2026 Edition · An annual reference on what work pays

New York vs. Philadelphia

Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.

Data released May 2025 BLS OEWS · SOC 25-9045
Fig. 1 — Side by side

Both distributions, one scale

10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
30k40k50k NEW YORK $38,890 PHILADELPHIA $36,080
Table 1 — Adjusted

New York's median is 7.2% higher — but at national prices the two medians buy almost exactly the same.

New York's median $38,890 buys $34,500 at national prices (price parity 112.6); Philadelphia's $36,080 buys $35,200 (102.6).

Table 2 — The figures

Point by point

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

New YorkPhiladelphiaΔ
Employment126,92026,990−78.7%
10th percentile$32,240$26,870−16.7%
25th percentile$36,010$32,220−10.5%
Median$38,890$36,080−7.2%
75th percentile$47,180$40,010−15.2%
90th percentile$56,740$46,470−18.1%
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.
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Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary in New York · Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary 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.