Pennsylvania 1099 vs W-2 Calculator
Enter your annual gross income to see how much you actually take home as a W-2 employee vs a 1099 contractor in Pennsylvania.
$
Tax year
$0 $500k
Single filer · Pennsylvania · 2025/26 tax years · No dependents
W-2 Employee
—
per year · —/mo
—% kept —% taxes
- FICA (7.65%)
- —
- Federal tax
- —
- State tax
- —
- Eff. rate
- —
1099 Contractor
—
per year · —/mo
—% kept —% taxes
- SE tax (15.3%)
- —
- Federal tax
- —
- State tax
- —
- Eff. rate
- —
Break-even rate
—
—
Why W-2 and 1099 take-home pay differ in Pennsylvania
W-2 Employee
- → You pay 7.65% FICA (your employer pays another 7.65%)
- → Employer withholds taxes automatically
- → Benefits (health, 401k) often provided by employer
- → Unemployment insurance and workers' comp included
1099 Contractor
- → You pay 15.3% self-employment tax (both halves)
- → Half of SE tax is deductible, reducing your income tax
- → Can deduct legitimate business expenses
- → Must pay quarterly estimated taxes
Pennsylvania uses a flat income tax rate. Every dollar of taxable income is taxed at the same rate, making state tax easy to predict for both W-2 and 1099 workers.
Estimates assume a single filer with no dependents, no additional deductions, and no business expenses. Local and city taxes are not included. Consult a tax professional for advice specific to your situation.