Updated August 18, 2026 - AAA daily average
Diesel Cost per Gallon in Pennsylvania (2026)
$5.72/GAL
+0.27 vs US average ($5.45)Rank #46 of 50 statesPADD 1
Diesel Tax Breakdown
Federal diesel excise tax24.4c/gal
Pennsylvania state diesel tax74.1c/gal
Total tax98.5c/gal
Tax as % of price17%
Sources: Federation of Tax Administrators, EIA. Rates as of April 2026.
Nearby States Comparison
Why Diesel Costs $5.72/Gal in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has the highest state diesel tax in the lower 48 at approximately 74.1 cents per gallon (combining the state oil franchise fee, state excise, and county/local rates). This is the primary reason PA diesel runs among the highest in the country, well above the national average. Pennsylvania is strategically important to I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) and I-78/I-81 freight flows - the Northeast Corridor's primary truck corridor. Pilot Flying J operates its largest concentration of highway truck stops anywhere in the US along the PA Turnpike.
CALCULATE YOUR FUEL COST IN PENNSYLVANIA
Use our trip calculator prefilled at $5.72/gal for Pennsylvania.
Sources: State diesel average from AAA Gas Prices (gasprices.aaa.com), August 18, 2026; US average and PADD context from the EIA Weekly On-Highway Diesel Fuel Survey (August 17, 2026); state tax from the Federation of Tax Administrators diesel tax table. State prices are representative averages; actual pump prices vary by retailer and location.