Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Erie, PA

Each occupation's median wage in Erie, PA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Erie, PA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Erie, PA run 9.0% below the national average (2024), so a Erie, PA salary is worth about 1.10× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Erie, PA

OccupationMedian, Erie, PA · vs. national

1Firefighters$80,280
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,040 – $89,320+35.4%
2Rehabilitation Counselors$61,710
Master's degree
$37,310 – $89,750+31.7%
3Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$49,580
Bachelor's degree
$33,220 – $63,930+19.0%
4Social Workers, All Other$84,990
Bachelor's degree
$60,700 – $104,960+18.2%
5Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$86,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,070 – $86,850+17.2%
6Family Medicine Physicians$277,880
Doctoral or professional degree
$112,140 – $367,990+13.8%
7Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$95,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,430 – $130,500+13.2%
8Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$55,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,470 – $63,050+12.7%
9Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$56,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,900 – $62,590+12.7%
10Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$69,920
Bachelor's degree
$49,990 – $80,650+9.3%
11Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$72,190
Bachelor's degree
$47,150 – $81,250+8.9%
12Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$101,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,420 – $129,970+8.7%
13Labor Relations Specialists$102,870
Bachelor's degree
$64,350 – $131,830+7.8%
14Business Teachers, Postsecondary$106,300
Doctoral or professional degree
$44,650 – $172,890+7.3%
15Tax Preparers$58,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,440 – $98,570+6.4%
16Sheet Metal Workers$65,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,700 – $94,290+6.3%
17Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$80,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,360 – $107,650+6.1%
18Health Education Specialists$67,600
Bachelor's degree
$44,290 – $131,580+5.5%
19First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$97,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,720 – $117,900+4.7%
20Helpers--Production Workers$40,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,310 – $48,410+4.7%
21Insurance Sales Agents$65,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,380 – $139,970+4.6%
22Electricians$65,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,890 – $94,280+4.2%
23Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$66,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,670 – $97,300+4.1%
24Detectives and Criminal Investigators$96,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$67,200 – $115,210+2.9%
25Mechanical Engineers$106,890
Bachelor's degree
$63,750 – $174,830+2.7%
26Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$55,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,740 – $67,370+1.9%
27Postal Service Mail Carriers$61,480
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+1.5%
28Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,290 – $80,070+1.5%
29Education Administrators, Postsecondary$105,910
Master's degree
$63,550 – $213,090+1.3%
30Postal Service Clerks$62,910
No formal educational credential
$55,350 – $75,030+1.3%
31Sewing Machine Operators$36,990
No formal educational credential
$26,670 – $43,820+0.9%
32Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,930
No formal educational credential
$24,970 – $43,130+0.8%
33Massage Therapists$58,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,440 – $89,260+0.3%
34Food Batchmakers$42,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,530 – $51,730+0.2%
35Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,530
Bachelor's degree
$49,100 – $77,630-0.2%
36Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,180
No formal educational credential
$27,560 – $40,050-0.3%
37Tool and Die Makers$63,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,760 – $72,890-0.5%
38First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,620 – $106,440-0.7%
39Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$35,540
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,400 – $78,240-0.7%
40Public Safety Telecommunicators$52,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,480 – $64,060-0.8%
41Butchers and Meat Cutters$39,710
No formal educational credential
$23,680 – $52,050-1.1%
42Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,220 – $62,160-1.3%
43Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$59,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,870 – $75,130-1.4%
44Construction Laborers$46,480
No formal educational credential
$35,450 – $63,140-1.4%
45Optometrists$134,230
Doctoral or professional degree
$98,690 – $207,800-1.7%
46Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary$75,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$35,400 – $117,040-2.1%
47Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$75,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$42,700 – $134,310-2.2%
48Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,060 – $63,050-2.5%
49Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$45,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,360 – $57,650-2.7%
50Tire Repairers and Changers$36,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,670 – $53,700-2.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianErie, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,280	$39,040 – $89,320	+35.4%
2	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$61,710	$37,310 – $89,750	+31.7%
3	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$49,580	$33,220 – $63,930	+19.0%
4	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,990	$60,700 – $104,960	+18.2%
5	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,850	$56,070 – $86,850	+17.2%
6	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$277,880	$112,140 – $367,990	+13.8%
7	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$95,750	$61,430 – $130,500	+13.2%
8	Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,250	$45,470 – $63,050	+12.7%
9	Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe CleanersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,210	$40,900 – $62,590	+12.7%
10	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$69,920	$49,990 – $80,650	+9.3%
11	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$72,190	$47,150 – $81,250	+8.9%
12	Chemistry Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$101,330	$62,420 – $129,970	+8.7%
13	Labor Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$102,870	$64,350 – $131,830	+7.8%
14	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$106,300	$44,650 – $172,890	+7.3%
15	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,460	$37,440 – $98,570	+6.4%
16	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,710	$37,700 – $94,290	+6.3%
17	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,860	$47,360 – $107,650	+6.1%
18	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$67,600	$44,290 – $131,580	+5.5%
19	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$97,880	$36,720 – $117,900	+4.7%
20	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,920	$30,310 – $48,410	+4.7%
21	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,160	$44,380 – $139,970	+4.6%
22	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,820	$37,890 – $94,280	+4.2%
23	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,410	$42,670 – $97,300	+4.1%
24	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,470	$67,200 – $115,210	+2.9%
25	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$106,890	$63,750 – $174,830	+2.7%
26	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,220	$47,740 – $67,370	+1.9%
27	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$61,480	$42,390 – $81,040	+1.5%
28	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,340	$31,290 – $80,070	+1.5%
29	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$105,910	$63,550 – $213,090	+1.3%
30	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,910	$55,350 – $75,030	+1.3%
31	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$36,990	$26,670 – $43,820	+0.9%
32	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$35,930	$24,970 – $43,130	+0.8%
33	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,600	$34,440 – $89,260	+0.3%
34	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,380	$28,530 – $51,730	+0.2%
35	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$62,530	$49,100 – $77,630	-0.2%
36	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$36,180	$27,560 – $40,050	-0.3%
37	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,740	$40,760 – $72,890	-0.5%
38	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,350	$55,620 – $106,440	-0.7%
39	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$35,540	$23,400 – $78,240	-0.7%
40	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,620	$38,480 – $64,060	-0.8%
41	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$39,710	$23,680 – $52,050	-1.1%
42	Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,120	$36,220 – $62,160	-1.3%
43	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,180	$47,870 – $75,130	-1.4%
44	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$46,480	$35,450 – $63,140	-1.4%
45	OptometristsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,230	$98,690 – $207,800	-1.7%
46	Social Work Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$75,920	$35,400 – $117,040	-2.1%
47	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$75,910	$42,700 – $134,310	-2.2%
48	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,390	$31,060 – $63,050	-2.5%
49	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,420	$35,360 – $57,650	-2.7%
50	Tire Repairers and ChangersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,610	$28,670 – $53,700	-2.9%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Erie, PA

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