Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lancaster, PA

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

Cost of living: prices in Lancaster, PA run 1.7% below the national average (2024), so a Lancaster, PA 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.

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 Lancaster, PA

OccupationMedian, Lancaster, PA · vs. national

1Food Processing Workers, All Other$51,490
No formal educational credential
$38,620 – $65,920+29.8%
2Machine Feeders and Offbearers$52,770
No formal educational credential
$35,990 – $68,740+28.0%
3Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,960
Bachelor's degree
$57,290 – $97,890+25.8%
4Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$78,480
Bachelor's degree
$37,410 – $91,850+25.2%
5Parts Salespersons$47,410
No formal educational credential
$28,930 – $61,830+22.7%
6Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$78,360
Bachelor's degree
$60,740 – $93,600+22.5%
7Family Medicine Physicians$294,800
Doctoral or professional degree
$149,380 – $389,390+20.7%
8Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$78,470
Bachelor's degree
$59,170 – $95,700+20.5%
9Structural Iron and Steel Workers$74,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,740 – $107,690+19.4%
10Special Education Teachers, Middle School$78,560
Bachelor's degree
$66,130 – $92,270+17.6%
11Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$58,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,220 – $72,340+16.3%
12Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$49,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,530 – $73,780+14.9%
13Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$86,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,540 – $105,660+13.9%
14Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,770 – $66,380+13.9%
15Print Binding and Finishing Workers$47,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,970 – $54,800+12.6%
16Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$80,820
Bachelor's degree
$48,640 – $97,100+12.2%
17Insurance Sales Agents$69,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,000 – $168,330+11.6%
18Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$50,700
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,590 – $60,950+11.3%
19Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,240 – $60,530+10.0%
20Highway Maintenance Workers$54,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,320 – $66,520+9.1%
21Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$81,040
Bachelor's degree
$60,670 – $99,640+9.1%
22Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$59,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,610 – $73,670+9.0%
23Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$50,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,060 – $63,640+8.1%
24Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$50,050
No formal educational credential
$38,680 – $62,230+7.8%
25Skincare Specialists$48,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$25,730 – $63,610+7.7%
26Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$63,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,720 – $133,660+7.5%
27Rehabilitation Counselors$50,140
Master's degree
$36,840 – $63,150+7.0%
28Furniture Finishers$47,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,380 – $63,610+6.9%
29First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$51,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,310 – $72,090+6.9%
30Printing Press Operators$48,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,940 – $67,180+6.3%
31Speech-Language Pathologists$103,930
Master's degree
$66,320 – $130,780+6.2%
32Nursing Assistants$44,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,690 – $49,060+6.2%
33Crane and Tower Operators$72,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,220 – $78,220+6.0%
34First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$92,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,040 – $113,060+6.0%
35Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$63,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,170 – $77,350+6.0%
36Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$45,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,130 – $62,800+5.6%
37Directors, Religious Activities and Education$54,990
Bachelor's degree
$24,150 – $89,580+5.5%
38Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$42,440
No formal educational credential
$31,940 – $55,720+5.5%
39Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,380 – $61,200+5.3%
40Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$49,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,280 – $55,450+5.3%
41Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$59,800
No formal educational credential
$46,470 – $74,860+4.9%
42Instructional Coordinators$81,180
Master's degree
$50,930 – $101,880+4.8%
43Chief Executives$224,160
Bachelor's degree
$103,310 – $475,990+4.8%
44Procurement Clerks$52,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,530 – $58,460+4.7%
45Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,520 – $58,700+4.6%
46Bill and Account Collectors$49,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,600 – $68,640+4.5%
47Counter and Rental Clerks$43,110
No formal educational credential
$23,280 – $61,760+4.4%
48Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$46,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,060 – $61,490+4.2%
49Real Estate Sales Agents$55,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,430 – $93,500+4.1%
50Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$110,040
Master's degree
$74,990 – $161,410+3.9%

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

#	Occupation	MedianLancaster, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$51,490	$38,620 – $65,920	+29.8%
2	Machine Feeders and OffbearersNo formal educational credential	$52,770	$35,990 – $68,740	+28.0%
3	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,960	$57,290 – $97,890	+25.8%
4	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,480	$37,410 – $91,850	+25.2%
5	Parts SalespersonsNo formal educational credential	$47,410	$28,930 – $61,830	+22.7%
6	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$78,360	$60,740 – $93,600	+22.5%
7	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$294,800	$149,380 – $389,390	+20.7%
8	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,470	$59,170 – $95,700	+20.5%
9	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,950	$52,740 – $107,690	+19.4%
10	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$78,560	$66,130 – $92,270	+17.6%
11	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,970	$45,220 – $72,340	+16.3%
12	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,680	$37,530 – $73,780	+14.9%
13	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,800	$55,540 – $105,660	+13.9%
14	Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,080	$38,770 – $66,380	+13.9%
15	Print Binding and Finishing WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,600	$36,970 – $54,800	+12.6%
16	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$80,820	$48,640 – $97,100	+12.2%
17	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,500	$47,000 – $168,330	+11.6%
18	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,700	$37,590 – $60,950	+11.3%
19	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,780	$35,240 – $60,530	+10.0%
20	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,830	$39,320 – $66,520	+9.1%
21	Special Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$81,040	$60,670 – $99,640	+9.1%
22	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,070	$46,610 – $73,670	+9.0%
23	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,130	$37,060 – $63,640	+8.1%
24	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$50,050	$38,680 – $62,230	+7.8%
25	Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,810	$25,730 – $63,610	+7.7%
26	Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,050	$37,720 – $133,660	+7.5%
27	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$50,140	$36,840 – $63,150	+7.0%
28	Furniture FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,600	$36,380 – $63,610	+6.9%
29	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,930	$37,310 – $72,090	+6.9%
30	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,650	$36,940 – $67,180	+6.3%
31	Speech-Language PathologistsMaster's degree	$103,930	$66,320 – $130,780	+6.2%
32	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,890	$38,690 – $49,060	+6.2%
33	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,150	$53,220 – $78,220	+6.0%
34	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,770	$61,040 – $113,060	+6.0%
35	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,630	$49,170 – $77,350	+6.0%
36	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,830	$37,130 – $62,800	+5.6%
37	Directors, Religious Activities and EducationBachelor's degree	$54,990	$24,150 – $89,580	+5.5%
38	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,440	$31,940 – $55,720	+5.5%
39	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,780	$37,380 – $61,200	+5.3%
40	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,050	$36,280 – $55,450	+5.3%
41	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$59,800	$46,470 – $74,860	+4.9%
42	Instructional CoordinatorsMaster's degree	$81,180	$50,930 – $101,880	+4.8%
43	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$224,160	$103,310 – $475,990	+4.8%
44	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,950	$43,530 – $58,460	+4.7%
45	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,560	$33,520 – $58,700	+4.6%
46	Bill and Account CollectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,130	$36,600 – $68,640	+4.5%
47	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$43,110	$23,280 – $61,760	+4.4%
48	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,530	$36,060 – $61,490	+4.2%
49	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,000	$33,430 – $93,500	+4.1%
50	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$110,040	$74,990 – $161,410	+3.9%

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Lancaster, PA

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