The wage ceiling rises by $7,800
The Social Security Administration lists $192,300 as the maximum earnings subject to Social Security tax for 2027, up from $184,500 for 2026. These figures belong to the agency’s annual 2027 update, released alongside its October 14, 2026 announcement.
The taxable maximum applies to covered earnings under the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program, or OASDI. It is a payroll-tax wage ceiling, not a limit on how much someone may earn.
The employee rate remains 6.2%
SSA lists the 2027 OASDI rate as 6.2% each for employees and employers. At covered wages of $192,300 or more, the agency gives a maximum employee OASDI contribution of $11,922.60 for the year, with the employer contributing the same amount.
Applying the same rate to the 2026 ceiling gives $11,439. The difference is $483.60 for an employee reaching the respective ceiling in both years. This is a comparison of the maximum OASDI amounts, not an across-the-board increase for every worker.
Medicare and benefit earnings limits are separate
The $192,300 cap does not cover all payroll taxes. SSA’s fact sheet lists no maximum wage limit for Medicare’s Hospital Insurance tax. Its standard employee rate is 1.45%, with additional Medicare tax rules applying separately.
The fact sheet also lists separate retirement earnings-test thresholds. Those concern potential benefit withholding for people working before full retirement age. The OASDI taxable maximum is not the threshold to use for that question.
