What does a Urban and Regional Planners salary really buy you in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania is 3.8% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-06
Pennsylvania's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 96.2, meaning prices are 3.8% lower the national average. A Urban and Regional Planners earning $73,150 in Pennsylvania has the equivalent purchasing power of $76,039 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $47,930 | $49,823 | +$1,893 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $59,490 | $61,839 | +$2,349 |
| Median (P50) | $73,150 | $76,039 | +$2,889 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $87,080 | $90,519 | +$3,439 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $108,080 | $112,349 | +$4,269 |
A Urban and Regional Planners in Pennsylvania earns $73,150 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 4% further — like earning $76,039 in an average-cost state. This makes Pennsylvania one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Urban and Regional Planners salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Pennsylvania ranks #28 out of 51 states for Urban and Regional Planners after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
How much do you actually take home? See Urban and Regional Planners take-home pay in Pennsylvania after taxes →
A Urban and Regional Planners in Pennsylvania earns a median salary of $73,150 per year. After adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (RPP=96.2), the real purchasing power is $76,039 — a +4.0% difference.
Pennsylvania's cost of living is 3.8% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Pennsylvania is 96.2 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Urban and Regional Planners in Pennsylvania: $73,150 x (100 / 96.2) = $76,039. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Urban and Regional Planners in Pennsylvania enjoys 4.0% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.