Chester Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Chester, PA: $26.68/hr median hourly wage, $55,486 median annual salary, cost of living index 99.6, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Pennsylvania taxes.
Chester Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Chester, PA is $26.68/hr,equivalent to $55,486 per year at 2,080 work hours. Entry-level pay estimates around $16.54/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $37.89/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures are Salario estimates: BLS OEWS does not publish a metropolitan-area wage series that covers Chester, PA.
Median Salary
$55,486
$26.68/hr
Cost of Living
99.6
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3.5%
rate
Chester, PA Overview
Population
33,988
Median Salary
$55,486
Average Salary
$62,144
Avg Commute
20 min
Median Home Price
$233,000
Median Rent
$949/mo
Job Growth
+1.6%
Sales Tax
6%
Chester is located in Pennsylvania with a population of 33,988. The median annual wage across all occupations is $55,486 ($26.68/hour, Salario estimate), which is $4,506 above the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 20 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1.6%.
Chester Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Chester, PA built around the $55,486 median salary (Salario estimate). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $34,401 | $16.54/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $55,486 | $26.68/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $78,790 | $37.89/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $98,765 | $47.49/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value where BLS covers the metro, which is not the case here. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Chester Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Chester, PA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$44,077
$3,673.12/month · $1,695.29/biweekly · Effective Rate: 20.6%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,695.29 take-home per paycheck after estimated Pennsylvania and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$55,486
Federal Tax
-$4,478
State Tax
-$1,703
Local Tax
-$982
FICA
-$4,245
Net Pay
$44,077
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,623.83 | $55,486.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$373.19 | -$4,478.32 |
| Pennsylvania State Tax (3.07% eff.) | -$141.95 | -$1,703.42 |
| Local Tax (1.77%) | -$81.84 | -$982.10 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$286.68 | -$3,440.13 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$67.05 | -$804.55 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,673.12 | $44,077.48 |
Salary Comparison: Chester vs Other Cities
See how Chester's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester, PA | $55,486 | 99.6 | $55,709 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Huntsville, TX | $55,425 | 88.7 | $62,486 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $55,380 | 108 | $51,278 |
| Upper Darby, PA | $55,332 | 94.5 | $58,552 |
| Fort Collins, CO | $55,310 | 108 | $51,213 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Chester
Chester's cost of living index is 99.6 (national average = 100). Living in Chester is 0.4000000000000057% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$233,000
Median Monthly Rent
$949
Annual Rent Cost
$11,388
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $44,077 annual take-home pay in Chester has the purchasing power of approximately $44,254 in an average-cost US area. Your $55,486 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Chester
Chester's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $55,486.
Salary Tips for Chester Workers
- Research top industries. Chester's top industries include Healthcare, Education, Manufacturing. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $55,486 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in Pennsylvania
Cranberry Township
Drexel Hill
Easton
Erie
Falls Township
Harrisburg
Haverford
Lancaster
Levittown
Lower Makefield
Lower Merion
Manheim Township
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Chester salary data: BLS OEWS does not publish a metropolitan-area series covering Chester, so the median and average salary here are Salario estimates built from state and regional wage references, not BLS survey values. The entry/senior/top-10% rows and paycheck estimate are Salario calculations built on that estimate. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Chester indexed at 99.6.
- Median salary: $55,486 annual, $26.68 hourly, Salario estimate.
- Tax burden reflects Pennsylvania 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3.07%), plus Chester local tax of 1.77%, sales tax (6%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Chester: 3.5%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Healthcare, Education, Manufacturing, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.6% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Pennsylvania.
- Housing context: median home price $233,000, median rent $949/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Chester, PA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Chester unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Chester QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Pennsylvania, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Chester's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Pennsylvania labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) where available · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Chester, PA?
The median hourly wage in Chester, PA is estimated at $26.68 per hour (Salario model; BLS does not publish a metropolitan-area series for this city). At a standard 2,080-hour work year, that equals about $55,486 per year. Entry-level workers are estimated around $16.54/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $37.89/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits.
What is the median salary in Chester, PA?
The median salary in Chester, PA is $55,486 per year, or $26.68 per hour (Salario estimate). The average salary is $62,144. This is $4,506 above the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Chester, PA?
Chester's cost of living index is 99.6 (national average = 100), meaning it is 0.4000000000000057% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $233,000 and the median monthly rent is $949.
What are the best industries in Chester?
The top industries in Chester, PA include Healthcare, Education, Manufacturing. The city has a job growth rate of 1.6% and an unemployment rate of 3.5%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $55,486.
How does Chester's salary compare to other cities?
Chester's median salary of $55,486 is 8.8% above the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 99.6), the real purchasing power is approximately $55,709.
What is the minimum wage in Chester, PA?
The minimum wage in Chester, PA is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.