1. Classic
Full pageA clean, simple layout with a split header, a boxed net pay figure and line-ruled tables.
Best for: Anyone who wants a plain, familiar pay stub that prints well in black and white.
Pay stub examples
Pay Stub Examples and Samples
Looking for a pay stub example before you make your own? Below are 10 sample pay stub designs, five full-page layouts and five in compact check-stub size. Every sample shows the same information: earnings, taxes, deductions, net pay and year-to-date totals. All names and numbers are made up.
What every pay stub example includes
- Employer and employee details
- Pay period, pay date and pay frequency
- Earnings by line: hours, rate and amount
- Gross pay for the period
- Federal, Social Security, Medicare and state tax
- Pre-tax and post-tax deductions
- Net pay (take-home pay)
- Year-to-date totals for every line
10 sample pay stub designs
2. Modern Slate
Full pageA dark header band with a bold, colored net pay banner across the top.
Best for: Businesses that want a polished, modern look with the take-home amount front and center.
3. Traditional Ledger
Full pageA fully gridded black-and-white ledger with monospaced figures, like a classic payroll printout.
Best for: Accountants, bookkeepers and anyone who likes a traditional payroll register style.
4. Elegant Serif
Full pageA centered layout set in a serif typeface with a gold double rule.
Best for: Professional services, household employers and offices that prefer a formal look.
5. Sidebar
Full pageA shaded sidebar for employee details and net pay beside a compact earnings column.
Best for: Pay stubs with many earnings or deduction lines, since the main column stays compact.
6. Compact Coral
Check-stub sizeA 6 x 2.75 inch check-stub size with shaded info panels, a coral accent and a red net pay bar.
Best for: Printing on check stock or fitting several stubs on one page.
7. Compact Navy
Check-stub sizeA check-stub size with a navy header band and soft blue panels.
Best for: A professional compact stub for small businesses.
8. Compact Ledger
Check-stub sizeA black-and-white gridded ledger in monospaced type, in check-stub size.
Best for: Plain, high-contrast copies that scan and photocopy cleanly.
9. Compact Serif
Check-stub sizeA cream-colored serif stub with burgundy rules, in check-stub size.
Best for: A traditional, warm look in a small format.
10. Compact Teal
Check-stub sizeA teal check-stub with the net pay called out in the header.
Best for: A fresh, easy-to-scan stub where take-home pay is the first thing you see.
Pay stub examples for different situations
- Hourly employee
- Enter hours and rate. Overtime hours can be added as their own line at their own rate, and gross pay and taxes update automatically.
- Salaried employee
- Enter the pay frequency and the amount for the period. Federal, Social Security, Medicare and state tax are calculated from it.
- Employee with benefits
- Add pre-tax deductions such as a 401(k) or health insurance. They reduce the wages income tax is figured on.
- Tips, bonuses or commission
- Add each kind of pay as its own earnings line so the stub shows exactly where the total came from.
- Self-employed or business owner
- If you pay yourself through your business, you can create a stub for your own pay. See our guide to paying yourself as an owner.
- Several pay periods
- Create a series of stubs for different pay dates. Year-to-date totals carry forward from one stub to the next.
Choosing between full-page and check-stub size
A full-page pay stub gives you the most room and is the easiest to read, so it's the usual choice for a PDF you'll email or upload. A check-stub size stub is about 6 by 2.75 inches. It matches the stub that comes attached to a printed check and works well when you print on check stock or want several stubs on one sheet. Our check stub generator page explains both formats in more detail.
Other sample documents
Pay stubs are often needed alongside other income records. You can also make a W-2, a 1099-NEC, a proof of income letter or an income statement.
Pay stub example questions
What does a pay stub example look like?
A pay stub shows the employer and employee, the pay period and pay date, earnings (hours, rate and gross pay), each tax withheld, any deductions, net pay and year-to-date totals. The samples on this page show all of those lines in 10 different layouts.
Are these real pay stubs?
No. Each sample uses made-up names and numbers and carries a watermark. They only show how a finished pay stub can look. Your own stub uses your real details and has the taxes calculated for your state.
Can I choose the design of my pay stub?
Yes. The generator has all 10 designs shown here. You can switch between them in the live preview before you pay, and the downloaded PDF matches the design you picked.
What is the difference between full-page and check-stub size?
Full-page designs fill a standard letter-size page and have room for more detail. Check-stub designs are about 6 by 2.75 inches, the size of the stub that comes with a printed check, so they suit check stock or printing several per page.
Can I add my company logo?
Yes. You can upload a PNG or JPEG logo, up to 400 KB, and it appears on the stub in the design you choose.
Are pay stub examples legal to use?
Using an example to see what to include is fine. When you make a pay stub, every figure must reflect pay that was actually earned or paid, and it must never be used to mislead a lender, landlord or agency.
Related guides and tools
- How to read a pay stub, section by section
- Pay stub template: what to include
- Free pay stub template: printable hourly and salaried PDFs
- Hourly vs salaried pay stub: what is different
- How to make a pay stub, step by step
- Pay stub info for all 50 states
- Pay stubs for self-employed people and business owners
The samples above use made-up names and numbers. Create pay stubs only for pay that was actually earned or paid. A pay stub must not be used to misrepresent income, employment or financial details to a lender, landlord, government agency or any other party.