Pennsylvania Paycheck Calculator
Detailed paycheck estimator for workers in Pennsylvania (PA). Uses updated 2026 federal withholdings, FICA tax limits, and state-specific tax brackets.
Estimate Take-Home Income in PA
3.07% Flat TaxCalculator Inputs
Calculation Result
How much tax comes out of a paycheck in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania taxes W-2 income at a flat 3.07% rate, so a single filer earning $75,000 takes home about $59,290.00 a year before local taxes.
W-2 tax structure in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is a flat-tax state with a rate of 3.07%. Unlike many other flat-tax states, Pennsylvania has no standard deduction or personal exemption — the flat rate applies to all taxable W-2 income from dollar one.
Worked payroll example (gross $75,000 salary)
| Withholding Category | Annual Deduction |
|---|---|
| Gross Pay | $75,000.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$7,670.00 |
| FICA Tax (Social Security & Medicare) | -$5,737.50 |
| State Income Tax | -$2,302.50 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $59,290.00 |
What makes Pennsylvania W-2 taxation different?
Pennsylvania allows cities, boroughs, and school districts to impose local earned income taxes on top of the state rate. The median household income in Pennsylvania is $77,545 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Relocating from or to Pennsylvania?
Comparing Pennsylvania to neighboring Ohio, Ohio's flat 2.75% rate (HB96) has a tax-free baseline of $26,050, resulting in a lower state tax bill ($1,287) than Pennsylvania's flat 3.07% ($2,302.50) on a $75,000 salary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pennsylvania have a standard deduction?
No. Pennsylvania is one of the few states with no standard deduction or personal exemption; the flat 3.07% rate applies to all earnings from the first dollar.
What is Philadelphia's local wage tax?
Philadelphia levies a local wage tax on residents and commuters, which is deducted from your paycheck in addition to the state flat tax.
What is the median household income in Pennsylvania?
According to the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau ACS estimates, the median household income in Pennsylvania is $77,545.
How does Pennsylvania's cost of living compare?
The MERIC composite index for Pennsylvania is 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), placing it slightly below the national average.
- Federal baseline calculations: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
- FICA caps and limits: Social Security Administration (2026).
- State tax rates: Tax Foundation Individual Income Tax Rates (2026).
- Median household income: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2024).
- Cost of Living Index: MERIC Cost of Living Data Series (2025).
Pennsylvania taxes from the first dollar, with no deduction at all
Pennsylvania's flat 3.07% is one of the lowest state income tax rates in the country. It is also applied differently from almost everywhere else: Pennsylvania gives you no standard deduction and no personal exemption.
That changes who benefits. In a state with a $15,000 standard deduction, a low earner shelters a large share of income. In Pennsylvania, someone earning $30,000 pays 3.07% on essentially all of it, exactly like someone earning $300,000. The headline rate is low; the structure is regressive.
It also means the arithmetic is genuinely simple. On $75,000, Pennsylvania state tax is $2,302.50, and take-home is about $59,290 before local tax.
The local Earned Income Tax is the part that actually varies
Pennsylvania has one of the most fragmented local tax systems in the United States. Almost every municipality and school district levies an Earned Income Tax (EIT) on top of the state rate, commonly around 1% and split between the two.
Philadelphia runs its own separate city wage tax instead, at a materially higher rate than the typical suburban EIT, with a lower rate for non-residents who work in the city. Pittsburgh has its own arrangement too. Between the state rate and a Philadelphia wage tax, your combined income tax burden roughly doubles compared with the 3.07% headline.
There is also a small flat Local Services Tax deducted where you work, usually a fixed annual dollar amount rather than a percentage, which is why some Pennsylvania pay stubs carry a line that never changes no matter how much you earn.
Your EIT rate is set by your municipality of residence and your work location, and the rules for which one wins are specific. The official rate register is published by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and is the only place worth checking, because these rates are reset locally and no national calculator tracks all of them.
Practical version: take the 3.07% figure, then add roughly a percent for most of the state, or considerably more inside Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania ranks 17th of 50 for take-home pay
On a $80,000 salary, a single filer keeps $62,654 in Pennsylvaniaafter federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax — $2,456 less than Alaska, the highest.
Plan your Pennsylvania Budget: The Paycheck Split™
The Paycheck Split™
Divide your take-home pay to plan your budget (Essentials, Lifestyle, Financial Goals).