See what a Pennsylvania paycheck really leaves you after federal tax, FICA, the 3.07% state tax, your local earned income tax, the Local Services Tax and the small unemployment withholding most other states don't have.
Last updated:
Gross pay
How are you paid?
$
$
h
h
Paid at 1.5× your rate
Married filing separately: choose Single
Federal (2026 Form W-4)
$
$2,200 per child under 17, $500 per other dependent
$
Pennsylvania state & local
%
Flat rate since 2004; editable
%
Philadelphia 3.74% resident; Pittsburgh 3%
$
Usually $52 (max); $10 in some places
Deductions
% of gross
Capped at the 2026 limit of $24,500
$
Section 125 deductions
$
Roth 401(k), union dues, garnishments
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Pennsylvania Paycheck Calculator
Enter your pay: salary, or hourly rate with hours and overtime.
Pick pay frequency and filing status for the federal estimate.
Enter your local EIT rate (resident rate or work-place rate, whichever is higher) and your LST.
Add 401(k) and health deductions taken from each check.
Press Calculate take-home pay to see each tax line per check, month and year.
How Pennsylvania withholding works
Pennsylvania is simple at the state level and complicated at the local level. The state takes a flat 3.07% of compensation with no deductions except section 125 benefits; then your municipality and school district add an earned income tax, your work location may charge a Local Services Tax, and the state withholds 0.07% for unemployment.
Example: $55,000 salary, 5% to a 401(k) ($2,750), no other deductions. Federal tax ignores the 401(k) money, but Pennsylvania taxes all $55,000: 3.07% = $1,688.50. A 1% EIT adds $550.00, LST $52.00 and UC $38.50, for $2,329.00 of state and local tax a year.
Local earned income tax examples
Place
Resident rate
Tax on $55,000
Philadelphia (wage tax, from July 1, 2025)
3.74%
$2,057.00
Pittsburgh (city 1% + school district 2%)
3.00%
$1,650.00
Many townships and boroughs
1.00% – 1.70%
$550.00 – $935.00
Rates are set locally and change; check the PA Department of Community and Economic Development "Municipal Statistics" EIT lookup or your local tax collector (such as Berkheimer or Keystone Collections). Philadelphia residents do not also pay a separate school district EIT.
Tips for Pennsylvania paychecks
File a Residency Certification Form with your employer so the correct local EIT is withheld.
If you work in a place with a higher non-resident rate than your home rate, the higher rate is withheld.
Low-income households may get some or all PA tax back through Tax Forgiveness (PA Schedule SP).
Pennsylvania does not tax most retirement income after you retire, which partly offsets taxing 401(k) contributions up front.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pennsylvania income tax rate?
Pennsylvania taxes compensation at a flat 3.07%, the rate in effect since 2004. There is no standard deduction or personal exemption, so the tax applies from the first dollar of wages (low-income households can get it back through Tax Forgiveness on the PA-40).
Is a 401(k) contribution taxed in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Unlike federal law and most states, Pennsylvania does not exclude employee 401(k), 403(b) or 457 elective deferrals from taxable compensation. Section 125 health, dental and vision premiums generally are excluded.
What is the local earned income tax (EIT)?
Most Pennsylvania municipalities and school districts levy a combined earned income tax, commonly 1% to 2% and higher in some areas. Pittsburgh residents pay 3% and Philadelphia's wage tax is 3.74% for residents and 3.43% for non-residents from July 1, 2025. Your employer withholds the higher of your home or work-place rate.
What is the Local Services Tax?
The LST is a flat yearly tax charged by the municipality where you work, at most $52 a year. Where the rate is over $10, people earning less than $12,000 a year from that place are exempt. Employers usually spread it over paychecks, about $1 a week.
What is the PA UC withholding on my pay stub?
Pennsylvania is one of the few states where employees contribute to unemployment compensation. The employee rate is 0.07% of gross wages with no wage cap, so $50,000 of pay costs $35 a year.
Why does my PA W-2 show higher state wages than federal?
Because 401(k) and similar deferrals are added back for Pennsylvania. Box 16 (state wages) is often larger than box 1 (federal wages) by the amount you contributed to a retirement plan.
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