/mo | $1,342/mo |
| Connecticut | $525/mo | $733/mo | $869/mo |
| Delaware | $896/mo | $1,280/mo | $1,612/mo |
| District of Columbia | $553/mo | $769/mo | $911/mo |
| Florida | $570/mo | $859/mo | $1,031/mo |
| Georgia | $719/mo | $1,077/mo | $1,281/mo |
| Hawaii | $624/mo | $1,183/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Idaho | $639/mo | $945/mo | $1,121/mo |
| Illinois | $903/mo | $1,334/mo | $1,564/mo |
| Indiana | $569/mo | $789/mo | $958/mo |
| Iowa | $844/mo | $1,248/mo | $1,467/mo |
| Kansas | $539/mo | $748/mo | $885/mo |
| Kentucky | $623/mo | $891/mo | $1,065/mo |
| Louisiana | $756/mo | $1,153/mo | $1,396/mo |
| Maine | $619/mo | $838/mo | $977/mo |
| Maryland | $523/mo | $726/mo | $860/mo |
| Massachusetts | $1,056/mo | $1,479/mo | $1,774/mo |
| Michigan | $954/mo | $1,411/mo | $1,661/mo |
| Minnesota | $691/mo | $968/mo | $1,103/mo |
| Mississippi | $700/mo | $1,000/mo | $1,100/mo |
| Missouri | $749/mo | $1,122/mo | $1,333/mo |
| Montana | $780/mo | $1,278/mo | $1,702/mo |
| Nebraska | $513/mo | $721/mo | $858/mo |
| Nevada | $800/mo | $1,100/mo | $1,300/mo |
| New Hampshire | $669/mo | $906/mo | $1,056/mo |
| New Jersey | $1,105/mo | $1,254/mo | $1,519/mo |
| New Mexico | $661/mo | $989/mo | $1,177/mo |
| New York | $850/mo | $1,250/mo | $1,450/mo |
| North Carolina | $720/mo | $1,079/mo | $1,284/mo |
| North Dakota | $730/mo | $986/mo | $1,150/mo |
| Ohio | $527/mo | $731/mo | $864/mo |
| Oklahoma | $560/mo | $817/mo | $946/mo |
| Oregon | $599/mo | $873/mo | $1,010/mo |
| Pennsylvania | $843/mo | $1,250/mo | $1,469/mo |
| Rhode Island | $534/mo | $743/mo | $880/mo |
| South Carolina | $647/mo | $959/mo | $1,128/mo |
| South Dakota | $513/mo | $713/mo | $843/mo |
| Tennessee | $574/mo | $838/mo | $969/mo |
| Texas | $1,000/mo | $1,250/mo | $1,500/mo |
| Utah | $530/mo | $735/mo | $870/mo |
| Vermont | $528/mo | $734/mo | $869/mo |
| Virginia | $701/mo | $1,026/mo | $1,306/mo |
| Washington | $794/mo | $1,200/mo | $1,438/mo |
| West Virginia | $613/mo | $829/mo | $954/mo |
| Wisconsin | $850/mo | $1,250/mo | $1,450/mo |
| Wyoming | $525/mo | $730/mo | $865/mo |
These estimates are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Actual child support amounts are determined by courts and may differ based on factors not included here.
How Is This Calculated?
We start with your income: $60,000 per year divided by 12 is $5,000 per month before taxes. Then we run that number through each state's official guideline formula — the same math our state calculators use.
States use different models, which is why the numbers vary so much:
- Income Shares (most states, including Ohio, Florida, and New York): both parents' incomes are combined, a total obligation comes from a state schedule, and you pay your share of it. Because this model needs the other parent's income, our table assumes the other parent earns $3,000/month.
- Percentage of Income (Texas, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Alaska): a set percentage of your own income, based on the number of children. The other parent's income is not part of the formula.
- Other formulas: Delaware, Hawaii, and Montana use the Melson Formula, which protects a basic amount for each parent first. California, Nevada, and Michigan use their own state-specific formulas.
Technical details: the exact assumptions we used
- Paying (non-custodial) parent gross income: $5,000/month ($60,000/year).
- Other parent's gross income: $3,000/month in Income Shares, Melson, and formula states; not used in Percentage of Income and Nevada's tiered model.
- Standard custody arrangement (no shared-custody reduction applied).
- No add-ons for health insurance premiums or work-related child care.
- Figures come from each state's guideline schedule or formula as published in official statutes and court rules, verified per state on our methodology page.
What Can Change This Number?
The table gives a starting point, not a final answer. These factors can move your payment up or down:
- The other parent's income. In most states, a higher income for the other parent lowers your share, and a lower income raises it.
- Custody time. If your children spend many nights with you, many states reduce the payment. A near 50/50 schedule can lower it a lot.
- Health insurance and child care. The cost of covering the children is usually split between parents and added to the base amount.
- Other children you support. Kids from another relationship can reduce the income counted in the formula.
- Extra income. Bonuses, overtime, and side income usually count, which can push your payment above the figures shown here.
- Judge discretion. Courts can deviate from the guideline when the standard number would be unfair in your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is child support based on gross or net income?
Most states start from your gross income — your pay before taxes. A few states, like Texas, first convert gross pay to "net resources" by subtracting taxes and certain deductions, then apply the guideline.
Either way, the court looks at your full earnings — not just what lands in your bank account after voluntary deductions like retirement contributions.
What if I get bonuses or overtime on top of my $60,000 salary?
Bonuses, overtime, and commissions usually count as income for child support. If your extra pay changes a lot from year to year, courts often average it over the past one to three years to find a fair number.
If a bonus meaningfully raises your total income above $60,000, the other parent can ask the court to recalculate. The reverse is also true: if your income drops, you can ask for a modification.
What if both parents make $60,000 a year?
It depends on your state's model:
- In Percentage of Income states like Texas, the other parent's income is not part of the formula, so your payment does not change.
- In Income Shares states, equal incomes mean each parent covers half of the total obligation. In Ohio, for example, if both parents earn $5,000/month, the paying parent's share is about $481/month for 1 child — compared to about $527/month when the other parent earns $3,000/month.
Are these numbers exact?
No. These are estimates based on each state's official guidelines and the standard assumptions listed above. Your actual amount is set by a court and can differ based on custody time, health insurance, child care costs, other children you support, and judge discretion.
Use them as a starting point. For an estimate with your real numbers, open your state's calculator. For advice on your case, talk to a family law attorney.
More Income Guides
Disclaimer: The estimates provided on this page are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Actual child support amounts are determined by courts and may differ based on factors not included here. Child support laws change frequently; always verify with your state's official guidelines. For legal advice about your specific situation, consult a family law attorney.