Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Pittsburgh, PA

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

Cost of living: prices in Pittsburgh, PA run 5.3% below the national average (2024), so a Pittsburgh, PA salary is worth about 1.06× 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 Pittsburgh, PA

OccupationMedian, Pittsburgh, PA · vs. national

1Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$69,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,990 – $69,240+37.9%
2Structural Iron and Steel Workers$82,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,330 – $106,150+32.0%
3Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$84,800
Bachelor's degree
$49,210 – $114,270+31.7%
4Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$60,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,010 – $98,290+27.5%
5Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$82,220
Bachelor's degree
$41,300 – $89,750+24.1%
6Brickmasons and Blockmasons$76,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,440 – $97,220+23.9%
7Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$91,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,000 – $100,200+23.1%
8Business Teachers, Postsecondary$121,760
Doctoral or professional degree
$52,650 – $166,990+22.9%
9Firefighters$72,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,160 – $76,070+21.8%
10Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$76,550
Bachelor's degree
$53,570 – $105,760+19.7%
11Health Education Specialists$75,480
Bachelor's degree
$43,090 – $100,340+17.8%
12Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$58,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,860 – $84,480+15.9%
13Gambling Dealers$39,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,990 – $136,220+15.1%
14Family Medicine Physicians$275,930
Doctoral or professional degree
$165,600 – $407,650+13.0%
15Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$81,350
Bachelor's degree
$51,470 – $105,260+12.9%
16Special Education Teachers, Middle School$74,910
Bachelor's degree
$50,540 – $114,650+12.1%
17Tax Preparers$61,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $125,720+11.3%
18Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$63,310
No formal educational credential
$46,080 – $74,760+11.0%
19Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$105,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,150 – $119,160+10.8%
20Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$70,590
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,470 – $96,190+10.5%
21Personal Financial Advisors$115,600
Bachelor's degree
$58,700 – $397,940+10.0%
22Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$70,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,910 – $107,870+9.9%
23Electricians$69,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,780 – $106,840+9.7%
24Database Architects$152,800
Bachelor's degree
$89,060 – $197,170+9.5%
25Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$83,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,470 – $107,630+9.2%
26Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$65,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,750 – $89,170+9.1%
27Public Safety Telecommunicators$57,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,390 – $62,000+9.1%
28Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$58,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,470 – $71,970+8.0%
29Couriers and Messengers$42,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,090 – $48,940+7.8%
30Construction Laborers$50,600
No formal educational credential
$37,390 – $71,850+7.4%
31Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$38,130
No formal educational credential
$26,620 – $45,040+6.9%
32Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,020 – $74,090+6.8%
33Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$38,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$23,750 – $77,730+6.5%
34Chefs and Head Cooks$66,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,620 – $94,800+6.2%
35Helpers--Production Workers$41,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,530 – $53,760+5.6%
36Rehabilitation Counselors$49,440
Master's degree
$35,770 – $76,590+5.5%
37Pharmacy Aides$39,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,480 – $44,440+4.6%
38Real Estate Sales Agents$55,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,720 – $104,290+4.5%
39Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,390 – $62,120+4.3%
40Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,150 – $72,350+4.2%
41Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$62,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,480 – $94,570+4.1%
42Financial Examiners$97,910
Bachelor's degree
$63,090 – $155,080+4.0%
43Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$41,830
No formal educational credential
$32,020 – $57,520+4.0%
44Butchers and Meat Cutters$41,720
No formal educational credential
$30,530 – $56,050+3.9%
45First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$83,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,570 – $129,930+3.9%
46Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$40,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,950 – $57,860+3.5%
47Computer Network Support Specialists$78,820
Associate's degree
$47,920 – $118,010+3.4%
48Training and Development Specialists$71,580
Bachelor's degree
$46,020 – $113,130+3.3%
49Information and Record Clerks, All Other$51,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,270 – $65,420+3.3%
50Printing Press Operators$47,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,080 – $58,980+3.0%

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

#	Occupation	MedianPittsburgh, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,150	$49,990 – $69,240	+37.9%
2	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,860	$56,330 – $106,150	+32.0%
3	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$84,800	$49,210 – $114,270	+31.7%
4	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,820	$42,010 – $98,290	+27.5%
5	Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,220	$41,300 – $89,750	+24.1%
6	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,940	$50,440 – $97,220	+23.9%
7	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,500	$49,000 – $100,200	+23.1%
8	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$121,760	$52,650 – $166,990	+22.9%
9	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,230	$49,160 – $76,070	+21.8%
10	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$76,550	$53,570 – $105,760	+19.7%
11	Health Education SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$75,480	$43,090 – $100,340	+17.8%
12	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,770	$42,860 – $84,480	+15.9%
13	Gambling DealersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,500	$23,990 – $136,220	+15.1%
14	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$275,930	$165,600 – $407,650	+13.0%
15	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$81,350	$51,470 – $105,260	+12.9%
16	Special Education Teachers, Middle SchoolBachelor's degree	$74,910	$50,540 – $114,650	+12.1%
17	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,140	$31,200 – $125,720	+11.3%
18	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$63,310	$46,080 – $74,760	+11.0%
19	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,590	$65,150 – $119,160	+10.8%
20	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$70,590	$45,470 – $96,190	+10.5%
21	Personal Financial AdvisorsBachelor's degree	$115,600	$58,700 – $397,940	+10.0%
22	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,100	$46,910 – $107,870	+9.9%
23	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,340	$45,780 – $106,840	+9.7%
24	Database ArchitectsBachelor's degree	$152,800	$89,060 – $197,170	+9.5%
25	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,190	$50,470 – $107,630	+9.2%
26	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,480	$45,750 – $89,170	+9.1%
27	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,880	$38,390 – $62,000	+9.1%
28	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,530	$46,470 – $71,970	+8.0%
29	Couriers and MessengersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,250	$32,090 – $48,940	+7.8%
30	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$50,600	$37,390 – $71,850	+7.4%
31	Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and GreenhouseNo formal educational credential	$38,130	$26,620 – $45,040	+6.9%
32	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,890	$40,020 – $74,090	+6.8%
33	Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$38,100	$23,750 – $77,730	+6.5%
34	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,320	$45,620 – $94,800	+6.2%
35	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,240	$31,530 – $53,760	+5.6%
36	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$49,440	$35,770 – $76,590	+5.5%
37	Pharmacy AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,400	$30,480 – $44,440	+4.6%
38	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,190	$44,720 – $104,290	+4.5%
39	Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,530	$37,390 – $62,120	+4.3%
40	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,030	$39,150 – $72,350	+4.2%
41	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,320	$47,480 – $94,570	+4.1%
42	Financial ExaminersBachelor's degree	$97,910	$63,090 – $155,080	+4.0%
43	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$41,830	$32,020 – $57,520	+4.0%
44	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$41,720	$30,530 – $56,050	+3.9%
45	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,030	$59,570 – $129,930	+3.9%
46	Merchandise Displayers and Window TrimmersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,750	$34,950 – $57,860	+3.5%
47	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$78,820	$47,920 – $118,010	+3.4%
48	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$71,580	$46,020 – $113,130	+3.3%
49	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,130	$38,270 – $65,420	+3.3%
50	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,150	$31,080 – $58,980	+3.0%

More for Pittsburgh, PA

Other metro areas in PA

By field in Pittsburgh, PA

Without a degree

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

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Pittsburgh, PA

More for Pittsburgh, PA

Other metro areas in PA

By field in Pittsburgh, PA

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state