What does this measure?
The average annual salary paid to workers in each economic sector.
Why is this important?
Salaries are a gauge of overall economic health and a measure of the degree to which employees are sharing in the prosperity of a community or a specific economic sector. They also indicate the vitality of specific sectors and their demand for workers.
How does our county compare?
In 2024, the three highest-paid sectors in Lancaster County were Financial Activities, with an average salary of $90,300; Construction, at $77,600; and Professional and Business Services, at $75,400. Salaries were higher at both the state and national level in each of these sectors. For example, the average salary for Financial Activities was 28% higher in Pennsylvania, at $115,400, and 38% higher nationally, at $124,500.
Similar to Lancaster, Financial Activities was the highest-paid sector in Berks, Chester, Cumberland, and Dauphin counties, while Construction was higher-paid in Lebanon and York Counties.
Notes about the data
Figures are in constant 2024 dollars. Industries in which most of the workforce is part-time (such as Leisure and Hospitality) may appear to pay even lower salaries than they do in comparison with sectors that have more full-time workers.
| Construction | Educational Services | Financial Activities | Government | Health Care and Social Assistance | Information | Leisure and Hospitality | Manufacturing | Natural Resources and Mining | Other Services | Professional and Business Services | Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $81,496 | $69,268 | $115,358 | $76,868 | $64,839 | $127,573 | $29,038 | $77,222 | $71,130 | $45,438 | $104,194 | $58,815 | $71,724 |
| Lancaster County | $77,583 | $48,571 | $90,288 | $64,953 | $62,809 | $66,864 | $24,473 | $70,706 | $50,058 | $45,449 | $75,351 | $51,493 | $59,966 |
| Berks County | $78,832 | $42,470 | $101,718 | $70,918 | $67,637 | $60,117 | $23,023 | $77,957 | $48,381 | $40,424 | $81,439 | $50,502 | $63,608 |
| Chester County | $89,905 | $66,466 | $159,634 | $72,999 | $63,359 | $153,921 | $28,089 | $86,061 | $51,180 | $42,986 | $128,682 | $65,762 | $87,886 |
| Cumberland County | $73,816 | $58,429 | $95,741 | $81,103 | $64,984 | $71,213 | $24,852 | $73,437 | $41,767 | $46,170 | $95,038 | $53,709 | $65,149 |
| Dauphin County | $84,308 | $61,722 | $99,671 | $72,510 | $72,782 | $82,145 | $27,055 | $81,745 | $49,849 | $54,175 | $90,810 | $56,518 | $68,012 |
| Lebanon County | $71,775 | $54,475 | $65,221 | $64,288 | $67,906 | $47,071 | $21,667 | $66,329 | $50,917 | $36,766 | $52,363 | $49,078 | $55,454 |
| York County | $83,008 | $45,649 | $78,984 | $82,152 | $73,983 | $64,989 | $22,484 | $71,375 | $48,800 | $42,883 | $73,432 | $50,765 | $62,427 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2024 dollars. N/A - Data not available or not disclosed.
| Construction | Educational Services | Financial Activities | Government | Health Care and Social Assistance | Information | Leisure and Hospitality | Manufacturing | Natural Resources and Mining | Other Services | Professional and Business Services | Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $21,964,949,609 | $34,111,064,669 | $39,217,321,427 | $18,241,814,101 | $74,857,162,521 | $12,042,281,568 | $16,589,153,307 | $43,534,991,853 | $3,478,060,135 | $9,439,407,077 | $87,910,535,466 | $70,287,816,428 | $431,766,091,531 |
| Lancaster County | $1,465,927,846 | $203,852,855 | $827,485,593 | $291,378,292 | $2,743,289,673 | $138,541,542 | $623,629,527 | $2,631,331,421 | $189,167,672 | $379,135,840 | $1,791,095,169 | $2,995,722,917 | $15,114,088,446 |
| Berks County | $588,085,649 | $94,197,923 | $567,177,772 | $315,799,579 | $1,990,418,395 | $52,542,002 | $344,535,074 | $2,453,863,638 | $130,047,604 | $221,845,843 | $1,615,180,213 | $1,840,185,827 | $11,048,128,746 |
| Chester County | $1,131,908,386 | $1,228,293,528 | $4,328,474,403 | $347,038,417 | $2,301,659,204 | $987,252,271 | $636,795,331 | $1,539,721,968 | $248,786,554 | $403,208,123 | $5,969,539,710 | $2,739,831,985 | $22,084,271,622 |
| Cumberland County | $377,198,814 | $482,623,224 | $716,431,385 | $614,518,759 | $1,401,438,045 | $76,767,657 | $293,225,647 | $654,028,198 | $19,755,872 | $225,264,894 | $1,905,316,602 | $2,113,344,466 | $8,968,954,799 |
| Dauphin County | $510,230,750 | $709,557,086 | $734,179,401 | $1,725,222,801 | $2,873,269,480 | $120,425,058 | $509,301,382 | $1,017,479,463 | $12,212,925 | $332,525,056 | $1,979,570,578 | $2,088,633,457 | $12,942,373,189 |
| Lebanon County | $156,541,690 | $207,006,267 | $82,112,994 | $189,200,239 | $621,133,956 | $14,403,808 | $99,039,293 | $632,046,111 | $23,879,969 | $56,362,643 | $188,454,660 | $686,501,781 | $2,966,796,685 |
| York County | $974,514,321 | $80,296,246 | $425,567,973 | $631,995,847 | $2,033,202,452 | $55,305,828 | $357,446,399 | $2,342,098,768 | $51,142,360 | $287,827,955 | $1,381,764,417 | $2,134,808,453 | $11,400,088,716 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2024 dollars. N/A - Data not available or not disclosed.
| INDICATORS | TREND |
|---|---|
| Change in Total Jobs | Increasing |
| Change in Employment by Sector | Not Applicable |
| Sector Share of Total Jobs | Increasing |
| Workers by Occupation | Not Applicable |
| Change in Labor Force | Decreasing |
| People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work | Not Applicable |
| Average Salary by Sector | Not Applicable |
| Change in Average Salary Since 2010 | Increasing |
| Female to Male Earnings Ratio | Maintaining |
| Employer Size | Not Applicable |
| Change in Number of Businesses by Sector | Increasing |
| Change in Total Agricultural Sales | Increasing |
| Spending for Local Government | Maintaining |
| Spending for School Districts | Maintaining |
