2026 Tax Year
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Pennsylvania
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The PA paycheck calculator that walks through every deduction layer — federal brackets, Pennsylvania's flat 3.07% income tax, local Earned Income Tax, the Local Services Tax, PA Unemployment Compensation withholding, and FICA — so you see exactly what lands in your bank account, whether you earn by the hour or by salary.
| Earnings | $0 |
| Salary / wages | $0 |
| Overtime | $0 |
| Taxes | $0 |
| Federal income tax | $0 |
| Social Security tax | $0 |
| Medicare tax | $0 |
| PA state income tax | $0 |
| PA unemployment (SUI) | $0 |
| Local earned income tax | $0 |
| Local services tax (LST) | $0 |
| Additional withholding | $0 |
| Benefits | $0 |
| Pre-tax health / FSA / HSA | $0 |
| Retirement (401k) | $0 |
| Post-tax deductions | $0 |
| Take home | $0 |
Estimates only, based on 2026 IRS federal brackets and standard deduction, Pennsylvania's flat 3.07% income tax, the 2026 PA employee UC (SUI) rate of 0.07%, typical local EIT/LST rates, and 2026 FICA figures ($184,500 Social Security wage base). Not tax or legal advice — actual withholding depends on your employer's payroll system, your W-4, and your local tax forms.
Every PA paycheck runs through four distinct tax layers before you receive your take-home pay. Understanding each one helps employees verify their stubs are correct and helps employers set up accurate payroll from day one.
Calculated from the IRS's progressive bracket schedule. Your W-4 filing status and any Step 3–4 adjustments determine how much your employer withholds each pay period. A current Form W-4 keeps withholding on target all year.
Pennsylvania charges a single flat rate of 3.07% on all taxable compensation — no brackets, no income thresholds. This predictability is one reason many business owners base operations in the state. Administered by the PA Department of Revenue.
Under Act 32, nearly every municipality and school district in Pennsylvania layers its own Earned Income Tax on top of state withholding, plus a flat Local Services Tax up to $52 per year. Rates vary significantly by zip code.
Employees contribute 6.2% toward Social Security (on wages up to $184,500 in 2026) and 1.45% toward Medicare, with an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages above $200,000 for single filers. Employers match the base amounts dollar-for-dollar.
Unlike most states, Pennsylvania requires a small employee-side contribution to unemployment insurance — currently 0.07% of gross wages with no wage cap. It is administered by the PA Department of Labor & Industry.
Medical, dental, vision, FSA, and HSA premiums reduce your federal and PA state taxable wages when deducted pre-tax through a Section 125 cafeteria plan. Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce federal wages only — Pennsylvania taxes them at contribution time.
Pennsylvania's 3.07% flat rate applies to wages, salaries, net profits from self-employment, gambling winnings, and most other forms of compensation. It does not apply to Social Security benefits, most pension distributions (if contributions were previously taxed by PA), or interest and dividend income — those are taxed separately or not at all at the state level.
Getting an accurate take-home pay estimate takes about two minutes. Here is the exact order that produces the most reliable result.
Enter your earnings. Choose salary or hourly, enter your gross pay, and select your pay frequency. Bi-weekly is the most common schedule for Pennsylvania workers, but the tool handles everything from daily to annually.
Complete the Federal Taxes tab. Select your W-4 version, filing status, and any Step 3–4 adjustments. If your household has two earners, toggle the "multiple jobs" option so the withholding rate reflects your combined income bracket. Reference IRS Publication 15-T if you want to check the underlying withholding tables.
Set your local EIT rate. On the State & Local tab, pick your city from the dropdown or type your rate directly. If you work and live in different PA municipalities, use the higher of the two rates — that is how Act 32 works. Confirm your exact rate through the DCED register.
Add benefits deductions. Pre-tax health premiums, FSA/HSA contributions, and traditional 401(k) amounts all lower your taxable wages at the federal level. The tool applies PA's different 401(k) treatment automatically.
Click Calculate. The donut chart and pay stub ledger update instantly, showing gross pay, every withholding line, and your net take-home pay. Switch between "Per Paycheck" and "Annual" to see the full-year picture, or copy the summary to share with a financial advisor or employer.
Pennsylvania's 3.07% flat state rate is among the lowest of any flat-tax state. What varies considerably is the local layer — nearly 3,000 municipalities and school districts each set their own Earned Income Tax rate, making local context essential to any accurate take home pay calculation.
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| PA state income tax | 3.07% flat |
| PA employee UC (SUI) withholding | 0.07%, uncapped |
| Local Earned Income Tax (EIT) | 0% – 3.75% |
| Local Services Tax (LST) | Up to $52/yr, flat |
| Social Security wage base | $184,500 |
| Employee Social Security rate | 6.2% |
| Employee Medicare rate | 1.45% (+0.9% above $200k single / $250k MFJ) |
| Federal standard deduction — Single | $16,100 |
| Federal standard deduction — MFJ | $32,200 |
| Federal standard deduction — Head of Household | $24,150 |
| 401(k) taxed by PA at contribution | Yes (both traditional and Roth) |
Your local EIT rate is one of the biggest variables in any PA paycheck calculation. The table below lists representative rates for major Pennsylvania cities to illustrate how much the local layer can shift your take-home pay. Always confirm your exact rate with your municipality or through the DCED Act 32 register before filing.
| Pennsylvania City / Municipality | County | EIT Rate (Resident) | LST (Annual) | Est. Local Tax on $55k Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | Philadelphia | 3.75% | $52 | ~$2,114 |
| Pittsburgh | Allegheny | 3.00% | $52 | ~$1,702 |
| Scranton | Lackawanna | 3.40% | $52 | ~$1,922 |
| Reading | Berks | 3.60% | $52 | ~$2,032 |
| Allentown | Lehigh | 1.975% | $52 | ~$1,138 |
| Bethlehem | Northampton | 1.00% | $52 | ~$602 |
| Erie | Erie | 1.65% | $52 | ~$960 |
| Harrisburg | Dauphin | 2.00% | $52 | ~$1,152 |
| Lancaster | Lancaster | 1.10% | $52 | ~$657 |
| York | York | 1.35% | $52 | ~$794 |
| Wilkes-Barre | Luzerne | 3.00% | $52 | ~$1,702 |
| Altoona | Blair | 1.00% | $52 | ~$602 |
| Chester | Delaware | 2.75% | $52 | ~$1,565 |
| State College | Centre | 1.00% | $0 | ~$550 |
| Easton | Northampton | 1.00% | $52 | ~$602 |
| Williamsport | Lycoming | 2.25% | $52 | ~$1,289 |
| Lebanon | Lebanon | 2.00% | $52 | ~$1,152 |
| Pottsville | Schuylkill | 1.85% | $52 | ~$1,070 |
| Greensburg | Westmoreland | 1.00% | $52 | ~$602 |
| New Castle | Lawrence | 2.00% | $52 | ~$1,152 |
⚠️ Illustrative only. EIT rates change when municipalities adopt new budgets. Verify your exact rate through the PA Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) Act 32 EIT register before filing or setting up payroll. LST of $0 indicates exemption or no current levy; confirm locally. Est. local tax column assumes full EIT rate on $55,000 gross plus annual LST.
This take home pay calculator serves both individual workers checking their pay stubs and employers who need to estimate net payroll costs or present realistic compensation packages.
When you receive a job offer, the salary figure on paper rarely matches what hits your account. Run the gross number through this Pennsylvania paycheck calculator to see your actual bi-weekly or monthly take-home. Compare offers across Pennsylvania cities — a $70,000 role in Philadelphia carries a 3.75% local EIT, while the same salary in Lancaster is taxed at 1.10% locally. That difference amounts to over $1,400 per year in local taxes alone, enough to factor into any relocation decision.
Job seekers can also use the tool to calculate the gross salary they need to reach a target take-home. Work backward from your monthly budget — rent, loan payments, savings goals — and find the offer threshold worth accepting.
Pennsylvania business owners and HR teams use the PA paycheck calculator to check that gross-to-net payroll math is correct before payroll runs. Entering an employee's earnings, W-4 details, and local EIT rate produces a quick sanity check against your payroll software's output. Discrepancies often trace back to an outdated local rate, a missed Act 32 setup, or a benefits election that was not coded correctly.
During salary negotiations, showing a candidate their expected net pay — broken down by each withholding category — builds transparency and trust. Workers who understand their deductions are less likely to be surprised at their first paycheck and more likely to accept and retain their positions.
The figures used in this Pennsylvania paycheck calculator come directly from the following government sources. Verify rates, file forms, or research your local EIT through any of these official portals.
Answers to the questions we see most often from Pennsylvania employees, job seekers, and small-business owners.
