Pennsylvania Paycheck Calculator
Pennsylvania taxes every dollar at a flat 3.07% — with a famous quirk: your 401(k) contributions are taxed too.
Estimates use 2026 federal tables, the standard deduction and no credits; actual withholding varies with your W-4. PA flat tax 3.07%; note that PA taxes 401(k) contributions.
How Pennsylvania paychecks work
Pennsylvania keeps it unusually simple — and unusually strict. A flat 3.07% applies from the first dollar: no brackets, no standard deduction, no personal exemption.
Worked example
Single, $65,000: federal ≈ $5,620, FICA $4,972.50, PA tax $1,995.50 → take-home ≈ $52,412/year ($2,015.85 biweekly), a 19.4% total burden — before any local wage tax.
The two quirks every PA worker should know
- PA taxes your 401(k) contributions. Unlike federal law and almost every other state, Pennsylvania gives no deduction for employee retirement deferrals — contribute $10,000 and you still pay PA tax on it (~$307). The flip side: retirement withdrawals are PA-tax-free after 59½ — you prepaid on the way in. This calculator models the rule correctly (the pre-tax field reduces federal tax only for PA).
- Local Earned Income Tax (EIT) comes on top. Nearly every PA municipality + school district taxes wages — commonly ~1%, with Philadelphia’s wage tax at roughly 3.74–3.75% for residents. Local EIT isn’t in the calculation above (it varies by address); add your locality’s rate mentally or check your paystub’s “LST/EIT” lines.
Flat vs. progressive — who wins in PA?
Flat 3.07% is light for high earners (a $300k earner pays 3.07% where New York would charge ~6%+) and relatively heavy for low incomes, since it starts at dollar one with no deduction. PA does offer Tax Forgiveness (SP) credits for low-income households, which this general calculator doesn’t model.
How this estimate is calculated
- Federal income tax: 2026 IRS brackets with the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 married filing jointly), no credits or itemizing.
- FICA: Social Security 6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base + Medicare 1.45% (plus 0.9% additional above $200k single / $250k married).
- Pre-tax deductions (401(k), traditional retirement) reduce federal taxable income but not FICA wages.
- Results estimate your annual tax liability spread across paychecks — real per-check withholding depends on your W-4 and settles at tax time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the PA state income tax rate in 2026?
A flat 3.07% on wages and most income — unchanged since 2004. No brackets, no standard deduction; local Earned Income Taxes (commonly ~1%, Philadelphia ~3.75%) apply on top by municipality.
Does 401(k) reduce PA state tax?
No — employee traditional 401(k)/403(b) deferrals are PA-taxable when contributed, one of the state’s best-known quirks. In exchange, qualifying retirement distributions are exempt from PA tax later. Federal tax still gets the normal deferral benefit.
How much is $65,000 after taxes in Pennsylvania?
About $52,412/year (≈$2,016 biweekly) for a single filer before local EIT; subtract roughly another $650/year at a typical 1% local rate, or ~$2,430 in Philadelphia.
What are the LST and EIT lines on my PA paystub?
EIT is your municipality + school district’s percentage wage tax (withheld per your certified address). LST is the flat Local Services Tax, up to $52/year, deducted in small per-paycheck slices. Both are local — separate from the state’s 3.07%.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-24 · Report an issue