Elementary School Teachers salary in Harrisburg, PA
Median pay for elementary school teachers in Harrisburg, PA: $64,270/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $46,930 – $82,220 · about 2,660 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($62,430) by +$1,840 (+3%).
What it's really worth in Harrisburg
With Harrisburg's cost of living at 97 (US=100), that $64,270 has the buying power of about $66,275 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $76,189 · median home $312,126 · median rent $1,487/mo.
How Harrisburg ranks for this job
On raw pay, Harrisburg, PA is 69th of the 187 metros we hold elementary school teachers wages for. Once Harrisburg's cost of living is applied, it ranks 94th.
The headline number flatters Harrisburg. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, elementary school teachers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Harrisburg
A median home in Harrisburg, PA costs $312,126 — about 4.9× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,487/mo works out at 28% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where elementary school teachers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Harrisburg.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Harrisburg | Rent vs Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | $105,090 | +64% | 1.3× |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,440 | +61% | 2.2× |
| Oxnard, CA | $103,350 | +61% | 2× |
| Modesto, CA | $101,210 | +57% | 1.4× |
Same job elsewhere in PA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Harrisburg | Rent vs Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown, PA | $81,560 | +27% | 1.2× |
| Philadelphia, PA | $79,290 | +23% | 1.3× |
| York, PA | $76,890 | +20% | 0.9× |
| Reading, PA | $76,810 | +20% | 1× |
Staying in PA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires elementary school teachers around Harrisburg
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania · Government
Other jobs in Harrisburg
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.