State salary profile · Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Salaries

Pennsylvania statewide wages plus 16 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas, from BLS OEWS May 2025. Published local OEWS areas include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, then Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area.

$202,495
Mean of top 50 medians
773
Occupations
20
Local wage areas
333,630
Estimated jobs (top tier)

The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians in Pennsylvania is $202,495.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, The May 2025 release has a published median for 773 occupations in Pennsylvania; percentile boundaries and local-area rows are available only where BLS publishes them. The highest-paying reported occupation, Cardiologists, earns $579,120, versus $19,910 for Cooks, Short Order at the bottom of the range. Detail is available for 16 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas. Published local OEWS areas include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, then Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area.

Pennsylvania · employment ≠ wage

In Pennsylvania, Home Health and Personal Care Aides lead by published employment (257,370 jobs, #1 of 751) but rank #737 of 751 on median wage ($29,420), while Cardiologists top the wage list at $579,120 (#1 of 751) with 640 jobs (#543 of 751). The largest payroll is not the highest published median.

257,370
Home Health and Personal C... employment #1
$579,120
Cardiologists wage #1
#543
Employment rank of wage leader
#737
Wage rank of employment leader

Employment is OEWS tot_emp inside this state; pay is the occupation median. Same detailed-occupation pool, two rankings.

Employment of Pennsylvania's #1 occupations by headcount vs median wage

Same unit (published jobs) for both named leaders. BLS OEWS May 2025.

jobs

What this shows Home Health and Personal Care Aides lead Pennsylvania by employment; Cardiologists lead on median wage at $579,120.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

Pennsylvania, the picture in one line

Pennsylvania ranks #25 of 54 states and territories by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage; its highest published occupation median is Cardiologists at $579,120. Published local OEWS areas include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, then Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area.

#25
of 54 states by published mean wage
$579,120
top-paying: Cardiologists
54th
percentile among all states
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
local OEWS: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Altoona, PA

The state rank uses BLS's All Occupations mean. Occupation rows below use occupation-specific medians; the two statistics are not interchangeable. Start local checks in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ.

Statewide OEWS footprints behind Pennsylvania's 20 local areas

Software Developers and Financial Managers lead Pennsylvania's published employment inside this top-pay sample, order follows OEWS job counts, not median wage.

  1. 1. Software Developers 55,920 jobs · $126,550
  2. 2. Financial Managers 32,180 jobs · $145,610
  3. 3. Lawyers 27,170 jobs · $157,180
  4. 4. Computer and Information Systems Managers 27,060 jobs · $163,910
  5. 5. Physicians, All Other 23,800 jobs · $217,310
  6. 6. Sales Managers 20,460 jobs · $130,610
  7. 7. Managers, All Other 20,170 jobs · $131,600
  8. 8. Pharmacists 14,090 jobs · $138,160
  9. 9. Marketing Managers 13,840 jobs · $150,810
  10. 10. Nurse Practitioners 10,670 jobs · $130,140
  11. 11. Architectural and Engineering Managers 9,640 jobs · $164,690
  12. 12. Physician Assistants 9,020 jobs · $127,070
  13. 13. Chief Executives 8,850 jobs · $232,560
  14. 14. Human Resources Managers 8,230 jobs · $133,060
  15. 15. Natural Sciences Managers 7,980 jobs · $137,900
  16. 16. Computer Network Architects 6,080 jobs · $131,840
  17. 17. Dentists, General 4,460 jobs · $163,390
  18. 18. Family Medicine Physicians 4,190 jobs · $306,030
  19. 19. Veterinarians 3,490 jobs · $133,520
  20. 20. Biochemists and Biophysicists 2,750 jobs · $134,090

Local BLS wage areas inside Pennsylvania

Published local OEWS areas include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, then Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area.

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Altoona, PA Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area Chambersburg, PA Erie, PA Gettysburg, PA Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Johnstown, PA Lancaster, PA Lebanon, PA Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Pittsburgh, PA Reading, PA Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area State College, PA Williamsport, PA York-Hanover, PA

Observed statewide pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2024–2025

May 2024 → May 2025
  • BLS's published All Occupations median in Pennsylvania moved from $48,550 in May 2024 to $49,690 in May 2025 (+2.3%).
  • Across the 54 states and territories priced in both releases, the median place changed +2.7%.
  • Pennsylvania sits -0.4 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Firefighters shows the widest statewide vs national median gap in Pennsylvania

Firefighters publishes $73,460 here versus $59,280 nationally (+23.9%; 5,020statewide jobs). Next is Public Relations Specialists at $57,460 locally versus $74,750 nationally (-23.1%).

  1. Firefighters$73,460 in Pennsylvania sits 23.9% above the national Firefighters median of $59,280 (5,020 published local jobs).
  2. Public Relations Specialists$57,460 in Pennsylvania sits 23.1% below the national Public Relations Specialists median of $74,750 (11,180 published local jobs).
  3. Manicurists and Pedicurists$27,990 in Pennsylvania sits 21.7% below the national Manicurists and Pedicurists median of $35,760 (9,610 published local jobs).
  4. Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$77,930 in Pennsylvania sits 21.1% above the national Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education median of $64,370 (22,720 published local jobs).

Firefighters and the other occupations above are descriptive OEWS endpoints for Pennsylvania; they are not findings about taxes, employers, or worker experience.

· Source: BLS OEWS May 2025

The Pennsylvania OEWS table has a published median for 773 occupations. The displayed top 50 rows have summed published employment of approximately 333,630; that sum does not include the bottom table or rows whose employment is suppressed. BLS publishes means and percentile boundaries only where the corresponding estimate meets its publication standards. Averaging the medians of the top 50 highest-paying occupations gives $202,495 per year. That is only a mean of the displayed upper-tier occupation medians; it is not the BLS All Occupations mean or median and does not describe a typical worker. Published local OEWS areas include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, then Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS areas in this extract include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area.

At the top of the ranking, Cardiologists pays a Pennsylvania median of $579,120, the highest-paying reported occupation in the state. The number-two spot goes to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons at $553,740, followed by Anesthesiologists at $461,390. At the bottom of the published range, Cooks, Short Order has a median of $19,910, making the displayed endpoint ratio 29.1×. The endpoints do not establish a cause or career stage. WageDex has BLS occupation rows for 16 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Pennsylvania, allowing comparisons below the statewide estimate without treating nonmetropolitan areas as MSAs.

Because Pennsylvania publishes 20 OEWS areas, treat the statewide Cardiologists median as a roll-up and re-check the same occupation in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ or Altoona, PA where BLS releases the row. Tips and commissions stay inside OEWS; benefits and equity do not. Published local OEWS areas include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, then Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Local OEWS area names are state-specific; statewide means are not metro offers.

Top-Tier Sample

75

occupations shown below

Avg. Median Salary

$202,495

top 50 occupations

Top Salary

$579,120

Cardiologists

Where Pennsylvania ranks by published mean wage

BLS All Occupations annual mean vs. 54 states & territories; local OEWS includes Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area

$65,730 Top 46% higher than 54% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 16 states & territories (30%). Below this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 8 states & territories (15%). This entry sits in this band. $70,000–$75,000: 8 states & territories (15%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 4 states & territories (7%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $105,000–$110,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $110,000–$115,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. This state $0 $115,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$5,000 0 states & territories 0%
$5,000–$10,000 0 states & territories 0%
$10,000–$15,000 0 states & territories 0%
$15,000–$20,000 0 states & territories 0%
$20,000–$25,000 0 states & territories 0%
$25,000–$30,000 0 states & territories 0%
$30,000–$35,000 0 states & territories 0%
$35,000–$40,000 1 states & territories 2%
$40,000–$45,000 0 states & territories 0%
$45,000–$50,000 1 states & territories 2%
$50,000–$55,000 3 states & territories 6%
$55,000–$60,000 8 states & territories 15%
$60,000–$65,000 16 states & territories 30%
$65,000–$70,000 (this entry) 8 states & territories 15%
$70,000–$75,000 8 states & territories 15%
$75,000–$80,000 4 states & territories 7%
$80,000–$85,000 3 states & territories 6%
$85,000–$90,000 1 states & territories 2%
$90,000–$95,000 0 states & territories 0%
$95,000–$100,000 0 states & territories 0%
$100,000–$105,000 0 states & territories 0%
$105,000–$110,000 0 states & territories 0%
$110,000–$115,000 1 states & territories 2%

$65,730 · 54th percentile of 54 states & territories

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Pennsylvania ranks #25 of 54 by BLS-published All Occupations annual mean wage ($65,730). It is not the median wage or a prediction for a particular worker.

National-price-equivalent mean: dividing the $65,730 BLS All Occupations mean by the BEA state RPP gives $67,346. Inputs: BEA Regional Price Parity for Pennsylvania (RPP 97.6, 2024; 100 = national average, all items, table SARPP). The division is a WageDex calculation, not an after-tax or household-income measure.

Largest OEWS footprints in Pennsylvania

Published employment among the top-pay sample, top 15 by jobs

jobs
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

BLS publishes wage data for 773 distinct occupations in Pennsylvania. The table below shows the top 50 by median annual wage, reordered by published employment for this reading. Drill into the full top-100 ranking or the fastest-growing list for deeper coverage.

Top-pay occupations in Pennsylvania, by employment

View all 100 →

Same top-pay sample as the salary ranking, sorted by published Pennsylvania jobs so the title sequence follows the local OEWS mix.

# Occupation Median Salary
1 Software Developers $126,550
2 Financial Managers $145,610
3 Lawyers $157,180
4 Computer and Information Systems Managers $163,910
5 Physicians, All Other $217,310
6 Sales Managers $130,610
7 Managers, All Other $131,600
8 Pharmacists $138,160
9 Marketing Managers $150,810
10 Nurse Practitioners $130,140
11 Architectural and Engineering Managers $164,690
12 Physician Assistants $127,070
13 Chief Executives $232,560
14 Human Resources Managers $133,060
15 Natural Sciences Managers $137,900
16 Computer Network Architects $131,840
17 Dentists, General $163,390
18 Family Medicine Physicians $306,030
19 Veterinarians $133,520
20 Biochemists and Biophysicists $134,090
21 Purchasing Managers $141,790
22 Nurse Anesthetists $221,530
23 Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $164,990
24 Optometrists $135,400
25 Actuaries $125,040
26 Advertising and Promotions Managers $122,940
27 Radiologists $455,380
28 Pediatricians, General $226,440
29 General Internal Medicine Physicians $213,310
30 Aerospace Engineers $133,940
31 Psychiatrists $278,970
32 Compensation and Benefits Managers $139,040
33 Cardiologists $579,120
34 Commercial Pilots $134,030
35 Physical Scientists, All Other $134,780
36 Air Traffic Controllers $132,350
37 Anesthesiologists $461,390
38 Podiatrists $155,050
39 Nuclear Engineers $133,250
40 Computer and Information Research Scientists $130,300
41 Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric $304,290
42 Nuclear Technicians $124,070
43 Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric $354,020
44 Physicists $210,990
45 Physicians, Pathologists $413,370
46 Dentists, All Other Specialists $195,150
47 Medical Dosimetrists $142,850
48 Political Scientists $140,020
49 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons $553,740
50 Orthodontists $311,180

Lowest Paying Jobs in Pennsylvania

Occupation Median Salary
Cooks, Short Order $19,910
Shampooers $26,130
Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles $26,640
Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other $27,590
Manicurists and Pedicurists $27,990
Amusement and Recreation Attendants $28,090
Transportation Workers, All Other $28,250
Bartenders $28,420
Telemarketers $28,430
Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,570
Cooks, Fast Food $28,810
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers $29,130
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop $29,170
Cashiers $29,220
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers $29,310
Gambling Service Workers, All Other $29,400
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $29,420
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers $29,480
Motion Picture Projectionists $29,850
Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials $29,880
Dishwashers $29,950
Childcare Workers $30,140
Library Assistants, Clerical $30,690
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners $30,690
Food Preparation Workers $30,840

Fastest Growing Jobs

View all 50 →

See national growth projections alongside the published OEWS state employment estimates for each occupation in Pennsylvania. Based on BLS employment projections 2024-2034.

Salary Guides

Best States for Salaries

Which states pay the most and why

Salary vs. Cost of Living

Compare local wage and price-level benchmarks

Fastest Growing Occupations

Where the job growth is heading

Nationwide states with similar All Occupations pay or employment scale

Two BLS OEWS peer sets outside Pennsylvania. Local metro cards below stay inside this state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors on published All Occupations mean wage ($65,730 here) and reported employment (6,064,600 jobs here).

Similar mean wage

Nearest other states by BLS All Occupations annual mean wage.

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 250,000 All Occupations jobs), distinct from the mean-wage column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS All Occupations mean annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the mean-wage column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Local OEWS areas and related Pennsylvania pages

Published local OEWS areas include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, then Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area.

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ

Local OEWS wage area

Altoona, PA

Local OEWS wage area

Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area

Local OEWS wage area

Chambersburg, PA

Local OEWS wage area

Erie, PA

Local OEWS wage area

Gettysburg, PA

Local OEWS wage area

Highest Paying in Pennsylvania

Top 100 by median salary

Fastest Growing in Pennsylvania

Projected 2024-2034 growth

Cardiologists

National occupation profile

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average of the top 50 occupation medians in Pennsylvania? ▼
The equal-weighted mean of the top 50 published occupation medians is $202,495/year (BLS OEWS May 2025). It is not the statewide mean or median and does not describe the wage of a typical worker.
What is the average salary in Pennsylvania? ▼
BLS publishes an All Occupations annual mean wage of $65,730/year for Pennsylvania in the May 2025 OEWS release, which ranks 25th among the 54 states and territories with a published mean. Published local OEWS areas include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, then Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. This is an occupational wage estimate, not a household-income statistic or a prediction for one worker.
What is the highest paying job in Pennsylvania? ▼
The highest paying occupation in Pennsylvania is Cardiologists with a median salary of $579,120/year according to BLS data. The second highest is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons at $553,740/year.
What jobs pay the least in Pennsylvania? ▼
The lowest published occupation median in this Pennsylvania ranking is Cooks, Short Order at $19,910/year. The table does not classify that occupation as entry-level or explain why its median is lowest.
How many local BLS wage areas are shown for Pennsylvania? ▼
WageDex has occupation-level wage rows for 16 metro areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas assigned to Pennsylvania. Published local OEWS areas include Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA, Erie, PA, Gettysburg, PA, then Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, Johnstown, PA, Lancaster, PA, Lebanon, PA, Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Nonmetropolitan reporting areas are not MSAs. Compare the same occupation and statistic across areas; published coverage can differ by occupation and geography.
How many occupations are shown for Pennsylvania? ▼
BLS publishes wage data for 773 distinct occupations in Pennsylvania. The 50 occupations in the displayed upper tier have a combined OEWS employment estimate of approximately 333,630 jobs in covered establishments.

Local-area sources inside Pennsylvania

BLS OEWS state wage tables → BLS OEWS metro area tables → BLS LAUS unemployment → BEA personal income by state →

What to do with this data

How to use Pennsylvania wage data in a real decision

  • Pennsylvania has 20 published OEWS areas starting with Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ; open Cardiologists inside a metro before using the statewide $579,120 median. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
  • Inside Pennsylvania, re-check Cardiologists in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ, Altoona, PA, Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area, Chambersburg, PA or Erie, PA before treating the statewide median as a metro offer. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
  • Open Cardiologists for percentile bands and local-area rows; Pennsylvania's statewide median of $579,120 uses a different geography than any single metro estimate. Cardiologists
  • The published Pennsylvania range runs from Cooks, Short Order at $19,910 to Cardiologists at $579,120; an offer still depends on the exact role and employer. Salary calculator

BLS OEWS estimates reflect the May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Last updated: May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

State-level employment totals and local-area breakouts from BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025. Local areas can be metropolitan or nonmetropolitan.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. State wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Statewide figures are estimates and may not reflect pay in your specific local wage area or employer.