Jobs, pay and daily life in State College, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
State College is a city in Pennsylvania with 41,050 residents. The median household earns $45,424 a year and the median rent is $1,273 a month, which is 33.6% of the median household income. It is part of the State College, PA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 68,840 jobs.
How State College compares. Among the 100 largest places in Pennsylvania, State College is #14 by population, #100 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #2 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #4 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Centre County, is #15 of 67 counties for average pay ($62,822).
State College has 41,050 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Pennsylvania. It covers 5 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 8,967 people per square mile. The median age is 21.2, 48% younger than the state median (21.2 against 40.9).
The median gross rent is $1,273 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% above the state median ($1,273 against $1,209). Over a year that is 33.6% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so rent here is above that line for the typical household. The median home value is $437,800, which is 9.6 times the median household income ($45,424); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 26.1% of households own their home, 62% below the state average (26.1% against 69.3%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The State College, PA metropolitan area has 68,840 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,220 a year, 3% below the national median ($49,220 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are educational instruction and library (10,010 jobs, median $79,360); food preparation and serving related (7,290 jobs, median $30,960); office and administrative support (7,230 jobs, median $45,090). The area is most specialised in educational instruction and library (2.5 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are educational instruction and library ($79,360) and office and administrative support ($45,090). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Centre County was 2.6%. 45.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Centre County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 38.3% drive alone, 6.4% use public transit, 30.9% walk, 15.3% work from home. 3.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 76% below the state average (3.9% against 16.4%).
68.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 94% above the state share (68.4% against 35.2%). 12.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 62% above the state share (12.5% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 38.1%, 225% above the state rate (38.1% against 11.7%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 24°F (-4.5°C). About 1,063 mm (42 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (108 mm) and Feb the driest (64 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Altoona (35 miles, rent 36% lower); Williamsport (53 miles, rent 33% lower); Carlisle (53 miles, rent 14% lower); Sunbury (56 miles, rent 42% lower). Rent differences are against State College; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Pennsylvania (519) →State guide: PennsylvaniaCountry guideCentre CountyPennsylvania rankings
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There are 519 federal postings open in Pennsylvania (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,320 | 1.36 | $27,790 | $21,660 | $35,650 | -11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,710 | 0.99 | $29,240 | $23,310 | $38,890 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,470 | 0.95 | $91,120 | $46,850 | $192,420 | -14% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,460 | 1.34 | $43,920 | $26,110 | $58,160 | -2% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,380 | 0.72 | $29,950 | $26,640 | $38,070 | -16% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,360 | 1.39 | $35,850 | $28,680 | $45,240 | -3% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,350 | 1.34 | $35,280 | $17,150 | $59,750 | +0% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,310 | 0.87 | $81,480 | $66,810 | $100,380 | -16% |
| Cashiers | 1,280 | 0.93 | $28,090 | $22,160 | $34,620 | -15% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,180 | 0.94 | $33,890 | $26,740 | $46,150 | -9% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,140 | 1.51 | $47,700 | $34,920 | $57,220 | +0% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 940 | 0.82 | $42,590 | $28,740 | $60,560 | -5% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 870 | 1.28 | $48,420 | $35,190 | $61,660 | -2% |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 770 | 4.55 | $66,730 | $46,840 | $87,420 | +13% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 730 | 1.16 | $35,990 | $23,860 | $44,510 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 650 | 0.71 | $56,130 | $42,360 | $75,110 | -4% |
| Construction Laborers | 620 | 1.28 | $53,420 | $37,990 | $71,300 | +13% |
| Bartenders | 570 | 1.69 | $28,100 | $17,260 | $62,280 | -18% |
| Nursing Assistants | 540 | 0.85 | $39,440 | $37,340 | $44,570 | -7% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 540 | 0.87 | $76,760 | $58,200 | $98,700 | +20% |
These figures are for the whole State College, PA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,220 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 42.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 25.6% |
| Retail trade | 10.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.5% |
| Manufacturing | 3.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.2% |
| Other services | 2.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 1.8% |
| Public administration | 1.8% |
| Construction | 1.3% |
| Information | 0.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where State College lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre County | 158,576 | $11,249 million | $70,938 | 68,578 | 3,610 | $62,822 | +0.2% | 2.6% | 78,787 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 9,305 | 20.9% | $67,973 | 0.95 |
| Retail trade | 7,120 | 16.0% | $32,710 | 1.04 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,725 | 15.1% | $23,986 | 1.08 |
| Manufacturing | 4,328 | 9.7% | $65,367 | 0.77 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,993 | 6.7% | $89,735 | 0.63 |
| Construction | 2,879 | 6.5% | $71,349 | 0.80 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,946 | 4.4% | $37,428 | 0.94 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,657 | 3.7% | $41,902 | 0.41 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,298 | 2.9% | $104,410 | 0.47 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,243 | 2.8% | $47,652 | 0.43 |
| Real estate and rental | 977 | 2.2% | $53,438 | 0.92 |
| Information | 939 | 2.1% | $95,112 | 0.73 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 774 | 1.7% | $23,868 | 0.67 |
| Wholesale trade | 625 | 1.4% | $72,356 | 0.23 |
| Management of companies | 567 | 1.3% | $103,456 | 0.49 |
| Educational services | 552 | 1.2% | $30,196 | 0.39 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 267 | 0.6% | $37,398 | 0.48 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 156 | 0.4% | $84,364 | 0.60 |
| Utilities | 115 | 0.3% | $128,114 | 0.44 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 38.3% |
| Public transit | 6.4% |
| Walk | 30.9% |
| Work from home | 15.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $45,424 |
| Income per person | $24,746 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,273 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 33.6% |
| Median home value | $437,800 |
| Homeowners | 26.1% |
| Poverty rate | 38.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,220 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.07%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 21.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 97.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 68.4% |
| Born abroad | 12.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 45.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.5 | 24 | 70 |
| Feb | -3.7 | 25 | 64 |
| Mar | 1.2 | 34 | 76 |
| Apr | 7.8 | 46 | 87 |
| May | 14.2 | 58 | 103 |
| Jun | 18.9 | 66 | 107 |
| Jul | 21.7 | 71 | 108 |
| Aug | 21.1 | 70 | 99 |
| Sep | 17.3 | 63 | 96 |
| Oct | 10.1 | 50 | 95 |
| Nov | 3.7 | 39 | 73 |
| Dec | -1.7 | 29 | 85 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona | PA | 35 mi | 43,196 | $51,250 | $819 |
| Williamsport | PA | 53 mi | 27,612 | $48,851 | $855 |
| Carlisle | PA | 53 mi | 21,852 | $61,720 | $1,094 |
| Sunbury | PA | 56 mi | 9,617 | $51,028 | $738 |
| St. Marys | PA | 57 mi | 12,529 | $67,167 | $762 |
| Mechanicsburg | PA | 60 mi | 9,720 | $84,421 | $1,083 |
| Chambersburg | PA | 60 mi | 22,319 | $56,576 | $1,099 |
| Harrisburg | PA | 62 mi | 50,287 | $48,099 | $1,062 |
| Progress | PA | 64 mi | 11,017 | $73,030 | $1,233 |
| Johnstown | PA | 64 mi | 18,087 | $37,888 | $644 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
41,050 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,273 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 33.6% of the median household income.
$45,424 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.6% (BLS county, Centre County (latest month 2026M09)).
Pennsylvania. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.