Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Pennsylvania

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

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 · vs. national

1Gambling Dealers$48,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,560 – $85,530+40.5%
2Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$66,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,240 – $70,310+33.6%
3Health Education Specialists$80,670
Bachelor's degree
$45,720 – $120,640+25.9%
4Family Medicine Physicians$306,030
Doctoral or professional degree
$156,000 – $413,250+25.3%
5Firefighters$73,460
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,620 – $89,190+23.9%
6Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$77,930
Bachelor's degree
$48,610 – $105,330+21.1%
7Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,060
Bachelor's degree
$51,990 – $99,630+20.5%
8Insurance Sales Agents$73,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,770 – $163,970+17.8%
9Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$53,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,020 – $78,670+17.1%
10Special Education Teachers, Middle School$77,040
Bachelor's degree
$52,300 – $106,140+15.3%
11Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$75,760
Bachelor's degree
$50,040 – $103,430+14.3%
12Tree Trimmers and Pruners$58,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,800 – $75,750+14.2%
13Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$85,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,680 – $109,780+12.2%
14Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$118,710
Master's degree
$78,490 – $161,140+12.1%
15Brickmasons and Blockmasons$69,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,690 – $102,760+12.0%
16Tax Preparers$61,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $103,570+11.6%
17Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$72,680
Bachelor's degree
$51,730 – $98,170+11.6%
18Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$106,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,550 – $122,510+11.4%
19Production Workers, All Other$44,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,440 – $58,170+10.4%
20Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,800
Bachelor's degree
$51,440 – $102,360+9.4%
21Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$81,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,280 – $100,200+9.0%
22Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$59,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,240 – $75,320+9.0%
23Chief Executives$232,560
Bachelor's degree
$118,810 – $528,200+8.7%
24Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$61,610
No formal educational credential
$44,090 – $78,100+8.0%
25Correctional Officers and Jailers$63,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,840 – $85,630+7.7%
26Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$54,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,410 – $74,420+7.7%
27Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$44,870
Bachelor's degree
$30,470 – $63,930+7.7%
28Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters$83,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,990 – $83,870+7.2%
29Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,120 – $73,080+7.2%
30Electricians$67,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,600 – $122,620+7.0%
31Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$49,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,300 – $62,930+6.7%
32Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$68,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,770 – $134,110+6.7%
33Procurement Clerks$53,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,400 – $71,550+6.4%
34Real Estate Sales Agents$56,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,500 – $95,760+6.1%
35Compliance Officers$85,580
Bachelor's degree
$49,910 – $130,990+6.0%
36Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$42,480
No formal educational credential
$32,240 – $56,280+5.6%
37Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$48,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,640 – $71,970+5.5%
38Painters, Construction and Maintenance$52,120
No formal educational credential
$37,250 – $72,230+5.5%
39Nursing Assistants$44,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,760 – $49,360+5.5%
40Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$63,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,670 – $80,480+5.5%
41Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,810 – $61,370+5.4%
42Biochemists and Biophysicists$134,090
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,890 – $172,820+5.2%
43Helpers--Production Workers$41,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,110 – $54,550+5.1%
44Orderlies$40,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,350 – $45,450+4.8%
45Construction Laborers$49,400
No formal educational credential
$37,480 – $74,670+4.8%
46Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers$41,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$26,940 – $55,580+4.7%
47Detectives and Criminal Investigators$97,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,770 – $154,360+4.0%
48Counter and Rental Clerks$42,910
No formal educational credential
$26,520 – $61,760+3.9%
49Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$37,010
No formal educational credential
$24,960 – $51,680+3.8%
50Rehabilitation Counselors$48,650
Master's degree
$36,230 – $77,220+3.8%

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	vs. national
1	Gambling DealersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,230	$23,560 – $85,530	+40.5%
2	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,970	$48,240 – $70,310	+33.6%
3	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,670	$45,720 – $120,640	+25.9%
4	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$306,030	$156,000 – $413,250	+25.3%
5	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,460	$48,620 – $89,190	+23.9%
6	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$77,930	$48,610 – $105,330	+21.1%
7	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$77,060	$51,990 – $99,630	+20.5%
8	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,370	$39,770 – $163,970	+17.8%
9	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,580	$40,020 – $78,670	+17.1%
10	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$77,040	$52,300 – $106,140	+15.3%
11	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$75,760	$50,040 – $103,430	+14.3%
12	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,200	$46,800 – $75,750	+14.2%
13	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,470	$48,680 – $109,780	+12.2%
14	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$118,710	$78,490 – $161,140	+12.1%
15	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,560	$49,690 – $102,760	+12.0%
16	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,270	$31,200 – $103,570	+11.6%
17	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$72,680	$51,730 – $98,170	+11.6%
18	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,230	$64,550 – $122,510	+11.4%
19	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,290	$34,440 – $58,170	+10.4%
20	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,800	$51,440 – $102,360	+9.4%
21	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,020	$46,280 – $100,200	+9.0%
22	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,070	$47,240 – $75,320	+9.0%
23	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$232,560	$118,810 – $528,200	+8.7%
24	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$61,610	$44,090 – $78,100	+8.0%
25	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,460	$46,840 – $85,630	+7.7%
26	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,590	$40,410 – $74,420	+7.7%
27	Substitute Teachers, Short-TermBachelor's degree	$44,870	$30,470 – $63,930	+7.7%
28	Railroad Conductors and YardmastersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,610	$58,990 – $83,870	+7.2%
29	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,150	$39,120 – $73,080	+7.2%
30	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,600	$45,600 – $122,620	+7.0%
31	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,480	$37,300 – $62,930	+6.7%
32	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,080	$46,770 – $134,110	+6.7%
33	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,800	$41,400 – $71,550	+6.4%
34	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,040	$31,500 – $95,760	+6.1%
35	Compliance OfficersBachelor's degree	$85,580	$49,910 – $130,990	+6.0%
36	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$42,480	$32,240 – $56,280	+5.6%
37	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,170	$29,640 – $71,970	+5.5%
38	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$52,120	$37,250 – $72,230	+5.5%
39	Nursing AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,590	$37,760 – $49,360	+5.5%
40	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,310	$45,670 – $80,480	+5.5%
41	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,760	$33,810 – $61,370	+5.4%
42	Biochemists and BiophysicistsDoctoral or professional degree	$134,090	$82,890 – $172,820	+5.2%
43	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,060	$31,110 – $54,550	+5.1%
44	OrderliesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,140	$36,350 – $45,450	+4.8%
45	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$49,400	$37,480 – $74,670	+4.8%
46	Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,500	$26,940 – $55,580	+4.7%
47	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,580	$63,770 – $154,360	+4.0%
48	Counter and Rental ClerksNo formal educational credential	$42,910	$26,520 – $61,760	+3.9%
49	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$37,010	$24,960 – $51,680	+3.8%
50	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$48,650	$36,230 – $77,220	+3.8%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Pennsylvania

More for Pennsylvania

Metro areas in Pennsylvania

By field in Pennsylvania

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state