Financial Examiners Salary
Financial Examiners in Pennsylvania make a median of $78,500 a year, or about $37.74 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $138K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $82,658 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 25.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $79K get you in Pennsylvania?
About financial examiners
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pay for financial examiners in Pennsylvania runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $94K. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level financial examiners (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $138K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Financial Examiners salary by metro in Pennsylvania
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $98K | +25% | 710 |
| Lancaster | $82K | +5% | 40 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $82K | +5% | 140 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $80K | +2% | 1,380 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $75K | -5% | 40 |
| Erie | $74K | -6% | 30 |
| Reading | $72K | -8% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track financial examiners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a financial examiner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 26.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for financial examiners in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new financial examiners typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,385/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is financial examiner a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $79K here vs. $94K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for financial examiners?
Pennsylvania pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — below the national median.
How much do financial examiners make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $78,500 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,420, and experienced financial examiners can clear $137,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,100/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 26.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a financial examiners salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median financial examiners salary is worth about $82,658 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do financial examiners get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.