Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Soil and Plant Scientists actually take home in Pennsylvania?
3.1% flat rate — 21.2% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Soil and Plant Scientists earning $70,550 in Pennsylvania (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $70,550 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$7,362 | 10.4% |
| Pennsylvania State Income Tax | -$2,165 | 3.1% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$4,374 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,022 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$14,924 | 21.2% |
| Take-Home Pay | $55,625 | 78.8% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Soil and Plant Scientists in Pennsylvania.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $46,750 | -$8,637 | $38,112 | 18.5% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $53,880 | -$10,257 | $43,622 | 19.0% |
| Median (P50) | $70,550 | -$14,924 | $55,625 | 21.2% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $100,090 | -$24,590 | $75,499 | 24.6% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $124,560 | -$32,785 | $91,774 | 26.3% |
After federal income tax ($7,362), state tax ($2,165), and FICA ($5,397), a Soil and Plant Scientists in Pennsylvania takes home $55,625 per year — or $4,635 per month. The effective tax rate of 21.2% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 21.2%, a Soil and Plant Scientists in Pennsylvania keeps $55,625 of $70,550 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Pennsylvania applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Soil and Plant Scientists salary that contributes $2,166 to the 3.1% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Soil and Plant Scientists salary is $7,362 (49%), but combined state ($2,166, 15%) + FICA ($5,397, 36%) make up the other 51% of the bill.
A Soil and Plant Scientists earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $57,791 — only $2,166 (3.9%) more than in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania ranks #28 of 46 states for Soil and Plant Scientists after-tax pay — lower half of the national distribution. Either gross wages trail the national median, state tax is elevated, or both.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $55,625 net/year works out to $4,635/month or $2,139/bi-weekly for this Soil and Plant Scientists in Pennsylvania — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Soil and Plant Scientists keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Pennsylvania ranks #28 out of 46 states for Soil and Plant Scientists after-tax take-home pay.
A Soil and Plant Scientists in Pennsylvania earning a median salary of $70,550 will take home approximately $55,625 per year after federal income tax ($7,362), state income tax ($2,165), and FICA ($5,397). That is $4,635 per month or $2,139 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Soil and Plant Scientists in Pennsylvania is 21.2%, broken down as: federal income tax 10.4%, Pennsylvania state tax 3.1%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.7%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Pennsylvania has a 3.1% flat rate. On a Soil and Plant Scientists's median salary of $70,550, the state income tax amounts to $2,165 per year, which is an effective state rate of 3.1%.
After all taxes, a Soil and Plant Scientists in Pennsylvania takes home approximately $4,635 per month, or about $26.74 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $70,550 for Soil and Plant Scientists in Pennsylvania, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Pennsylvania state income tax (3.1% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $55,625/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR