2026 Edition · An annual reference on what work pays

New York vs. Philadelphia

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.

Data released May 2025 BLS OEWS · SOC 29-2061
Fig. 1 — Side by side

Both distributions, one scale

10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
60k70k80k90k NEW YORK $75,910 PHILADELPHIA $70,710
Table 1 — Adjusted

New York's median is 6.9% higher — but after local prices, the advantage flips: a median salary goes further in Philadelphia.

New York's median $75,910 buys $67,400 at national prices (price parity 112.6); Philadelphia's $70,710 buys $68,900 (102.6).

Table 2 — The figures

Point by point

Published percentiles for both metros; the last column is Philadelphia against New York.

New YorkPhiladelphiaΔ
Employment32,41015,920−50.9%
10th percentile$62,570$60,620−3.1%
25th percentile$66,970$64,340−3.9%
Median$75,910$70,710−6.9%
75th percentile$79,940$76,300−4.6%
90th percentile$87,420$79,690−8.8%
Sources

How this page was made

Wage data
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release. Public domain.
Price parity
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Full pages
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in New York · Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Philadelphia

Percentiles are reported exactly as released. Derived (price-adjusted) figures round to the nearest hundred. We take no payment for how any figure is presented.