StateRates

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington salaries

The median worker in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earned $51,760 a year in 2024, about $24.89 an hour. That ranks #53 of the 391 metro areas published here, 4.6% above the national median.

Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware Maryland

Median pay $51,760 $24.89 per hour
Vs national +4.6% U.S. $49,500
Workers 2,868,720 wage and salary
Metro rank #53 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays 6.6% more 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
Shampooers 5.99× 990 $29,910
Biochemists and Biophysicists 4.05× 2,600 $110,460
Chemists 3.67× 5,690 $76,620
Parking Enforcement Workers 3.49× 500 $46,220
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary 3.16× 13,520 $104,280
Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks 2.69× 600 $65,110
Natural Sciences Managers 2.51× 4,700 $168,360
Brokerage Clerks 2.49× 1,860 $62,940
Manicurists and Pedicurists 2.4× 6,600 $29,960
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians 2.36× 530 $35,020
Financial Risk Specialists 2.34× 2,450 $123,450
Crossing Guards and Flaggers 2.29× 3,840 $37,840

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Psychiatrists $236,740 $113.82 600
Pediatricians, General $220,310 $105.92 1,190
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $200,150 $96.23 220
Physicians, All Other $179,220 $86.16 8,290
Dentists, General $174,220 $83.76 2,090
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $172,710 n/a 3,230
Computer and Information Systems Managers $170,330 $81.89 12,820
Natural Sciences Managers $168,360 $80.94 4,700
Architectural and Engineering Managers $166,850 $80.22 4,400
Physicists $165,730 $79.68 320
Financial Managers $164,340 $79.01 18,270
Marketing Managers $161,340 $77.57 7,270
Podiatrists $160,750 $77.29 230
Purchasing Managers $152,380 $73.26 1,420
Lawyers $148,030 $71.17 18,270
Sales Managers $144,910 $69.67 9,020
Human Resources Managers $144,450 $69.45 4,220
Database Architects $143,110 $68.80 1,200
Optometrists $139,550 $67.09 780
Computer Hardware Engineers $139,400 $67.02 600
Managers, All Other $138,940 $66.80 13,830
Pharmacists $137,960 $66.33 7,070
Compensation and Benefits Managers $137,880 $66.29 480
Nuclear Engineers $136,590 $65.67 240
Public Relations Managers $134,610 $64.72 1,280
Training and Development Managers $133,970 $64.41 840
Commercial Pilots $133,520 n/a 240
Veterinarians $133,340 $64.11 1,660
Physical Scientists, All Other $132,750 $63.82 260
Nurse Practitioners $131,590 $63.27 5,780
Actuaries $130,750 $62.86 910
Software Developers $130,670 $62.82 26,150
Physician Assistants $130,240 $62.62 3,000
Computer Network Architects $129,360 $62.19 3,060
Aerospace Engineers $128,400 $61.73 1,930
Psychologists, All Other $128,400 $61.73 320
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $127,120 n/a 7,070
Electrical Engineers $125,350 $60.26 3,720
Computer and Information Research Scientists $124,680 $59.94 330
Information Security Analysts $124,270 $59.74 2,440
Industrial Production Managers $124,260 $59.74 4,080
Construction Managers $123,460 $59.36 3,310
Financial Risk Specialists $123,450 $59.35 2,450
Economists $121,820 $58.57 230
Fundraising Managers $121,640 $58.48 900
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $120,960 $58.15 3,050
Chemical Engineers $120,300 $57.84 850
Administrative Services Managers $119,740 $57.57 3,910
Medical and Health Services Managers $119,250 $57.33 12,620
Advertising and Promotions Managers $118,800 $57.11 500
Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors $116,890 $56.20 290
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers $115,770 $55.66 1,110
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $115,730 $55.64 730
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers $114,870 $55.23 400
Computer Occupations, All Other $114,720 $55.16 8,610
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $112,850 $54.25 3,930
Materials Engineers $112,290 $53.99 330
General and Operations Managers $111,490 $53.60 68,020
Radiation Therapists $111,370 $53.54 540
Biochemists and Biophysicists $110,460 $53.11 2,600

Where most people work

Largest occupations in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 142,460 $29,530 $14.20
Registered Nurses 74,840 $99,210 $47.70
General and Operations Managers 68,020 $111,490 $53.60
Retail Salespersons 64,820 $33,630 $16.17
Fast Food and Counter Workers 63,800 $31,470 $15.13
Cashiers 54,450 $31,470 $15.13
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 52,930 $42,300 $20.34
Office Clerks, General 51,570 $46,020 $22.13
Customer Service Representatives 47,010 $45,280 $21.77
Stockers and Order Fillers 45,010 $36,670 $17.63
Waiters and Waitresses 43,170 $35,900 $17.26
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 40,990 $36,450 $17.52
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 34,970 $47,800 $22.98
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 31,320 $69,690 $33.50
Nursing Assistants 30,390 $43,000 $20.67
Accountants and Auditors 29,180 $84,080 $40.42
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 29,090 $60,000 $28.85
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 26,240 $32,420 n/a
Software Developers 26,150 $130,670 $62.82
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 25,520 $78,440 n/a

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

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pay: common questions

What is the average salary in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?

The median across all occupations is $51,760, or $24.89 an hour, covering 2,868,720 wage and salary workers. The mean is $69,620, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pay more than the rest of Pennsylvania?

Yes. The metro median of $51,760 is 6.6% above 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?

Psychiatrists ($236,740), Pediatricians, General ($220,310), Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates ($200,150). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington unusually full of?

Shampooers, at 5.99× 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.