Among the 14 metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania, Allentown, Philadelphia, Reading, and York had wages significantly above the national average for secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. These four areas were located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth. Sheila Watkins, the Bureau’s regional commissioner, noted that no metropolitan area in Pennsylvania had wages that fell measurably below those for the nation in all three occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for secondary school teachers was $56,760; for middle school teachers, $55,780; and for elementary school teachers, $55,270. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, please see Technical Note.)

The Philadelphia area had 67,060 secondary, middle, and elementary school teachers, the largest number among the 14 metropolitan areas in the Commonwealth. About two-thirds (44,690) of the Philadelphia area’s teachers were located in the Philadelphia metropolitan division, consisting of Philadelphia County and the four surrounding suburban counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery. Pittsburgh, with 26,060, had Pennsylvania’s second-largest number of teachers in these three occupations. Employment levels for teachers in each of the remaining areas were less than 10,000. (See table B. The Philadelphia area’s other two divisions, Camden and Wilmington, are located entirely in New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland and their data have not been presented in this release.)

Wages for secondary school teachers in metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania

Seven metropolitan areas in the Commonwealth had wages for secondary school teachers that were significantly higher than the national average. York-Hanover was the highest-paying metropolitan area in Pennsylvania for secondary school teachers at $62,990 per year, more than $6,000 above the national average. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md., was the second highest-paying metropolitan area in Pennsylvania for secondary school teachers at $62,550 per year. Both York and Philadelphia, as well as the other five areas with above average wages for this occupation, were located in the eastern half of the state. (See chart 1.) Altoona and Erie, located in the western half of Pennsylvania, were the only metropolitan areas with significantly below-average wages for secondary teachers at $45,900 and $48,810, respectively. Each of these area wages was more than $7,900 below the national wage.

Wages for middle school teachers in metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia metropolitan area paid top wages for middle school teachers in the Commonwealth at $65,690 per year. Three other metropolitan areas had average wages above $60,000: Reading, Allentown and York. All four of the areas with significantly higher wages for this occupation were located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth. (See chart 2.)  No metropolitan area had wages for middle school teachers that were measurably lower than the national average.

Wages for elementary school teachers in metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania

The Lancaster metropolitan area paid top wages for elementary school teachers in the Commonwealth at $61,730 per year. In addition to Lancaster, six other areas had wages significantly above the national average—ranging from $61,340 in York to $57,540 in Philadelphia. All seven of these areas were located in the eastern half of the Commonwealth. (See chart 3.) Three metropolitan aresa in western and central Pennsylvania had wages that were measurably below the U.S. average: Johnstown ($43,500), State College ($48,080), and Erie ($50,790).

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry; the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development; the Delaware Department of Labor; and the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. The OES survey provides estimates of employment and hourly and annual wages for wage and salary workers in 22 major occupational groups and about 800 detailed occupations for the nation, states, metropolitan statistical areas, metropolitan divisions, and nonmetropolitan areas.

Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual mail survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are also surveyed, but their data are not included in the national estimates. OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Forms are mailed to approximately 200,000 establishments in May and November of each year for a 3-year period. The nationwide response rate for the May 2011 survey was 77.3 percent based on establishments and 73.3 percent based on employment. May 2011 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2011, November 2010, May 2010, November 2009, May 2009, and November 2008. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.

The May 2011 OES estimates are based in part on data collected using the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. Nearly all the occupations in this release are 2010 SOC occupations; however, some are not. The May 2012 OES data will reflect the full set of detailed occupations in the 2010 SOC. For a list of all occupations, including 2010 SOC occupations, and how data collected on two structures were combined, see the OES Frequently Asked Questions online at www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm#Ques41.

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

• Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pa.-N.J. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County in New Jersey.
• Altoona, Pa. MSA includes Blair County in Pennsylvania.
• Erie, Pa. MSA includes Erie County in Pennsylvania.
• Harrisburg-Carlisle, Pa. MSA includes Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry Counties in Pennsylvania.
• Johnstown, Pa. MSA includes Cambria County in Pennsylvania.
• Lancaster, Pa. MSA includes Lancaster County in Pennsylvania.
• Lebanon, Pa. MSA includes Lebanon County in Pennsylvania.
• Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. MSA
  • Camden, N.J. Metropolitan Division (MD) includes Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey.
  • Philadelphia, Pa. MD includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania.
  • Wilmington, Del.-Md.-N.J. MD includes New Castle County in Delaware, Cecil County in Maryland, and Salem County in New Jersey.
• Pittsburgh, Pa. MSA includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania.
• Reading, Pa. MSA includes Berks County in Pennsylvania.
• Scranton—Wilkes-Barre, Pa. MSA includes Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties in Pennsylvania.
• State College, Pa. MSA includes Centre County in Pennsylvania.
• Williamsport, Pa. MSA includes Lycoming County in Pennsylvania.
• York-Hanover, Pa. MSA includes York County in Pennsylvania.

Additional information

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