Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Technical Writers actually take home in Pennsylvania?
3.1% flat rate — 23.4% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Technical Writers earning $87,620 in Pennsylvania (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $87,620 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$11,117 | 12.7% |
| Pennsylvania State Income Tax | -$2,689 | 3.1% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$5,432 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,270 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$20,510 | 23.4% |
| Take-Home Pay | $67,109 | 76.6% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Technical Writers in Pennsylvania.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $54,220 | -$10,334 | $43,885 | 19.1% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $71,980 | -$15,392 | $56,587 | 21.4% |
| Median (P50) | $87,620 | -$20,510 | $67,109 | 23.4% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $105,300 | -$26,295 | $79,004 | 25.0% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $158,180 | -$44,458 | $113,721 | 28.1% |
After federal income tax ($11,117), state tax ($2,689), and FICA ($6,702), a Technical Writers in Pennsylvania takes home $67,109 per year — or $5,592 per month. The effective tax rate of 23.4% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 23.4%, a Technical Writers in Pennsylvania keeps $67,110 of $87,620 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 Technical Writers salary that contributes $2,690 to the 3.1% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Technical Writers salary is $11,117 (54%), but combined state ($2,690, 13%) + FICA ($6,703, 33%) make up the other 46% of the bill.
Moving this same Technical Writers salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $69,800 net — a gain of $2,690 (4.0%) per year versus Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania ranks #16 of 45 states for Technical Writers after-tax pay — comfortably in the upper half.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $67,110 net/year works out to $5,592/month or $2,581/bi-weekly for this Technical Writers in Pennsylvania — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Technical Writers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Pennsylvania ranks #16 out of 45 states for Technical Writers after-tax take-home pay.
A Technical Writers in Pennsylvania earning a median salary of $87,620 will take home approximately $67,109 per year after federal income tax ($11,117), state income tax ($2,689), and FICA ($6,702). That is $5,592 per month or $2,581 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Technical Writers in Pennsylvania is 23.4%, broken down as: federal income tax 12.7%, Pennsylvania state tax 3.1%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Pennsylvania has a 3.1% flat rate. On a Technical Writers's median salary of $87,620, the state income tax amounts to $2,689 per year, which is an effective state rate of 3.1%.
After all taxes, a Technical Writers in Pennsylvania takes home approximately $5,592 per month, or about $32.26 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 $87,620 for Technical Writers 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 — $67,109/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