StateRates

Harrisburg-Carlisle salaries

The median worker in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area earned $48,510 a year in 2024, about $23.32 an hour. That ranks #117 of the 391 metro areas published here, 2% below the national median.

Pennsylvania

Median pay $48,510 $23.32 per hour
Vs national -2% U.S. $49,500
Workers 330,750 wage and salary
Metro rank #117 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Harrisburg-Carlisle pays 0.1% 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
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents 4.53× 520 $54,140
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators 4.06× 970 $55,410
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 3.25× 5,620 $48,340
Food Batchmakers 2.28× 840 $45,910
Logisticians 2.24× 1,130 $83,820
Amusement and Recreation Attendants 2.02× 1,610 $29,900
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 12,780 $42,060
Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other 1.94× 730 $40,970
Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists 1.83× 1,120 $62,880
Computer Occupations, All Other 1.81× 1,700 $97,870
Packers and Packagers, Hand 1.78× 2,300 $37,100
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs 1.75× 860 $35,910

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Harrisburg-Carlisle
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Chief Executives $211,560 $101.71 730
Architectural and Engineering Managers $144,140 $69.30 380
Computer and Information Systems Managers $143,410 $68.95 1,180
Pharmacists $134,690 $64.75 790
Nurse Practitioners $131,390 $63.17 500
Financial Managers $130,630 $62.80 1,650
Human Resources Managers $125,410 $60.29 500
Lawyers $125,150 $60.17 1,910
Physician Assistants $124,080 $59.66 450
Marketing Managers $123,970 $59.60 590
Sales Managers $123,660 $59.45 930
Managers, All Other $122,600 $58.94 1,670
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $121,950 $58.63 330
Computer Network Architects $119,450 $57.43 370
Software Developers $106,690 $51.29 2,120
Administrative Services Managers $105,710 $50.82 530
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $105,570 $50.76 560
Information Security Analysts $105,280 $50.62 220
Education Administrators, Postsecondary $104,240 $50.12 230
Natural Sciences Managers $104,000 $50.00 210
Construction Managers $103,810 $49.91 280
Industrial Production Managers $103,460 $49.74 400
Medical and Health Services Managers $103,420 $49.72 1,500
Electrical Engineers $102,460 $49.26 300
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $101,510 n/a 740
Physical Therapists $98,880 $47.54 710
General and Operations Managers $98,010 $47.12 7,770
Computer Occupations, All Other $97,870 $47.05 1,700
Project Management Specialists $97,360 $46.81 1,840
Database Administrators $96,100 $46.20 220
Mechanical Engineers $96,050 $46.18 560
Personal Financial Advisors $95,930 $46.12 430
Facilities Managers $95,440 $45.88 300
Industrial Engineers $95,220 $45.78 450
Occupational Therapists $94,700 $45.53 480
Computer Systems Analysts $94,590 $45.48 1,030
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $92,580 $44.51 570
Civil Engineers $92,000 $44.23 1,210
Financial Specialists, All Other $91,600 $44.04 420
Data Scientists $87,070 $41.86 500
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $86,900 $41.78 200
Speech-Language Pathologists $86,440 $41.56 460
Registered Nurses $85,500 $41.10 8,950
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $85,320 $41.02 1,440
Financial and Investment Analysts $84,200 $40.48 630
Logisticians $83,820 $40.30 1,130
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $82,450 $39.64 1,260
Health Education Specialists $82,430 $39.63 400
Dental Hygienists $81,510 $39.19 420
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists $80,600 $38.75 310
Budget Analysts $78,890 $37.93 330
Operations Research Analysts $78,890 $37.93 240
Management Analysts $78,820 $37.89 2,460
Social and Community Service Managers $78,060 $37.53 450
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $77,990 $37.50 300
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers $77,980 $37.49 230
Detectives and Criminal Investigators $76,750 $36.90 290
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $76,510 $36.78 1,160
Labor Relations Specialists $76,160 $36.62 390
Cost Estimators $76,090 $36.58 410

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Harrisburg-Carlisle by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 12,780 $42,060 $20.22
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 11,900 $28,710 $13.80
Registered Nurses 8,950 $85,500 $41.10
General and Operations Managers 7,770 $98,010 $47.12
Fast Food and Counter Workers 7,420 $28,350 $13.63
Retail Salespersons 7,420 $30,360 $14.60
Stockers and Order Fillers 7,120 $36,580 $17.59
Office Clerks, General 6,890 $43,530 $20.93
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 6,470 $60,890 $29.28
Cashiers 5,710 $28,610 $13.75
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators 5,620 $48,340 $23.24
Customer Service Representatives 5,600 $40,170 $19.31
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 4,510 $66,040 $31.75
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 4,430 $35,450 $17.04
Nursing Assistants 4,140 $39,010 $18.75
Waiters and Waitresses 4,120 $29,370 $14.12
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 3,740 $46,780 $22.49
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 3,340 $49,370 $23.74
Accountants and Auditors 3,310 $74,640 $35.89
Light Truck Drivers 3,290 $45,510 $21.88

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

Harrisburg-Carlisle pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Harrisburg-Carlisle?

The median across all occupations is $48,510, or $23.32 an hour, covering 330,750 wage and salary workers. The mean is $61,700, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Harrisburg-Carlisle pay more than the rest of Pennsylvania?

No. The metro median of $48,510 is 0.1% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?

Chief Executives ($211,560), Architectural and Engineering Managers ($144,140), Computer and Information Systems Managers ($143,410). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Harrisburg-Carlisle unusually full of?

Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents, at 4.53× 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.