How Much Will I Get for Unemployment? A Practical Breakdown

Unemployment benefits are usually based on what you earned before you lost your job, not on what you “need” or your bills. HowToGetAssistance.org is an informational site only; you must use your state’s official unemployment office or website to apply or check your exact amount.

Most states calculate weekly unemployment benefits as a percentage of your past wages, up to a state maximum. In many places, people typically receive about 40%–60% of their previous average weekly wage, but the exact percentage, minimum, and maximum dollar amounts are set by each state.

Because unemployment rules and amounts vary by state, the fastest way to see your own estimate is to use your state unemployment agency’s online benefit calculator, if they offer one, or review their “benefit table” or “monetary determination” examples.

How States Typically Calculate Your Weekly Benefit

Unemployment is run at the state level, usually by a state Department of Labor, Employment Security Department, Workforce Agency, or similar office. Each state uses its own formula, but most follow the same general pattern.

Basic idea of the formula

Most states:

• Look at your “base period” wages (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed).
• Find your average weekly wage over that time.
• Apply a percentage (for example, around 50%) to that average.
• Apply minimum and maximum caps so your benefit cannot go below or above certain amounts.

A very simple example of how a state might calculate (your state will differ):

Many states also consider how many dependents you have or other factors, but this is less common than it used to be and often only adds a small amount, if anything.

Key Terms You’ll See (Plainly Explained)

A short terms callout you’ll likely run into:

• Base period – The specific 12-month time frame (by quarters) your state uses to look at your past wages.
• Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) – The dollar amount you may get each week, before taxes.
• Benefit year – The 12‑month period starting when you first file a claim; your total weeks and total benefit cap are tied to this.
• Monetary determination – The official letter or notice that shows how your WBA was calculated and what you may qualify for.

Understanding these terms makes it easier to read your state’s letters and spot errors.

Fast Way to Estimate What You Might Get

You cannot know the exact amount until your state reviews your claim, but you can get a reasonable estimate by following a simple sequence.

Step-by-step: Estimating your benefit

1. Gather your recent earnings.
   Pull your pay stubs or W‑2s for at least the last 12–18 months. Focus on gross pay (before taxes).

2. Figure out your average weekly wage.

   • Add up your gross earnings in the base-period months if you know them.
   • Divide by the number of weeks you worked in that period.
     If you worked steadily full-time, a quick shortcut is: annual salary ÷ 52 weeks.

3. Apply an approximate percentage.
   As a rough estimate, multiply your average weekly wage by 0.4 to 0.6 (40%–60%), because most states fall in that range.
   This does not account for your state’s exact formula or caps, but it gives a ballpark.

4. Check your state’s minimum and maximum.
   Go to your state unemployment office website and search for “weekly benefit amount” or “benefit table.”
   Compare your estimate to their published minimum and maximum to see if you’re likely to be limited by a cap.

5. Apply for benefits to get your actual number.
   File a claim through your state’s official portal or phone system.
   What to expect next: you typically receive a monetary determination notice showing your exact Weekly Benefit Amount and total weeks once your wages are verified.

Because each state sets its own ranges, you may see big differences. Some states have maximums in the low $300s per week, while others have caps above $800 per week; the exact figures change over time.

What You’ll Need Ready to Check or Confirm Your Amount

Having the right information up front can reduce delays and help you understand if the amount your state calculates looks reasonable.

Commonly required or helpful items include:

• Social Security number (or other ID number if non-citizen with work authorization).
• Last 18 months of employer names and addresses.
• Dates you worked and your total earnings with each employer.
• Most recent pay stubs or W‑2s to compare with the wages your state lists.
• Bank account and routing number if you choose direct deposit (optional but common).

Once you file, compare the wages listed on your monetary determination with your own records. If an employer is missing or the wages look too low, your benefit amount may be wrong until corrected.

Real-world friction to watch for: a common reason weekly amounts come out lower than expected is missing or incorrect wage information from one or more past employers, which often requires you to send proof of earnings or wait for the state to contact the employer to fix it.

Your Next Steps: From Question to Official Amount

Here is a clear path from “How much will I get?” to seeing your official number from your state.

1. Find the correct state unemployment office

Because rules and amounts vary by state, start with your own state’s official unemployment website.
You can find it by:

• Searching for “[your state] unemployment insurance” and confirming the site ends in .gov or is clearly a state agency, or
• Using the federal CareerOneStop directory and clicking your state’s unemployment insurance office from the U.S. Department of Labor at the “Unemployment benefits” section on dol.gov.

2. Look for a benefit estimator or table

Once on your state’s site, look for:

• “Benefits Estimator” or “Estimate Weekly Benefit”
• “Benefit Table” or “WBA chart”
• “How your benefits are calculated”

If your state offers an online estimator, you typically enter your wages for each quarter and it shows an estimated WBA and number of weeks; this is not final but is usually close if your wage data is accurate.

3. File your initial claim

To get an actual, official Weekly Benefit Amount, you must file a new claim (or reopen an existing one, if allowed) with your state:

1. Start your claim online (common) or by phone if online is not available.
2. Provide your work history and earnings for the base period.
3. Answer questions about why you left your last job and your availability for work.

What to expect next: after processing, the state usually mails or posts a monetary determination that shows:

• The wages they used from each employer.
• Your Weekly Benefit Amount (before taxes).
• Your maximum benefit amount (total you can receive in your benefit year).

If you see “$0” or an amount that seems too low, it may be due to insufficient wages, gaps in your work history, or missing employer reports.

Avoid Mistakes and Scam Warnings

Unemployment benefits involve your identity and money, so it’s important to avoid common problems.

Common snags (and quick fixes)

• Snag: You can’t tell if a website is official.
  Quick fix: Only enter personal information on sites that clearly belong to your state government (often ending in .gov or linked from a known state site).

• Snag: You receive texts/emails offering to “boost” your benefit or file for you for a fee.
  Quick fix: Ignore and delete; your benefit amount is set by law and cannot legally be increased by a third party.

• Snag: You misreport wages when filing weekly certifications, which can change your payment amount or cause overpayments.
  Quick fix: Report all earnings for the week you worked, even if you’re not paid until later; under- or over-reporting can lead to penalties.

• Snag: You do not respond to requests for proof of identity or wages.
  Quick fix:Respond by the stated deadline using the methods listed (upload, mail, fax, or in-person), or payments may be delayed or stopped.

For extra safety, never share your Social Security number, bank login, or debit card PIN with anyone claiming they can “speed up” your unemployment or guarantee higher benefits.

If you suspect you’ve interacted with a fake unemployment site or scammer, you can typically report it to your state unemployment fraud unit and also to the Federal Trade Commission through reportfraud.ftc.gov.

If Your Unemployment Amount Seems Wrong

If your weekly amount is much lower than expected or shows $0, there may be a fixable problem.

Common issues include:

• Your base period doesn’t include your highest-earning recent quarter.
• One or more employers didn’t report wages on time.
• The state used incorrect start/end dates for your jobs.
• You are being denied based on separation reason, not wages.

If this happens → do this:

1. Review your monetary determination line by line against your pay records.
2. Contact your state unemployment office (online message center or phone) and say:
   “I received my monetary determination and believe my wages for [employer name] in [quarter/year] are missing or incorrect. How can I request a wage review or correction?”
3. Follow any instructions to submit proof of wages (pay stubs, W‑2s, or employer statements).
4. Watch for a revised determination or appeal instructions if they deny the change.

If you disagree with the final amount after a review, most states allow you to file an appeal within a short deadline, often 10–30 days from the date on the notice; the appeal process is explained in your determination letter or on the state website.

Once you’ve checked your state’s benefit tables or estimator and filed your claim, you’ll have the only number that really matters: the official Weekly Benefit Amount from your state’s unemployment agency.