Texas Unemployment Calculator
Estimate your Texas weekly unemployment benefit, duration, and total payout. Texas pays up to $605 a week for up to 26 weeks. This is an estimate, not a determination.
An estimate, not a determination.
This estimates your Texas weekly unemployment benefit from your wages. The state agency makes the actual decision based on your full wage record and why your job ended. File your claim with Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to get your real amount.
More exact? Enter your highest-paid quarter
Most states base your benefit on your highest-earning quarter of the base period (the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). Enter it for a closer estimate; leave blank to use your annual income.
Estimated Weekly Benefit
$520/week
≈ 52% of your weekly wage · Texas · estimate only
Max Duration
26 weeks
Max Total Benefit
$13,520
Standard maximum 26 weeks. Actual duration is MBA / WBA where MBA = lesser of 26 x WBA or 27% of total base-period wages, so lower earners get fewer than 26 weeks. Not indexed to the unemployment rate.
Texas has a one-week unpaid waiting period before benefits begin.
This is an estimate, not a determination. The state agency calculates your actual benefit from your full base-period wage record, and eligibility also depends on why your job ended and your ongoing work search.
Your weekly benefit is based on your wages in the "base period" (usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters), replaced at roughly 52% up to Texas's $605 maximum. Eligibility also depends on earning enough in the base period and on why your job ended (generally you must be out of work through no fault of your own). This is an estimate, not legal advice or a determination, and RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.
How Texas Calculates Your Weekly Benefit
WBA = highest-quarter base-period wages divided by 25, rounded. Clamped to the state min/max. Maximum total benefits (MBA) = the lesser of 26 x WBA or 27% of all base-period wages.
The result is capped at Texas's $605 maximum and floored at its $75 minimum (2026). You can collect for up to 26 weeks. Standard maximum 26 weeks. Actual duration is MBA / WBA where MBA = lesser of 26 x WBA or 27% of total base-period wages, so lower earners get fewer than 26 weeks. Not indexed to the unemployment rate.
Source: Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).
Who Qualifies in Texas
To draw benefits you generally must have earned enough during the base period (Standard: first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before the claim. An alternate base period may be used if the claimant cannot qualify on the standard base period (e.g., due to a medically verifiable injury/illness).), be unemployed through no fault of your own (laid off, not fired for misconduct and generally not quitting without good cause), and be able, available, and actively looking for work. Must have wages in at least 2 base-period quarters and total base-period wages of at least 37 x WBA. Texas also has a one-week unpaid waiting period before benefits begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Texas?
Texas pays roughly 52% of your average weekly wage, from a $75 minimum up to a $605 maximum per week (2026). Use the calculator above to estimate your amount from your wages.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Texas?
Up to 26 weeks. Standard maximum 26 weeks. Actual duration is MBA / WBA where MBA = lesser of 26 x WBA or 27% of total base-period wages, so lower earners get fewer than 26 weeks. Not indexed to the unemployment rate.
How is my Texas weekly benefit calculated?
WBA = highest-quarter base-period wages divided by 25, rounded. Clamped to the state min/max. Maximum total benefits (MBA) = the lesser of 26 x WBA or 27% of all base-period wages.
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Texas?
$605 per week in 2026. The maximum is set by the state and usually updated each year.
Is this calculator official?
No. It is a free estimate based on Texas's published 2026 formula and caps. Your actual benefit is determined by Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) from your complete wage record and the reason your job ended. It is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.
Disclaimer
This calculator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice, a benefit determination, or a guarantee of eligibility. Unemployment formulas and maximums change (often annually); figures are current as of 2026-06-02. Only Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) can determine your actual benefit and eligibility. RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.