Average Salaries in Pennsylvania
Explore salaries across 791 occupations in Pennsylvania. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $70.6K, +7.4% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates. Coverage: 791 occupations and 6,057,100 total jobs in Pennsylvania.
How the state compares
Pennsylvania pays modestly above the national average. Most occupations here earn more than their national equivalents, but the gap is smaller than in top-tier markets.
Pennsylvania has a large and diverse labor market, with meaningful employment across most occupations.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Cardiologists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Pennsylvania
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Highest-paid occupations in Pennsylvania
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiologists | $579.1K | 640 |
| Oral And Maxillofacial Surgeons | $553.7K | N/A |
| Anesthesiologists | $461.4K | 410 |
| Radiologists | $455.4K | 1,360 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $413.4K | 210 |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | $354K | 240 |
| Orthodontists | $311.2K | N/A |
| Family Medicine Physicians | $306K | 4,190 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $304.3K | 310 |
| Psychiatrists | $279K | 830 |
Largest occupations in Pennsylvania
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 257,370 | $29.4K |
| General And Operations Managers | 172,010 | $103.1K |
| Registered Nurses | 146,520 | $96.4K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 142,220 | $28.6K |
| Retail Salespersons | 141,790 | $31.2K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 131,050 | $42.5K |
| Stockers And Order Fillers | 119,840 | $36.6K |
| Cashiers | 110,950 | $29.2K |
| Office Clerks, General | 107,500 | $45K |
| Customer Service Representatives | 94,340 | $44.6K |
What Pennsylvania specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Pennsylvania than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Most concentrated occupations in Pennsylvania
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Shampooers | 3.19 | $26.1K |
| Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 3.12 | $67K |
| Patternmakers, Metal And Plastic | 2.85 | $54.2K |
| Ambulance Drivers And Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians | 2.84 | $32.7K |
| Cooling And Freezing Equipment Operators And Tenders | 2.81 | $39.4K |
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Metal And Plastic | 2.78 | $48.8K |
| Log Graders And Scalers | 2.71 | $44.6K |
| Sewers, Hand | 2.64 | $35.6K |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, And Related Repairers | 2.62 | $56.2K |
| Crossing Guards And Flaggers | 2.56 | $35.8K |
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89.7K | Neurologists |
| Washington | $86.5K | Cardiologists |
| New York | $83.2K | Cardiologists |
| California | $83.2K | Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric |
| Massachusetts | $81.2K | Radiologists |
| New Jersey | $80.4K | Radiologists |
| Minnesota | $79.9K | Radiologists |
| Alaska | $79.6K | Emergency Medicine Physicians |
Metros inside Pennsylvania
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Major metros in Pennsylvania
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $74.3K | 2,880,550 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $65.6K | 1,099,920 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $70.8K | 371,500 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $66.9K | 327,680 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $61.8K | 246,860 |
| Lancaster, PA | $63.7K | 241,490 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $65.2K | 176,250 |
| Reading, PA | $63.5K | 167,810 |
| Erie, PA | $59.7K | 113,680 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $63.9K | 55,250 |
Common salary questions for Pennsylvania
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.