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Average Salary in Pennsylvania
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Pennsylvania, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 762 occupations in Pennsylvania. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Pennsylvania's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Pennsylvania jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Pennsylvania
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Pennsylvania is emergency medicine physicians, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 455.2% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 470 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Pennsylvania pays 17.6% higher for this work. Next on the list are radiologists at a mean of $239,200+ and obstetricians and gynecologists at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 2,440 people in Pennsylvania, so they describe the top of the Pennsylvania wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 470 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Radiologists | 1,660 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 310 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 300 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 5,620 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Chief Executives | 14,140 | $106.02 | $220,510 | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 850 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 320 | $100.03 | $208,060 | $239,200+ |
| Pediatricians, General | 2,010 | $104.72 | $217,810 | $239,200+ |
| Anesthesiologists | 810 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Cardiologists | 820 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 2,660 | $104.65 | $217,670 | $238,890 |
| Physicians, All Other | 17,780 | $78.42 | $163,100 | $218,880 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 4,030 | — | $172,710 | $207,920 |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 70 | $102.15 | $212,470 | $201,540 |
Largest occupations in Pennsylvania
The occupation with the most jobs in Pennsylvania is home health and personal care aides, employing an estimated 242,570 people at a median annual wage of $29,310 and a mean of $31,420. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $34,900, so Pennsylvania's typical pay for this work runs 16.0% lower. The next-largest occupations are general and operations managers (168,110 jobs, median $100,400) and registered nurses (146,840 jobs, median $87,610). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Pennsylvania pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 242,570 | $29,310 | $31,420 |
| General and Operations Managers | 168,110 | $100,400 | $121,150 |
| Registered Nurses | 146,840 | $87,610 | $90,830 |
| Retail Salespersons | 143,460 | $30,410 | $34,320 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 137,640 | $41,170 | $42,240 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 131,650 | $28,490 | $28,690 |
| Office Clerks, General | 118,680 | $43,600 | $44,630 |
| Cashiers | 111,340 | $28,690 | $29,170 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 102,100 | $43,080 | $45,870 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 101,180 | $36,190 | $37,680 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 90,160 | $58,540 | $58,620 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 87,810 | $35,670 | $36,460 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 82,920 | $30,300 | $36,610 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 72,610 | $44,740 | $44,980 |
| Nursing Assistants | 65,410 | $41,110 | $41,700 |
Where Pennsylvania pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Pennsylvania median with its own national median shows where Pennsylvania's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Pennsylvania jobs, the largest premium is for structural iron and steel workers: a median of $81,420 in Pennsylvania versus $62,700 nationally, 29.9% higher. The largest discount is for cooks, short order, at $18,400 in Pennsylvania versus $35,620 nationally, 48.3% lower. In total, 139 of the 471 occupations with 1,000 or more Pennsylvania jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 249 of the 762 occupations published for Pennsylvania have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Pennsylvania's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Pennsylvania median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $81,420 | $62,700 | +29.9% |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | $78,570 | $61,680 | +27.4% |
| Counselors, All Other | $61,510 | $49,830 | +23.4% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $76,740 | $62,970 | +21.9% |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $60,060 | $49,490 | +21.4% |
| Physicians, All Other | $163,100 | $239,200 | -31.8% |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $61,030 | $98,090 | -37.8% |
| Flight Attendants | $41,560 | $67,130 | -38.1% |
| Personal Care and Service Workers, All Other | $23,250 | $37,900 | -38.7% |
| Cooks, Short Order | $18,400 | $35,620 | -48.3% |
Detailed Pennsylvania occupation guides
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Pennsylvania salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Pennsylvania?
By average pay, emergency medicine physicians is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Pennsylvania, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Pennsylvania?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Pennsylvania, the largest occupation, home health and personal care aides, paid a median of $29,310 across 242,570 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 762 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Pennsylvania have?
Home Health and Personal Care Aides is the largest occupation published for Pennsylvania, with an estimated 242,570 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $31,420.
Which occupations pay more in Pennsylvania than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Pennsylvania jobs, structural iron and steel workers shows the largest premium: a median of $81,420 in Pennsylvania versus $62,700 nationally, 29.9% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.