How Much Unemployment Will I Get in Texas

The first thing most people want to know after losing a job in Texas is how much they'll actually receive each week. The calculation is simpler than most people expect, but the details around the base period and benefit caps are where things get confusing.

The Weekly Benefit Amount Formula

Your weekly benefit amount (WBA) is based on your highest-earning quarter during your base period. Take the gross wages from that quarter and divide by 25, then round to the nearest dollar.

WBA = Highest Quarter Wages ÷ 25

For example, if your best quarter was $12,500 in gross earnings, your WBA would be $500 per week.

Current Benefit Limits

TWC adjusts the minimum and maximum WBA each October based on the statewide average weekly wage. For claims with effective dates on or after October 4, 2026:

• Minimum WBA: $76 per week
• Maximum WBA: $619 per week

Even if your highest quarter calculation produces a number above $619, you'll receive the maximum. Similarly, if the calculation falls below $76, you'll receive the minimum — assuming you meet all other eligibility requirements.

Your Maximum Benefit Amount

The maximum benefit amount (MBA) is the total you can collect over your entire benefit year (52 weeks). It's the lesser of:

• 26 times your WBA, or
• 27% of your total base period wages

This means your benefit year duration depends on how your earnings were distributed across the base period. Someone whose wages were concentrated in one or two quarters may exhaust benefits faster than someone with steady earnings across all four.

Texas does not provide dependent allowances — the WBA is the same whether you have zero dependents or five.

Understanding the Base Period

Your base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim starts. The quarter when your claim starts determines which quarters count:

• Claim starts January–March: Q4 of the year before the previous year plus Q1–Q3 of the previous year
• Claim starts April–June: All four quarters of the previous year
• Claim starts July–September: Previous year Q2–Q4 plus current year Q1
• Claim starts October–December: Previous year Q3–Q4 plus current year Q1–Q2

If the calculation doesn't look right — maybe you switched jobs or had a gap in employment — double-check which quarters fall inside your base period. TWC sends you a Statement of Wages showing exactly which earnings it counted.

Quick Estimation

Texas does not use a flat replacement percentage of your weekly wage. Your WBA is based on your highest-quarter wages divided by 25, subject to the current minimum and maximum limits.

If you earned $50,000 evenly across the year, your approximate weekly wage is $962 and your highest quarter is $12,500. Your WBA would be $500. The MBA is the lesser of $13,000 (26 times your WBA) or $13,500 (27% of $50,000), so it would be $13,000 — enough for 26 full weeks of benefits.

For a detailed walkthrough of the calculation plus worksheets for estimating your specific benefit amounts, see the Texas Unemployment Claims Guide.

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