Pennsylvania’s three paycheck taxes
- State income tax – 3.07% of gross compensation. There are no exemptions, no standard deduction and no state W-4 allowances, so everyone pays the same rate from the first dollar.
- Unemployment compensation (UC) – 0.07% of all wages, paid by the employee in addition to the employer’s contribution.
- Local earned income tax (EIT) – set by your municipality and school district, commonly around 1% (Philadelphia’s wage tax is higher), plus a local services tax in many municipalities. Local taxes are not included in this calculator.
Because Pennsylvania taxes 401(k) contributions, raising your 401(k) percentage lowers your federal withholding but not your Pennsylvania tax.
Worked example: $60,000 in Pennsylvania
Single, $60,000 salary, paid every two weeks, Pennsylvania
Gross pay is $2,307.69 per paycheck. Federal income tax is $193 and Social Security and Medicare $177. Pennsylvania withholds $71. Take-home pay is $1,866 per paycheck, or $48,506 a year.
Take-home pay per paycheck$1,865.6026 paychecks a year
- Take-home pay per year
- $48,506
- Federal income tax withheld
- $193.08
- Pennsylvania income tax withheld
- $70.853.07% flat
| Item | Per paycheck | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | $60,000.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$193.08 | −$5,020.08 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$143.08 | −$3,720.08 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$33.46 | −$869.96 |
| Pennsylvania income tax | −$70.85 | −$1,842.10 |
| PA unemployment (employee, 0.07%) | −$1.62 | −$42.12 |
| Take-home pay | $1,865.60 | $48,505.66 |
At $100,000 a year, take-home pay is about $76,040 a year.