Maximum Unemployment Insurance Benefit by State

Unemployment insurance replaces a portion of your wages while you search for work. What replaces is capped. Every state sets a maximum weekly benefit that applies no matter how high your salary was. The state max is the ceiling.

The calculation your state uses to set your individual benefit draws from your base-period wages, typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim. The result is roughly 40-60% wage replacement, capped at the state maximum. In most states, if you earned more than roughly $80,000 to $100,000 annually, you are at the state max. A week at the state max is usually between $400 and $1,200 depending on the state. California is near the high end; many Southern and Plains states are near the low end.

Severance interacts directly with your UI eligibility. Some states pay full UI benefits in parallel with severance. Some reduce your weekly benefit proportionally while severance is being paid. Some delay UI entirely until the severance period ends. The interaction matters for your cash-flow plan. A four-week severance payment in a delay state shifts your UI start date by four weeks. The runway calculator applies your state's specific rule.

File your claim as soon as your separation is confirmed. Most states have a one-week waiting period before benefits start, and that week runs from when you file, not from when your severance ends. Filing late does not extend your benefit period; it shortens it.

This page shows the current weekly maximum for every state, verified against each state's official unemployment insurance guidance. The runway calculator uses the applicable state maximum to estimate your total UI contribution to your runway.