What is the difference between Wage Tax and Earnings Tax?

They are the same city tax in practice. It is called Wage Tax when an employer withholds it from pay, and Earnings Tax when an individual has to file and pay it directly.

Does this page handle income-based refunds or every local exception?

No. It focuses on headline payroll rates and does not model every refund, exemption, or employer-specific adjustment.

Philadelphia paycheck calculator

Estimate Philadelphia paychecks with Pennsylvania state tax, FICA, and official city wage tax rates for residents and non-residents.

Tax and payroll data last updated: July 2026. Sources & methodology.

Philadelphia paycheck inputs

Gross pay

Pay frequency

Residency

Federal filing status

Philadelphia net pay

$3,529.57

per bi-weekly paycheck

Gross pay

$5,000.00

Federal tax estimate

-$766.69

Pennsylvania state tax

-$134.49

FICA

-$382.50

Philadelphia wage tax (3.735%)

-$186.75

Net pay

$3,529.57

Official 2026 Philadelphia rates effective July 1, 2026: 3.735% for residents and 3.425% for non-residents.

Philadelphia Wage Tax / Earnings Tax here uses the official 2026 city rates. Federal and Pennsylvania totals remain estimate-level and this page does not model every employer-specific pretax adjustment or refund eligibility rule.

How this is calculated

Philadelphia posts Wage Tax and Earnings Tax rates on its official tax pages. For 2026, the city lists a 3.735% resident rate and a 3.425% non-resident rate effective July 1, 2026.

This page combines those official city rates with a Pennsylvania state income-tax estimate, federal income-tax estimate, and employee FICA. It is designed for paycheck planning rather than employer reconciliation.

If you are comparing city payroll tax vs a non-city paycheck, start here and then compare it with the general paycheck calculator.

Formula

Net pay = gross pay - federal estimate - Pennsylvania state tax - FICA - Philadelphia wage tax

Numbers and assumptions are documented on our Sources & methodology page.

Paycheck calculator

Estimate take-home pay after federal tax, state tax, FICA, and deductions.

Time card calculator

Track clock-in and clock-out times, breaks, overtime, and gross pay.

Overtime calculator

Split hours into regular, 1.5x overtime, and 2x double-time pay.

Common questions

The page uses the official 2026 city rates effective July 1, 2026: 3.735% for residents and 3.425% for non-residents.