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What does a Firefighters salary really buy you in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania is 3.8% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Pennsylvania's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 96.2, meaning prices are 3.8% lower the national average. A Firefighters earning $73,460 in Pennsylvania has the equivalent purchasing power of $76,361 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) | $48,620 | $50,540 | +$1,920 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $56,210 | $58,430 | +$2,220 |
| Median (P50) | $73,460 | $76,361 | +$2,901 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $89,190 | $92,713 | +$3,523 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $89,190 | $92,713 | +$3,523 |
A Firefighters in Pennsylvania earns $73,460 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 4% further — like earning $76,361 in an average-cost state. This makes Pennsylvania one of the best value states for this occupation.
With an RPP of 96.2, Pennsylvania is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Firefighters is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After applying Pennsylvania's RPP, the $73,460 median salary translates to $76,362 in real terms — a 4.0% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Firefighters.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Firefighters, Pennsylvania places #5 of 50 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Firefighters salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Pennsylvania ranks #5 out of 50 states for Firefighters after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Firefighters take-home pay in Pennsylvania after taxes →
A Firefighters in Pennsylvania earns a median salary of $73,460 per year. After adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (RPP=96.2), the real purchasing power is $76,361 — 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 Firefighters in Pennsylvania: $73,460 x (100 / 96.2) = $76,361. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Firefighters 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.
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