Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

Each occupation's median wage in Harrisburg-Carlisle, 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA run 1.3% below the national average (2024), so a Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA salary is worth about 1.01× 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

OccupationMedian, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA · vs. national

1Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$84,070
Bachelor's degree
$50,590 – $111,970+48.2%
2Counselors, All Other$71,970
Master's degree
$40,900 – $96,070+41.5%
3Health Education Specialists$84,070
Bachelor's degree
$61,710 – $114,440+31.2%
4First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$102,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$85,350 – $119,870+31.0%
5Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$78,910
Bachelor's degree
$45,920 – $96,130+25.9%
6Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$131,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,620 – $305,280+22.1%
7Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$56,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,120 – $63,190+21.9%
8Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,160
Bachelor's degree
$58,440 – $92,000+20.6%
9Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$100,740
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,530 – $131,850+19.0%
10Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$76,140
Bachelor's degree
$59,040 – $94,250+18.3%
11Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$58,680
No formal educational credential
$37,610 – $65,700+18.1%
12Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$73,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,080 – $104,630+15.3%
13Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$58,520
Bachelor's degree
$19,440 – $80,880+15.0%
14Parts Salespersons$43,960
No formal educational credential
$28,640 – $61,960+13.8%
15Electricians$71,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,860 – $129,510+13.7%
16Dentists, General$193,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$105,650 – $362,820+13.3%
17First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$119,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,720 – $148,220+13.2%
18Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,460 – $74,670+12.8%
19File Clerks$48,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,170 – $66,730+11.9%
20Financial Specialists, All Other$90,400
Bachelor's degree
$59,260 – $125,420+11.5%
21Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$84,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,480 – $110,270+10.8%
22Procurement Clerks$56,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,080 – $82,220+10.8%
23Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$82,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,370 – $101,820+10.8%
24Business Teachers, Postsecondary$107,910
Doctoral or professional degree
$53,150 – $175,110+8.9%
25Painters, Construction and Maintenance$53,800
No formal educational credential
$37,730 – $68,160+8.9%
26Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$43,640
No formal educational credential
$35,320 – $56,580+8.4%
27Database Architects$151,210
Bachelor's degree
$101,670 – $191,280+8.4%
28Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$69,220
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,850 – $108,820+8.3%
29Print Binding and Finishing Workers$45,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,920 – $60,000+8.0%
30Correctional Officers and Jailers$63,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,000 – $88,590+7.7%
31First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$86,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,000 – $127,400+7.7%
32Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,820 – $67,370+7.6%
33Driver/Sales Workers$41,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$18,660 – $60,050+7.3%
34Personal Financial Advisors$112,430
Bachelor's degree
$61,710 – $265,990+7.0%
35Light Truck Drivers$48,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,370 – $93,830+7.0%
36Logisticians$88,000
Bachelor's degree
$50,960 – $125,420+6.9%
37First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$59,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,070 – $79,690+6.5%
38Information and Record Clerks, All Other$52,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,310 – $64,500+6.4%
39Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$60,590
No formal educational credential
$45,570 – $85,070+6.3%
40Rehabilitation Counselors$49,810
Master's degree
$35,240 – $84,070+6.3%
41Marriage and Family Therapists$71,120
Master's degree
$49,820 – $103,370+6.2%
42Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$63,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,970 – $76,710+6.1%
43Firefighters$62,760
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,660 – $71,110+5.9%
44Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,390 – $61,690+5.9%
45Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,630 – $68,480+5.7%
46Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,600
Associate's degree
$48,780 – $93,990+5.6%
47Child, Family, and School Social Workers$62,810
Bachelor's degree
$43,650 – $83,410+5.5%
48Construction Laborers$49,670
No formal educational credential
$37,920 – $69,640+5.4%
49Insurance Sales Agents$65,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,390 – $132,640+5.0%
50Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,730 – $65,420+5.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianHarrisburg-Carlisle, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Community and Social Service Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$84,070	$50,590 – $111,970	+48.2%
2	Counselors, All OtherMaster's degree	$71,970	$40,900 – $96,070	+41.5%
3	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,070	$61,710 – $114,440	+31.2%
4	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,110	$85,350 – $119,870	+31.0%
5	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,910	$45,920 – $96,130	+25.9%
6	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$131,040	$59,620 – $305,280	+22.1%
7	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,560	$40,120 – $63,190	+21.9%
8	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$77,160	$58,440 – $92,000	+20.6%
9	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$100,740	$60,530 – $131,850	+19.0%
10	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$76,140	$59,040 – $94,250	+18.3%
11	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$58,680	$37,610 – $65,700	+18.1%
12	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,560	$48,080 – $104,630	+15.3%
13	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$58,520	$19,440 – $80,880	+15.0%
14	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$43,960	$28,640 – $61,960	+13.8%
15	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,820	$38,860 – $129,510	+13.7%
16	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$193,760	$105,650 – $362,820	+13.3%
17	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$119,990	$81,720 – $148,220	+13.2%
18	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,200	$44,460 – $74,670	+12.8%
19	File ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,800	$38,170 – $66,730	+11.9%
20	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$90,400	$59,260 – $125,420	+11.5%
21	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,470	$45,480 – $110,270	+10.8%
22	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,060	$46,080 – $82,220	+10.8%
23	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,340	$47,370 – $101,820	+10.8%
24	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$107,910	$53,150 – $175,110	+8.9%
25	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$53,800	$37,730 – $68,160	+8.9%
26	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$43,640	$35,320 – $56,580	+8.4%
27	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$151,210	$101,670 – $191,280	+8.4%
28	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,220	$43,850 – $108,820	+8.3%
29	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,670	$36,920 – $60,000	+8.0%
30	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,460	$49,000 – $88,590	+7.7%
31	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,090	$60,000 – $127,400	+7.7%
32	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,130	$34,820 – $67,370	+7.6%
33	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,600	$18,660 – $60,050	+7.3%
34	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$112,430	$61,710 – $265,990	+7.0%
35	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,020	$28,370 – $93,830	+7.0%
36	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$88,000	$50,960 – $125,420	+6.9%
37	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,600	$39,070 – $79,690	+6.5%
38	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,670	$42,310 – $64,500	+6.4%
39	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$60,590	$45,570 – $85,070	+6.3%
40	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$49,810	$35,240 – $84,070	+6.3%
41	Marriage and Family TherapistsMaster's degree	$71,120	$49,820 – $103,370	+6.2%
42	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,680	$46,970 – $76,710	+6.1%
43	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,760	$50,660 – $71,110	+5.9%
44	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,960	$36,390 – $61,690	+5.9%
45	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,680	$35,630 – $68,480	+5.7%
46	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,600	$48,780 – $93,990	+5.6%
47	Child, Family, and School Social WorkersBachelor's degree	$62,810	$43,650 – $83,410	+5.5%
48	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$49,670	$37,920 – $69,640	+5.4%
49	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,370	$42,390 – $132,640	+5.0%
50	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,430	$40,730 – $65,420	+5.0%

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