StateRates

State College salaries

The median worker in the State College, PA metro area earned $50,250 a year in 2024, about $24.16 an hour. That ranks #70 of the 391 metro areas published here, 1.5% above the national median.

Pennsylvania

Median pay $50,250 $24.16 per hour
Vs national +1.5% U.S. $49,500
Workers 68,760 wage and salary
Metro rank #70 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

State College pays 3.5% 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
Engineers, All Other 11.72× 790 $87,100
Instructional Coordinators 6.88× 650 $64,580
Correctional Officers and Jailers 4.71× 770 $63,540
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 2.07× 1,600 $42,580
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1.83× 1,250 $53,360
Bartenders 1.52× 500 $27,470
Construction Laborers 1.31× 620 $55,540
Waiters and Waitresses 1.27× 1,300 $29,390
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 1.18× 500 $37,950
Cooks, Restaurant 1.15× 740 $35,430
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 1.15× 760 $60,900
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 1.12× 530 $77,510

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in State College
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Computer and Information Systems Managers $181,570 $87.29 350
Financial Managers $117,000 $56.25 300
Computer Occupations, All Other $111,210 $53.47 250
Managers, All Other $108,490 $52.16 200
Software Developers $103,380 $49.70 370
Medical and Health Services Managers $102,100 $49.09 240
Project Management Specialists $101,620 $48.86 370
Computer Systems Analysts $92,130 $44.29 200
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $88,050 $42.33 350
Engineers, All Other $87,100 $41.88 790
General and Operations Managers $85,180 $40.95 1,430
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers $84,510 $40.63 260
Business Operations Specialists, All Other $83,940 $40.36 220
Computer Programmers $81,490 $39.18 340
Registered Nurses $80,620 $38.76 1,270
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $79,850 $38.39 280
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $77,510 n/a 530
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education $75,890 n/a 520
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers $75,330 $36.22 270
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $71,790 n/a 260
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $69,080 $33.21 230
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $69,070 $33.21 310
Fundraisers $66,750 $32.09 350
Human Resources Specialists $66,340 $31.90 430
Food Service Managers $66,150 $31.81 230
Buyers and Purchasing Agents $65,120 $31.31 240
Instructional Coordinators $64,580 $31.05 650
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists $64,280 $30.90 310
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $64,000 $30.77 270
Correctional Officers and Jailers $63,540 $30.55 770
Accountants and Auditors $63,480 $30.52 460
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $61,340 $29.49 450
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $60,900 $29.28 760
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $60,170 $28.93 390
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $59,220 $28.47 380
Carpenters $58,350 $28.05 350
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel $58,300 $28.03 290
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $57,410 $27.60 250
Electricians $56,160 $27.00 200
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors $55,600 $26.73 280
Construction Laborers $55,540 $26.70 620
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $55,260 $26.57 590
Computer User Support Specialists $54,970 $26.43 280
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General $53,360 $25.65 1,250
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics $47,590 $22.88 310
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers $45,990 $22.11 510
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $44,350 $21.32 200
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $44,260 $21.28 610
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $43,260 $20.80 410
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $42,580 $20.47 1,600
Medical Assistants $42,370 $20.37 220
Office Clerks, General $42,090 $20.24 1,100
Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan $41,640 $20.02 200
Light Truck Drivers $41,280 $19.84 340
Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers $39,020 $18.76 340
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $38,390 $18.46 580
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks $38,380 $18.45 240
Security Guards $38,350 $18.44 320
Nursing Assistants $38,310 $18.42 550
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers $37,950 $18.24 500

Where most people work

Largest occupations in State College by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Fast Food and Counter Workers 1,780 $27,540 $13.24
Retail Salespersons 1,690 $29,350 $14.11
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 1,600 $42,580 $20.47
General and Operations Managers 1,430 $85,180 $40.95
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 1,370 $30,000 $14.43
Waiters and Waitresses 1,300 $29,390 $14.13
Cashiers 1,280 $28,510 $13.71
Registered Nurses 1,270 $80,620 $38.76
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1,250 $53,360 $25.65
Stockers and Order Fillers 1,190 $34,600 $16.64
Office Clerks, General 1,100 $42,090 $20.24
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 1,010 $34,080 $16.38
Customer Service Representatives 900 $36,800 $17.69
Engineers, All Other 790 $87,100 $41.88
Correctional Officers and Jailers 770 $63,540 $30.55
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 760 $60,900 $29.28
Cooks, Restaurant 740 $35,430 $17.03
Instructional Coordinators 650 $64,580 $31.05
Construction Laborers 620 $55,540 $26.70
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 610 $44,260 $21.28

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

State College pay: common questions

What is the average salary in State College?

The median across all occupations is $50,250, or $24.16 an hour, covering 68,760 wage and salary workers. The mean is $62,960, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does State College pay more than the rest of Pennsylvania?

Yes. The metro median of $50,250 is 3.5% 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 State College?

Computer and Information Systems Managers ($181,570), Financial Managers ($117,000), Computer Occupations, All Other ($111,210). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is State College unusually full of?

Engineers, All Other, at 11.72× 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.