Pennsylvania's tax structure is actually one of the more uncomplicated across the country — at least where income tax is concerned. Instead of putting you through bracket acrobatics like some states, Pennsylvania relies on one flat rate. The catch is that "uncomplicated" doesn't mean "the whole story," especially if you're creating a pay stub for a job based in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, or Reading — local earnings there get assessed a little differently, so it's worth knowing what fields you'll actually need to fill in.
When you're ready to create a Pennsylvania pay stub without the headache, you simply enter your pay rate, hours worked, pay period, and the deductions relevant to you, and out comes an official-looking document. Create pay stubs here: FREE Online Pay Stub Generator | FREE Check Stub Maker - stubcheck Just $3.99, and your first stub is FREE! No spreadsheet sorcery needed.
Much like any paycheck you've received throughout your career, there's a two-sided structure: earnings up top, deductions in the bottom half. Gross pay, net pay, and year-to-date figures round it all out.
| Tax Type | Employee Rate | Employer Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State Income Tax | Flat 3.07% (all income levels) | Withholding/remittance responsibilities |
| Local Earned Income Tax (EIT) | ~1% typical, varies by municipality/school district | N/A |
| Philadelphia Wage Tax (residents only, in place of EIT) | ~3.75% | N/A |
| Federal Income Tax | Varies by IRS tax bracket and Form W-4 elections | N/A |
| Social Security Tax | 6.2% | 6.2% |
| Medicare Tax | 1.45% | 1.45% |
| Additional Medicare Tax | 0.9% on wages above federal thresholds | N/A |
| Unemployment Insurance | Generally not an employee deduction | Employer obligation; rate varies |
Local tax rules in particular can shift depending on where you live and work, so employers should verify current requirements with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue or the relevant local tax collector before relying on any figure here.
Here's what makes Pennsylvania different from most of the pack: 3.07%, applied uniformly to every dollar of taxable income — doesn't matter if you're making $35,000 a year or $350,000. That rate has held steady since 2004, and there are no brackets to deal with.
But a single, flat state number doesn't paint the whole picture. Almost every school district and municipality in Pennsylvania adds its own Local Earned Income Tax on top of the state rate. Most suburban residents pay somewhere around 1% annually, though the exact figure depends on where you actually live. Philadelphia skips the standard municipal system entirely and levies its own Wage Tax instead, currently around 3.75% for residents — the highest city-level income tax rate in the country. Combined with the state's 3.07%, that puts Philadelphia residents close to 6.8% in state-plus-local income tax before federal tax even enters the picture.
Federal payroll taxes stack on top of all of that: 6.2% toward Social Security and 1.45% toward Medicare, both matched by the employer. There's also a 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax once a taxpayer's wages cross an IRS threshold, though that generally only applies to higher earners.
Pennsylvania hasn't raised its own minimum wage above the federal rate, so covered employees receive $7.25 an hour. For overtime beyond the standard 40 hours in a week, non-exempt workers are generally paid 1.5 times their usual rate — so someone earning $18 an hour would see $27 an hour for qualifying overtime.
Employees mostly want a clear answer to "where did my pay go." Small-business owners lean on the tool for bookkeeping — something simple that gives them an accurate picture of what they're paying out each period. Independent contractors and freelancers are a bit different: the numbers they fill in don't always map onto a standard employee-style stub, since their tax situation isn't the same, but plenty still use one for their own records.
Pennsylvania's employers span a wide range of industries — healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing among them — and many of those jobs come with hourly or salaried rates that shift regularly. That makes reliable pay records useful for budgeting, and for filling out loan applications when the need comes up.
No rocket science involved — just three simple steps.
Add the basics: employee and employer details, pay period, pay date, hourly rate or salary, hours worked, overtime, and any applicable deductions.
Double-check your pay details for accuracy before saving — always worth catching errors on the payslip, whether you're printing it for an employee or keeping it for your own files.
Save it digitally or print it, depending on how you'd rather keep the record — for payroll, recordkeeping, or income documentation.
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Landlords and lenders alike are notorious for requesting this document — whether it's a rental application or a car or mortgage loan, the stub serves as solid evidence that someone's income is steady. Businesses of nearly every variety request proof of employment for their own records, and plenty of people simply want a copy to see their income laid out clearly for themselves. Every landlord, lender, and business sets its own criteria for what counts as "acceptable," so it's generally wise to find that out first.
Whether you're running payroll for a growing business, tracking contractor income, or just documenting your own earnings, StubCheck keeps it straightforward. From Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, and Reading — across healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing — workers and businesses throughout Pennsylvania use StubCheck to keep accurate, loan-ready records. No bloated subscription, no complicated onboarding, no unnecessary delays.
Create your Pennsylvania pay stub online today with the FREE Online Pay Stub Generator | FREE Check Stub Maker - stubcheck.
Yes. Pennsylvania has a flat state income tax of 3.07% that applies to all taxable income, regardless of how much you earn.
For the most part, yes. Most municipalities and school districts levy a Local Earned Income Tax that generally doesn't exceed around 1% — except Philadelphia, whose Wage Tax currently runs about 3.75% for residents in place of the standard EIT.
Still $7.25 an hour — Pennsylvania hasn't set its own rate above the federal minimum.
Non-exempt employees generally receive 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a week, following federal FLSA rules.
Often, yes — for rental applications, loans, or employment verification — though it's worth confirming ahead of time whether the party reviewing it will accept one.
Tax data can and will change periodically. For anything with real-world, substantial implications, consult the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue and your local tax collection agent to get accurate information at the time you need it.