The U.S. Has the Highest Corporate Income Tax Rate in the OECD January 27, 2014 Kyle Pomerleau Andrew Lundeen Kyle Pomerleau, Andrew Lundeen In today’s globalized world, U.S. corporations are increasingly at a competitive disadvantage. They currently face the highest statutory corporate income tax rate in the world at 39.1 percent. This overall rate is a combination of our 35 percent federal rate and the average rate levied by U.S. states. Corporations headquartered in the 33 other industrialized countries that make up the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), however, face an average rate of 25 percent. Even corporations in high-tax European countries such as Belgium (34 percent), France (34.4 percent), and Sweden (22 percent) face much lower rates than those in the United States. Our largest trading partners—Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom—have each cut their corporate tax rates over the past few years to become more competitive. For more charts like the one below, see the second edition of our chart book, Putting a Face on America's Tax Returns. Stay informed on the tax policies impacting you. Subscribe to get insights from our trusted experts delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe Share Tweet Share Email Topics Center for Federal Tax Policy Business Taxes Corporate Income Taxes Data International Taxes Tags Putting a Face on America's Tax Returns