Fastest growing jobs in Pennsylvania, 2024–34

Ranked by projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034 in Pennsylvania. Percent growth favours small occupations, so the openings column is often the more useful number — a fast-growing job with few openings is harder to enter than a flat one with many.

State projections are produced by Pennsylvania's own workforce agency and collected by Projections Central — the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes projections only at the national level. Methodology varies by state, so these are not directly comparable with the national figures. Wages remain BLS OEWS.

Cost of living: prices in Pennsylvania run 2.4% below the national average (2024), so a Pennsylvania salary is worth about 1.02× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Pennsylvania.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Pennsylvania

OccupationMedian, Pennsylvania · Growth 2024–34

1Nurse Practitioners$130,140
Master's degree
$102,940 – $163,720+38.6%
2Data Scientists$106,850
Bachelor's degree
$63,340 – $162,290+32.1%
3Information Security Analysts$117,770
Bachelor's degree
$67,840 – $170,870+26.3%
4Actuaries$125,040
Bachelor's degree
$78,050 – $201,820+23.0%
5Medical and Health Services Managers$103,670
Bachelor's degree
$64,820 – $171,400+22.4%
6Operations Research Analysts$79,640
Bachelor's degree
$55,220 – $129,420+21.5%
7Logisticians$79,340
Bachelor's degree
$50,960 – $122,560+18.7%
8Physician Assistants$127,070
Master's degree
$99,050 – $158,690+18.6%
9Physical Therapist Assistants$62,580
Associate's degree
$49,610 – $78,010+18.0%
10Industrial Machinery Mechanics$63,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,510 – $84,620+17.7%
11Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$107,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,300 – $244,880+17.1%
12Occupational Therapy Assistants$71,590
Associate's degree
$55,690 – $77,790+16.6%
13Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$78,460
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,280 – $107,640+16.6%
14Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$59,980
Associate's degree
$44,990 – $98,850+16.4%
15Financial Examiners$78,500
Bachelor's degree
$56,420 – $137,770+16.4%
16Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$45,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,300 – $55,900+16.3%
17Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$66,330
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,980 – $88,970+16.3%
18Computer and Information Research Scientists$130,300
Master's degree
$83,330 – $175,480+16.2%
19Psychiatric Technicians$43,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,920 – $54,000+15.0%
20Massage Therapists$58,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,000 – $110,770+14.9%
21Financial Managers$145,610
Bachelor's degree
$83,180 – $286,240+14.5%
22Cooks, Restaurant$36,580
No formal educational credential
$22,650 – $45,120+14.5%
23Software Developers$126,550
Bachelor's degree
$77,750 – $178,080+14.2%
24Home Health and Personal Care Aides$29,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,510 – $37,960+13.6%
25Speech-Language Pathologists$92,960
Master's degree
$60,650 – $130,780+13.5%
26Computer and Information Systems Managers$163,910
Bachelor's degree
$101,520 – $246,580+13.1%
27Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$52,010
Master's degree
$36,280 – $81,970+13.0%
28Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$87,050
Bachelor's degree
$60,270 – $132,250+12.6%
29Taxi Drivers$35,480
No formal educational credential
$26,470 – $45,750+11.9%
30Industrial Engineers$99,560
Bachelor's degree
$69,700 – $143,210+11.8%
31Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,710
Associate's degree
$68,370 – $103,570+11.7%
32Occupational Therapists$98,440
Master's degree
$69,120 – $128,790+11.4%
33Animal Caretakers$31,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,430 – $47,960+11.1%
34Athletic Trainers$61,060
Master's degree
$46,960 – $77,920+11.0%
35Respiratory Therapists$78,490
Associate's degree
$62,440 – $95,520+11.0%
36Therapists, All Other$62,310
Bachelor's degree
$41,250 – $98,780+10.8%
37Medical Assistants$43,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,810 – $48,500+10.5%
38Orthotists and Prosthetists$81,460
Master's degree
$45,760 – $103,400+10.4%
39Training and Development Specialists$71,350
Bachelor's degree
$45,040 – $118,270+10.4%
40Mechanical Door Repairers$54,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,950 – $69,960+10.4%
41Tour and Travel Guides$32,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,390 – $53,540+10.4%
42Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$51,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,250 – $64,500+10.4%
43Computer Network Architects$131,840
Bachelor's degree
$79,240 – $188,120+10.2%
44Tile and Stone Setters$70,230
No formal educational credential
$44,300 – $96,980+10.1%
45Medical Equipment Repairers$62,890
Associate's degree
$45,330 – $102,750+10.0%
46Mechanical Engineers$97,920
Bachelor's degree
$65,770 – $150,950+9.8%
47Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$45,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,780 – $67,450+9.8%
48Agricultural Equipment Operators$47,100
No formal educational credential
$33,780 – $60,590+9.8%
49Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,650
Associate's degree
$47,740 – $83,840+9.6%
50Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles$60,050
No formal educational credential
$42,660 – $89,960+9.5%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianPennsylvania	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Growth 2024–34
1	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$130,140	$102,940 – $163,720	+38.6%
2	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$106,850	$63,340 – $162,290	+32.1%
3	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$117,770	$67,840 – $170,870	+26.3%
4	ActuariesBachelor's degree	$125,040	$78,050 – $201,820	+23.0%
5	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,670	$64,820 – $171,400	+22.4%
6	Operations Research AnalystsBachelor's degree	$79,640	$55,220 – $129,420	+21.5%
7	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$79,340	$50,960 – $122,560	+18.7%
8	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,070	$99,050 – $158,690	+18.6%
9	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,580	$49,610 – $78,010	+18.0%
10	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,840	$47,510 – $84,620	+17.7%
11	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$107,920	$49,300 – $244,880	+17.1%
12	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$71,590	$55,690 – $77,790	+16.6%
13	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$78,460	$47,280 – $107,640	+16.6%
14	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$59,980	$44,990 – $98,850	+16.4%
15	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$78,500	$56,420 – $137,770	+16.4%
16	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,050	$36,300 – $55,900	+16.3%
17	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,330	$49,980 – $88,970	+16.3%
18	Computer and Information Research ScientistsMaster's degree	$130,300	$83,330 – $175,480	+16.2%
19	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$43,930	$36,920 – $54,000	+15.0%
20	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,300	$31,000 – $110,770	+14.9%
21	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$145,610	$83,180 – $286,240	+14.5%
22	Cooks, RestaurantNo formal educational credential	$36,580	$22,650 – $45,120	+14.5%
23	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$126,550	$77,750 – $178,080	+14.2%
24	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$29,420	$26,510 – $37,960	+13.6%
25	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$92,960	$60,650 – $130,780	+13.5%
26	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$163,910	$101,520 – $246,580	+13.1%
27	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$52,010	$36,280 – $81,970	+13.0%
28	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$87,050	$60,270 – $132,250	+12.6%
29	Taxi DriversNo formal educational credential	$35,480	$26,470 – $45,750	+11.9%
30	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$99,560	$69,700 – $143,210	+11.8%
31	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$82,710	$68,370 – $103,570	+11.7%
32	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,440	$69,120 – $128,790	+11.4%
33	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$31,360	$23,430 – $47,960	+11.1%
34	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$61,060	$46,960 – $77,920	+11.0%
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,490	$62,440 – $95,520	+11.0%
36	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$62,310	$41,250 – $98,780	+10.8%
37	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$43,920	$36,810 – $48,500	+10.5%
38	Orthotists and ProsthetistsMaster's degree	$81,460	$45,760 – $103,400	+10.4%
39	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,350	$45,040 – $118,270	+10.4%
40	Mechanical Door RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,360	$38,950 – $69,960	+10.4%
41	Tour and Travel GuidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32,910	$23,390 – $53,540	+10.4%
42	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,310	$35,250 – $64,500	+10.4%
43	Computer Network ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$131,840	$79,240 – $188,120	+10.2%
44	Tile and Stone SettersNo formal educational credential	$70,230	$44,300 – $96,980	+10.1%
45	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$62,890	$45,330 – $102,750	+10.0%
46	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,920	$65,770 – $150,950	+9.8%
47	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,250	$27,780 – $67,450	+9.8%
48	Agricultural Equipment OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$47,100	$33,780 – $60,590	+9.8%
49	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,650	$47,740 – $83,840	+9.6%
50	Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard TilesNo formal educational credential	$60,050	$42,660 – $89,960	+9.5%

More for Pennsylvania

Metro areas in Pennsylvania

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Pennsylvania

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Pennsylvania to rank honestly.

Fastest growing jobs in Pennsylvania, 2024–34

More for Pennsylvania

Metro areas in Pennsylvania

By field in Pennsylvania

Without a degree

Fastest growing jobs in each state, 2024–34