One-Pager Published March 9, 2020

Opportunity Scorecard: Pennsylvania

By:

Ryan Bhandari

Building off our Opportunity Index model, we looked at cost of living and wages paid across every region in Pennsylvania to see how much opportunity there was for workers. Jobs fall into four categories: hardship jobs, living-wage jobs, middle-class jobs, and professional jobs.¹

In Pennsylvania, statewide, only 38% of jobs support a middle class life or better and on average, individuals need $44,024 to get to a middle class life. Both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, the two largest metropolitan areas, have the highest number of jobs considered to be middle class or better at 43% and both added over 50,000 jobs between 2005 and 2015. The rest of the state hasn’t fared as well. The other metro areas tend to have between 30 and 35% of jobs considered middle class or professional. The three rural areas have between 36% and 40% of their jobs on average to be considered middle class or professional.

Endnotes

For more information on Third Way’s Opportunity Index and job categories, please visit: https://www.thirdway.org/report/the-opportunity-index-ranking-opportunity-in-metropolitan-america. Hardship job: cannot support a single childless adult living by himself.

Living wage job: supports a single childless adult living in a two bedroom unit with another adult. This salary would cover health insurance, food, and basic necessities but no money for entertainment, vacation, savings, or retirement.

Middle class job: pays enough to support half the expenses for a family of four living a middle class life. This includes a three bedroom unit, food, health insurance, basic necessities and money for entertainment, vacation, savings, retirement, and childcare.

Professional class job: pays enough to support 75% of the expenses for a family living a comfortable middle class life. This includes a four bedroom unit and more money for food, entertainment, vacation, savings, and retirement.