Pittsburgh Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Pittsburgh, PA: $23.87/hr median hourly wage, $49,650 median annual salary, cost of living index 94, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Pennsylvania taxes.
Pittsburgh Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Pittsburgh, PA is $23.87/hr,and the median annual wage is $49,650. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.80/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $33.90/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Pittsburgh, PA metropolitan statistical area (1,114,490 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Pittsburgh shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$49,650
$23.87/hr
Cost of Living
94
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3.8%
rate
Pittsburgh, PA Overview
Population
302,971
Median Salary
$49,650
Average Salary
$65,230
Avg Commute
26 min
Median Home Price
$220,000
Median Rent
$1,200/mo
Job Growth
+1.8%
Sales Tax
7%
Pittsburgh is located in Pennsylvania with a population of 302,971. The median annual wage across all occupations is $49,650 ($23.87/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Pittsburgh, PA metro), which is $1,330 below 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 26 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1.8%.
Pittsburgh Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Pittsburgh, PA built around the $49,650 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Pittsburgh, PA metro). 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 | $30,783 | $14.80/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $49,650 | $23.87/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $70,503 | $33.90/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $88,377 | $42.49/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. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Pittsburgh Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$39,060
$3,255.00/month · $1,502.31/biweekly · Effective Rate: 21.3%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,502.31 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
$49,650
Federal Tax
-$3,778
State Tax
-$1,524
Local Tax
-$1,490
FICA
-$3,798
Net Pay
$39,060
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,137.50 | $49,650.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$314.83 | -$3,778.00 |
| Pennsylvania State Tax (3.07% eff.) | -$127.02 | -$1,524.26 |
| Local Tax (3%) | -$124.13 | -$1,489.50 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$256.53 | -$3,078.30 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$59.99 | -$719.93 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,255.00 | $39,060.02 |
Salary Comparison: Pittsburgh vs Other Cities
See how Pittsburgh's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | $49,650 | 94 | $52,819 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Cranberry Township, PA | $49,650 | 97.5 | $50,923 |
| Omaha, NE | $49,660 | 92 | $53,978 |
| Bellevue, NE | $49,660 | 93 | $53,398 |
| Reno, NV | $49,660 | 105 | $47,295 |
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 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh's cost of living index is 94 (national average = 100). Living in Pittsburgh is 6% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$220,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,200
Annual Rent Cost
$14,400
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $39,060 annual take-home pay in Pittsburgh has the purchasing power of approximately $41,553 in an average-cost US area. Your $49,650 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $49,650.
Salary Tips for Pittsburgh Workers
- Research top industries. Pittsburgh's top industries include Healthcare, Technology, Education. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $49,650 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
Radnor
Reading
Ross Township
Scranton
Shaler
State College
Tredyffrin
Upper Darby
Upper Merion
Warminster
Wayne
Whitehall Township
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Pittsburgh salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Pittsburgh, PA metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Pittsburgh indexed at 94.
- Median salary: $49,650 annual, $23.87 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Pittsburgh, PA MSA (1,114,490 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $65,230 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Pittsburgh was $62,000.
- Tax burden reflects Pennsylvania 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3.07%), plus Pittsburgh local tax of 3%, sales tax (7%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Pittsburgh: 3.8%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Healthcare, Technology, Education, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1.8% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Pennsylvania.
- Housing context: median home price $220,000, median rent $1,200/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Pittsburgh, PA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Pittsburgh unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Pittsburgh 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. Pittsburgh'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) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median hourly wage in Pittsburgh, PA is $23.87 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Pittsburgh, PA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $49,650. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.80/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $33.90/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median salary in Pittsburgh, PA is $49,650 per year, or $23.87 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Pittsburgh, PA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $65,230. This is $1,330 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Pittsburgh, PA?
Pittsburgh's cost of living index is 94 (national average = 100), meaning it is 6% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $220,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,200.
What are the best industries in Pittsburgh?
The top industries in Pittsburgh, PA include Healthcare, Technology, Education. The city has a job growth rate of 1.8% and an unemployment rate of 3.8%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $49,650.
How does Pittsburgh's salary compare to other cities?
Pittsburgh's median salary of $49,650 is 2.6% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 94), the real purchasing power is approximately $52,819.
What is the minimum wage in Pittsburgh, PA?
The minimum wage in Pittsburgh, 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.