Pennsylvania Workers’ Comp Weekly Benefit Calculator (2026)

Quick Answer: In Pennsylvania, workers’ comp pays 66.67% of your average weekly wage (AWW), up to a maximum of $1,394.00 per week in 2026. Your benefit is calculated from your earnings over the 52 weeks before your injury. If your AWW is below a specific threshold, a low-wage supplement formula may apply. Use the table below for a fast estimate.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. I am not a lawyer. Consult a licensed workers’ comp attorney in your state.

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From Shane: Living on 66.67% of Your Income

When I got hurt on the job, the first number I saw was “66.67%.” It sounds reasonable until you’re staring at your mortgage payment, your car insurance bill, and a stack of medical co-pays that workers’ comp doesn’t always cover cleanly.

Here is what no one tells you upfront: that 66 cents on the dollar assumes your employer calculated your Average Weekly Wage correctly. Mine didn’t. They used a shorter wage history that excluded my best overtime weeks, and my benefit was underpaid by over $180 a week for four months before my attorney caught it. That’s roughly $3,120 I almost never saw.

This guide exists so you can run the math yourself, verify what your employer submitted, and walk into any hearing or negotiation knowing exactly what you are owed.

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What Pennsylvania Law Actually Says

Pennsylvania workers’ compensation is governed by the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act (77 P.S. § 1 et seq.). The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) sets the maximum weekly compensation rate annually, tied directly to the Statewide Average Weekly Wage (SAWW).

• 2026 Maximum Weekly Benefit: $1,394.00 (PA BWC, 2025 SAWW announcement)
• Standard Benefit Rate: 66.67% (two-thirds) of your AWW
• Low-Wage Provision: If your AWW is less than the SAWW × 50%, you may instead receive 90% of your AWW—whichever calculation produces the lower benefit is not used; you receive the higher of the two formulas up to the applicable cap.
• Waiting Period: The first 7 days of disability are not compensable unless your disability lasts more than 14 days, at which point those first 7 days are paid retroactively.

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The Exact AWW Calculation Formula

Step 1: Gather Your 52-Week Wage History

Pennsylvania calculates AWW using your gross wages for the 52 weeks immediately preceding the date of injury. This includes:

Income Type	Included in AWW?	Notes
Regular hourly wages	✅ Yes	All hours paid
Overtime pay	✅ Yes	Gross overtime, not base only
Bonuses (production/performance)	✅ Yes	If regular and expected
Holiday/vacation pay paid out	✅ Yes	If paid as wages
Second job earnings	✅ Yes	If employer knew about it
Tips (reported)	✅ Yes	Must be documented
Discretionary bonuses	⚠️ Case-by-case	Disputed; attorney judgment call
Per diem / expense reimbursements	❌ No	Not wages
Employer health insurance value	❌ No	Not wages

Step 2: Calculate Total Gross Wages

Add up all qualifying gross wages from the 52 weeks before your injury. Do not use net (take-home) pay. Workers’ comp uses gross wages as the base.

Step 3: Divide by 52

AWW = Total Gross Wages Over 52 Weeks ÷ 52

Step 4: Apply the 66.67% Rate

Weekly Benefit = AWW × 0.6667

Step 5: Apply the Cap

If your calculated benefit exceeds $1,394.00, your benefit is capped at $1,394.00.

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Pre-Calculated Benefit Table: $300 – $3,000 AWW

How to use this table: Find the row closest to your Average Weekly Wage. Your estimated weekly benefit is in the right column. Benefits are capped at $1,394.00 per week.

Average Weekly Wage	Weekly Benefit (66.67%)	Notes
$300	$200.01
$400	$266.68
$500	$333.35
$600	$400.02
$700	$466.69
$800	$533.36
$900	$600.03
$1,000	$666.70
$1,100	$733.37
$1,200	$800.04
$1,300	$866.71
$1,400	$933.38
$1,500	$1,000.05
$1,600	$1,066.72
$1,700	$1,133.39
$1,800	$1,200.06
$1,900	$1,266.73
$2,000	$1,333.40
$2,091	$1,394.00	Cap threshold begins here
$2,100	$1,394.00	Capped
$2,200	$1,394.00	Capped
$2,300	$1,394.00	Capped
$2,400	$1,394.00	Capped
$2,500	$1,394.00	Capped
$2,600	$1,394.00	Capped
$2,700	$1,394.00	Capped
$2,800	$1,394.00	Capped
$2,900	$1,394.00	Capped
$3,000	$1,394.00	Capped

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What the Law Says vs. What Actually Happens

The Underpayment Playbook

Insurers and employers have a financial incentive to calculate a lower AWW. These are the most common tactics I’ve seen and researched:

1. Using fewer than 52 weeks. If you changed jobs or had a gap, they may use a shorter window to exclude high-earning periods. Pennsylvania law requires a full 52-week history where available.

2. Excluding overtime. Some adjusters enter only base-rate wages, treating overtime as anomalous. Under Pennsylvania law, regularly-worked overtime is included. If you worked overtime in the majority of your pre-injury weeks, it is not anomalous.

3. Omitting the second job. If you worked a second job and your primary employer was aware (or reasonably should have been), those wages factor into your AWW. Insurers frequently omit them.

4. Using net pay instead of gross. Gross wages must be the basis. If the Statement of Wages (Form LIBC-494) shows numbers that feel low, request your full W-2 and payroll records and run the math yourself.

What to do: Request a copy of your LIBC-494 (Statement of Wages) immediately. Compare the total wages listed to your last 52 weeks of pay stubs. Discrepancies of even $50/week compound to $2,600 annually.

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Real Case Example: Fluctuating Hours and Overtime

Worker Profile: Marcus, a construction laborer in Allegheny County, injured his back on March 10, 2026.

His 52-Week Earnings:
– Regular hourly wages: $54,600
– Overtime wages: $8,320
– Holiday pay (paid as wages): $1,200
– Total Gross Wages: $64,120

AWW Calculation:

AWW = $64,120 ÷ 52 = $1,233.08

Benefit Calculation:

Weekly Benefit = $1,233.08 × 0.6667 = $822.18

What the insurer calculated (incorrectly):
The insurer excluded overtime and holiday pay, using only $54,600.

Incorrect AWW = $54,600 ÷ 52 = $1,050.00
Incorrect Benefit = $1,050.00 × 0.6667 = $700.04

The underpayment: $822.18 − $700.04 = $122.14 per week. Over a 6-month disability, that equals $3,176.44 in missing benefits. An attorney reviewing the LIBC-494 caught this and filed a Review Petition. Marcus received a corrected benefit plus a lump-sum back payment.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How exactly does Pennsylvania calculate AWW if I haven’t worked a full 52 weeks?

A: If you worked fewer than 52 weeks for the employer at the time of injury, Pennsylvania uses the actual weeks you worked. The law calculates AWW by dividing your total gross wages by the number of weeks actually worked—not by 52. For example, if you were hired 26 weeks before your injury and earned $28,600, your AWW is $28,600 ÷ 26 = $1,100.00, not $28,600 ÷

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