Natural Sciences Managers Salary
In Pennsylvania, natural sciences managers earn $137,900 at the median, or about $66.3 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $313K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $145,204 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 15.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $138K actually covers in Pennsylvania, month by month
About natural sciences managers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pay for natural sciences managers in Pennsylvania runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $167K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 16.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Pennsylvania can be a reasonable trade-off for natural sciences managers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level natural sciences managers (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $138K. Top earners bring in $313K or more, a $253K spread from bottom to top.
Natural Sciences Managers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $173K | +25% | 5,510 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $130K | -6% | 200 |
| State College | $123K | -11% | 60 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $117K | -15% | 190 |
| York-Hanover | $113K | -18% | 80 |
| Reading | $112K | -19% | 70 |
| Lancaster | $105K | -24% | 140 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $87K | -37% | 50 |
| Williamsport | $76K | -45% | 30 |
| Erie | $75K | -46% | 40 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a natural sciences manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $138K, rent takes 16.1% 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 natural sciences managers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new natural sciences managers typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,972/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is natural sciences manager a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $138K here vs. $167K 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 natural sciences managers?
Pennsylvania pays $138K median vs. the U.S. average of $167K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $145K — below the national median.
How much do natural sciences managers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $137,900 a year, that works out to about $66 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,040, and experienced natural sciences managers can clear $312,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $138K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,398/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 16.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a natural sciences managers 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 natural sciences managers salary is worth about $145,204 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do natural sciences managers 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.