Word Processors and Typists Salary
In Pennsylvania, word processors and typists earn $41,000 at the median, or about $19.71 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $43,172 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 47.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $41K get you in Pennsylvania?
About word processors and typists
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pay for word processors and typists in Pennsylvania runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 48.1% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for word processors and typistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level word processors and typists (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Word Processors and Typists salary by metro in Pennsylvania
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $47K | +15% | 690 |
| Reading | $47K | +14% | 30 |
| Pittsburgh | $41K | -1% | 240 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $40K | -4% | 80 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $38K | -8% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track word processors and typists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a word processors and typist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 48.1% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for word processors and typists in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new word processors and typists typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,824/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 74% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is word processors and typist a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $41K here vs. $49K 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 word processors and typists?
Pennsylvania pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do word processors and typists make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $41,000 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,400, and experienced word processors and typists can clear $60,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,810/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 48.1% 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 word processors and typists 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 word processors and typists salary is worth about $43,172 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do word processors and typists 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.