Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers Salary
The median pay for a shoe and leather workers and repairers in Pennsylvania is $34,870/year ($16.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $54K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $36,717 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 55.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $35K actually covers in Pennsylvania, month by month
About shoe and leather workers and repairers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Shoe and leather workers and repairers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 55.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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 shoe and leather workers and repairers (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $54K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $40K | +15% | 40 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a shoe and leather workers and repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 55.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for shoe and leather workers and repairers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new shoe and leather workers and repairers typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,987/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 68% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is shoe and leather workers and repairer a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for shoe and leather workers and repairers?
Pennsylvania pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do shoe and leather workers and repairers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $34,870 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,210, and experienced shoe and leather workers and repairers can clear $53,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,415/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 55.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a shoe and leather workers and repairers 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 shoe and leather workers and repairers salary is worth about $36,717 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do shoe and leather workers and repairers 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.