State College, PA
Across all occupations in the State College, PA metropolitan area, the median wage is $49,220 a year ($23.66 an hour) and the mean $62,190, May 2025. That median is −3% against the US median of $50,980 and −1% against Pennsylvania's $49,690. BLS counts 68,840 jobs in the area. The highest-paying occupation is chief executives; the largest is fast food and counter workers.
All occupations: State College, PA vs Pennsylvania and the United States
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| State College, PA | Hourly | $13.31 | $17.23 | $23.66 | $37.44 | $49.69 | $29.90 | 68,840 |
| Annual | $27,680 | $35,850 | $49,220 | $77,870 | $103,350 | $62,190 | ||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $13.91 | $17.64 | $23.89 | $37.63 | $56.66 | $31.60 | 6,064,600 |
| Annual | $28,920 | $36,690 | $49,690 | $78,270 | $117,860 | $65,730 | ||
| United States | Hourly | $15.00 | $18.07 | $24.51 | $38.71 | $61.81 | $33.54 | 155,495,730 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $37,590 | $50,980 | $80,520 | $128,560 | $69,770 | ||
237 detailed occupations publish a median in this area. State profile: Pennsylvania. Compare any occupation across every area in the wage explorer.
20 highest-paying occupations in State College, PA
| Rank | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chief Executives | $203,960 | $98.06 | 70 |
| 2 | Dentists, General | $168,340 | $80.94 | 60 |
| 3 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $150,520 | $72.36 | 70 |
| 4 | Pharmacists | $135,010 | $64.91 | 110 |
| 5 | Veterinarians | $131,500 | $63.22 | 60 |
| 6 | Physician Assistants | $128,480 | $61.77 | 80 |
| 7 | Computer and Information Systems Managers in Pennsylvania | $128,410 | $61.74 | 260 |
| 8 | Human Resources Managers | $127,570 | $61.33 | 60 |
| 9 | Financial Managers in Pennsylvania | $125,550 | $60.36 | 260 |
| 10 | Nurse Practitioners | $124,470 | $59.84 | 110 |
| 11 | Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $123,640 | * | 110 |
| 12 | Natural Sciences Managers | $122,930 | $59.10 | 60 |
| 13 | Marketing Managers | $122,660 | $58.97 | 90 |
| 14 | Computer Network Architects | $112,410 | $54.04 | 30 |
| 15 | Sales Managers in Pennsylvania | $109,200 | $52.50 | 140 |
| 16 | Chemists | $107,890 | $51.87 | 50 |
| 17 | Lawyers in Pennsylvania | $107,850 | $51.85 | 140 |
| 18 | Managers, All Other in Pennsylvania | $105,580 | $50.76 | 180 |
| 19 | Facilities Managers | $104,440 | $50.21 | 140 |
| 20 | Industrial Production Managers | $103,700 | $49.86 | 80 |
Ranked by median; an occupation whose median BLS withholds or top-codes in this area cannot appear here, however well it pays.
20 largest occupations in State College, PA
Most concentrated occupations in State College, PA
The 10 occupations with the highest location quotient among those employing at least 100 people in the area. A quotient of 2.00 means the occupation's share of local jobs is twice its national share.
| Rank | Occupation | Location quotient | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | 5.39 | 180 | 2.56 | $64,210 |
| 2 | Correctional Officers and Jailers | 4.55 | 770 | 11.13 | $66,730 |
| 3 | Biological Technicians | 4.22 | 130 | 1.89 | $62,000 |
| 4 | Crossing Guards and Flaggers | 4.00 | 170 | 2.43 | * |
| 5 | Library Technicians | 3.80 | 120 | 1.68 | * |
| 6 | Library Assistants, Clerical | 3.29 | 120 | 1.81 | $35,370 |
| 7 | Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | 3.22 | 350 | 5.12 | $40,190 |
| 8 | Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | 3.04 | 180 | 2.62 | $77,560 |
| 9 | Residential Advisors | 2.66 | 100 | 1.45 | * |
| 10 | First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers | 2.31 | 120 | 1.70 | $49,000 |
Occupation groups in State College, PA
| Group | Median annual | Mean annual | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $100,730 | $115,230 | 4,690 | 68.07 | 0.95 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $81,840 | $90,240 | 1,700 | 24.62 | 0.73 |
| Legal | $80,420 | $100,080 | 250 | 3.69 | 0.44 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $79,360 | $83,390 | 10,010 | 145.38 | 2.48 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $78,970 | $85,930 | 910 | 13.24 | 0.79 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $78,200 | $90,230 | 4,200 | 61.00 | 0.97 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $77,150 | $80,280 | 920 | 13.34 | 1.41 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $70,560 | $78,400 | 3,190 | 46.40 | 0.68 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $59,980 | $64,980 | 1,150 | 16.69 | 1.27 |
| Construction and Extraction | $58,230 | $61,350 | 2,800 | 40.67 | 0.98 |
| Protective Service | $57,940 | $62,400 | 2,040 | 29.60 | 1.22 |
| Community and Social Service | $56,930 | $58,380 | 1,730 | 25.09 | 1.46 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $51,940 | $56,220 | 2,400 | 34.84 | 0.89 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $45,090 | $45,790 | 7,230 | 104.96 | 0.92 |
| Production | $45,050 | $47,560 | 2,800 | 40.71 | 0.74 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $43,180 | $46,640 | 120 | 1.70 | 0.61 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $37,620 | $42,490 | 3,990 | 57.95 | 0.66 |
| Healthcare Support | $37,150 | $37,450 | 2,610 | 37.90 | 0.75 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $35,850 | $37,600 | 2,520 | 36.54 | 1.25 |
| Personal Care and Service | $34,590 | $38,040 | 1,570 | 22.79 | 1.09 |
| Sales and Related | $33,590 | $42,460 | 4,740 | 68.86 | 0.80 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $30,960 | $33,670 | 7,290 | 105.96 | 1.20 |
Every occupation in Pennsylvania, and the area's place among the state's metros, is on the state profile. All 237 published occupations for this area are in the wage explorer; other metros are on the metros hub.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS State College, PA estimates (area 44300).
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Jobs per 1,000 is the occupation's employment per 1,000 jobs in the State College, PA area; the location quotient is that share divided by the national share.
- The concentration table keeps only occupations with employment of 100 or more in the area, so a quotient built on a handful of rounded jobs cannot top it.