StateRates

Altoona salaries

The median worker in the Altoona, PA metro area earned $43,100 a year in 2024, about $20.72 an hour. That ranks #312 of the 391 metro areas published here, 12.9% below the national median.

Pennsylvania

Median pay $43,100 $20.72 per hour
Vs national -12.9% U.S. $49,500
Workers 58,090 wage and salary
Metro rank #312 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Altoona pays 11.2% less than Pennsylvania as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders 3.56× 510 $34,480
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 2.1× 500 $58,420
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 1.67× 670 $74,890
Nursing Assistants 1.53× 800 $39,140
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 1.53× 640 $42,880
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1.46× 1,140 $50,990
Retail Salespersons 1.45× 2,070 $28,210
Office Clerks, General 1.33× 1,260 $40,050
Cashiers 1.32× 1,570 $26,170
Registered Nurses 1.26× 1,560 $80,460
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1.17× 770 $37,280
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1.17× 670 $45,270

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Altoona
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Financial Managers $106,290 $51.10 230
Medical and Health Services Managers $96,700 $46.49 300
Project Management Specialists $83,810 $40.29 240
General and Operations Managers $81,340 $39.11 1,430
Registered Nurses $80,460 $38.69 1,560
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $77,410 $37.22 310
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $74,890 n/a 670
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $70,600 $33.94 240
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $70,550 $33.92 230
Accountants and Auditors $63,240 $30.40 440
Human Resources Specialists $62,020 $29.82 290
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $61,920 $29.77 340
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $60,420 $29.05 500
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $59,690 n/a 450
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $59,260 $28.49 550
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $58,480 $28.12 230
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $58,420 $28.09 500
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists $57,320 $27.56 230
Carpenters $54,380 $26.15 390
Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs $53,000 $25.48 270
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $51,990 $25.00 310
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,990 $24.52 1,140
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $47,880 $23.02 390
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $46,160 $22.19 290
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $46,040 $22.13 210
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $45,850 $22.05 360
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $45,270 $21.77 670
Construction Laborers $43,780 $21.05 390
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $42,880 $20.61 640
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators $41,920 $20.15 300
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $41,480 $19.94 540
Office Clerks, General $40,050 $19.26 1,260
Bus Drivers, School $39,850 $19.16 300
Nursing Assistants $39,140 $18.82 800
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $39,090 $18.79 270
Light Truck Drivers $39,040 $18.77 460
Social and Human Service Assistants $38,410 $18.47 400
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants $38,200 $18.36 270
Medical Assistants $37,690 $18.12 300
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $37,280 $17.93 770
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $36,880 $17.73 1,220
Customer Service Representatives $35,940 $17.28 750
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $35,750 $17.19 620
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $35,600 $17.12 440
Tellers $35,420 $17.03 200
Security Guards $35,350 $17.00 250
Pharmacy Technicians $34,670 $16.67 210
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $34,650 $16.66 260
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $34,480 $16.58 510
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria $34,430 $16.55 270
Receptionists and Information Clerks $33,170 $15.95 400
Packers and Packagers, Hand $32,380 $15.57 200
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners $32,020 $15.39 850
Stockers and Order Fillers $31,860 $15.32 1,190
Cooks, Restaurant $31,320 $15.06 550
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists $30,770 $14.79 270
Food Batchmakers $30,600 $14.71 310
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education $30,250 $14.54 200
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $28,940 $13.91 1,720
Food Preparation Workers $28,520 $13.71 300

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Altoona by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Retail Salespersons 2,070 $28,210 $13.56
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 1,720 $28,940 $13.91
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,630 $26,350 $12.67
Cashiers 1,570 $26,170 $12.58
Registered Nurses 1,560 $80,460 $38.69
General and Operations Managers 1,430 $81,340 $39.11
Office Clerks, General 1,260 $40,050 $19.26
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 1,220 $36,880 $17.73
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,190 $31,860 $15.32
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,140 $50,990 $24.52
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 850 $32,020 $15.39
Waiters and Waitresses 820 $26,550 $12.77
Nursing Assistants 800 $39,140 $18.82
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 770 $37,280 $17.93
Customer Service Representatives 750 $35,940 $17.28
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 670 $74,890 n/a
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 670 $45,270 $21.77
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers 640 $42,880 $20.61
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators 620 $35,750 $17.19
Cooks, Restaurant 550 $31,320 $15.06

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Pennsylvania metro areas

Altoona pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Altoona?

The median across all occupations is $43,100, or $20.72 an hour, covering 58,090 wage and salary workers. The mean is $53,440, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Altoona pay more than the rest of Pennsylvania?

No. The metro median of $43,100 is 11.2% below the Pennsylvania median of $48,550. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in Altoona?

Financial Managers ($106,290), Medical and Health Services Managers ($96,700), Project Management Specialists ($83,810). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Altoona unusually full of?

Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders, at 3.56× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.