Altoona Employment

Employment and Industries in the Altoona, Pennsylvania Area

The tables here illustrate essential information about work and employment in the area. Information includes:

A table of the most numerous types of work found here, both for jobs generally requiring college degrees and jobs not requiring college degrees.
A table listing those careers significantly more common in Altoona than in other US cities; this is useful both for career planning and for understanding the nature of Altoona.
A list of the highest-paying jobs in Altoona.
A list of any large public companies in Altoona.

Most Popular Jobs in Altoona, Pennsylvania Metro Area (2008 data)

Where the Majority of Workers Have College Degrees

Rank	Title	Local Jobs	Local Mean Salary	Typical Local Salary	National Growth % 2006-2016	National % With College Degree
1	Registered nurses	1,350	51,820	$32,710 - 70,040	24%	56%
2	Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products	960	47,460	$22,130 - 73,800	8%	51%
3	Elementary school teachers, except special education	880	45,060	$27,640 - 65,550	14%	95%
4	Secondary school teachers, except special and vocational education	430	45,270	$25,950 - 64,180	6%	96%
5	Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education	270	47,260	$24,810 - 67,800	11%	95%
6	Accountants and auditors	240	55,790	$33,760 - 86,360	18%	79%
7	Computer systems analysts	170	81,690	$38,940 - 130,560	29%	68%
8	Social and human service assistants	160	22,710	$16,190 - 31,570	34%	58%
9	Medical and clinical laboratory technicians	150	32,740	$24,380 - 42,020	15%	51%
10	Civil engineers	150	63,940	$44,840 - 88,240	18%	87%
11	Chief executives	130	111,920	$16,100 -	2%	65%
12	Medical and health services managers	130	99,590	$53,690 -	16%	57%
13	Financial managers	120	63,790	$33,640 - 105,290	13%	60%
14	Pharmacists	120	93,240	$64,980 - 118,170	22%	97%
15	Mental health and substance abuse social workers	120	29,600	$17,460 - 43,100	30%	77%
16	Medical and clinical laboratory technologists	120	47,650	$35,140 - 62,860	12%	51%
17	Child, family, and school social workers	120	35,650	$22,840 - 52,420	19%	77%
18	Network and computer systems administrators	110	55,950	$33,600 - 84,130	27%	50%
19	Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other	100	55,890	$15,600 - 84,070	17%	56%
20	Mental health counselors	100		$ -	30%	73%
21	Physician assistants	100	59,730	$36,890 - 80,030	27%	67%
22	Computer programmers	90	46,970	$29,610 - 64,990	0%	73%
23	Education administrators, elementary and secondary school	90	80,970	$56,550 - 107,310	8%	78%
24	Medical and public health social workers	90	42,570	$19,320 - 65,010	24%	77%
25	Educational, vocational, and school counselors	90	44,990	$34,500 - 57,160	13%	73%
26	Marketing managers	80	55,440	$34,330 - 93,400	14%	69%
27	Employment, recruitment, and placement specialists	80	39,660	$27,240 - 55,790	18%	56%
28	Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school	80	53,060	$35,500 - 77,060	20%	87%
29	Sales managers	80	77,330	$54,760 - 112,570	10%	69%
30	Mechanical engineers	80	69,930	$52,680 - 99,510	4%	78%
31	Occupational therapists	70	52,490	$43,070 - 68,880	23%	90%
32	Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents	70	51,880	$20,820 - 96,450	25%	67%
33	Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and safety, and transportation	70	31,200	$16,990 - 60,410	5%	58%
34	Industrial engineers	70	69,430	$44,560 - 113,980	20%	74%
35	Graphic designers	70	32,270	$21,540 - 48,700	10%	55%
36	Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products	70	52,210	$27,900 - 81,930	12%	51%
37	Public relations specialists	70	39,950	$27,890 - 54,300	18%	81%
38	Social and community service managers	60	45,620	$28,530 - 72,940	25%	72%
39	Legislators	60	23,910	$15,340 - 50,300	1%	65%
40	Market research analysts	60	53,760	$24,960 - 96,670	20%	82%
41	Physical therapists	60	70,800	$53,210 - 107,400	27%	89%
42	Librarians	50	47,460	$25,810 - 64,750	4%	85%
43	Dietitians and nutritionists	50	45,110	$30,080 - 61,010	9%	72%
44	Lawyers	50		$ -	11%	99%
45	Computer software engineers, applications	50	74,910	$50,320 - 109,120	45%	85%
46	Training and development specialists	50	38,960	$24,040 - 53,800	18%	56%
47	Network systems and data communications analysts	50	66,220	$42,090 - 83,770	53%	57%
48	Tax preparers	50	24,450	$15,040 - 38,340	0%	54%
49	Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists	40	52,310	$27,610 - 78,300	18%	56%
50	Special education teachers, secondary school	40	50,780	$35,970 - 70,520	9%	87%
51	Engineering managers	40	89,630	$58,030 - 130,390	7%	84%
52	Rehabilitation counselors	30		$ -	23%	73%
53	Veterinarians	30	63,020	$43,100 - 94,200	35%	100%
54	Management analysts	30	83,380	$43,340 - 159,750	22%	78%
55	Computer and information systems managers	30	85,810	$49,010 - 130,830	16%	73%
56	Personal financial advisors	30		$ -	41%	81%
57	Advertising sales agents	30	49,020	$22,840 - 80,190	20%	56%
58	Dentists, general	30		$ -	9%	100%

Where the Majority of Workers Do Not Have College Degrees

Rank	Title	Local Jobs	Local Mean Salary	Typical Local Salary	National Growth % 2006-2016	National % With College Degree
1	Retail salespersons	3,200	21,500	$15,290 - 32,250	12%	25%
2	Cashiers	2,120	16,920	$15,110 - 20,270	-2%	10%
3	Office clerks, general	1,860	22,850	$15,660 - 32,160	13%	19%
4	Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food	1,510	17,400	$15,230 - 20,720	18%	5%
5	Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	1,360	22,740	$16,170 - 34,620	2%	5%
6	Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	1,320	35,560	$16,510 - 54,070	10%	4%
7	Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive	1,040	23,730	$15,750 - 32,980	1%	18%
8	Waiters and waitresses	990	18,250	$15,300 - 24,320	11%	14%
9	Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners	850	22,680	$15,390 - 36,660	15%	4%
10	Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants	840	25,270	$18,600 - 33,890	18%	7%
11	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks	800	27,190	$16,240 - 41,070	13%	16%
12	Stock clerks and order fillers	790	22,540	$15,390 - 33,110	-7%	8%
13	Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders	770	34,210	$19,100 - 48,660	-17%	0%
14	Truck drivers, light or delivery services	760	27,040	$15,610 - 45,420	8%	4%
15	Teacher assistants	740	17,940	$15,280 - 23,680	10%	18%
16	Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	690	30,550	$22,650 - 39,540	14%	7%
17	Customer service representatives	610	26,710	$16,330 - 39,160	25%	22%
18	Carpenters	600	29,220	$17,160 - 43,290	10%	6%
19	Receptionists and information clerks	580	20,750	$15,920 - 27,750	17%	13%
20	Maintenance and repair workers, general	540	29,650	$18,210 - 40,300	10%	6%
21	Home health aides	520	20,210	$15,540 - 27,740	49%	7%
22	Packers and packagers, hand	490	20,850	$15,270 - 33,060	-11%	3%
23	First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	490	43,620	$25,530 - 63,660	6%	29%
24	Personal and home care aides	450	17,430	$15,380 - 20,310	51%	10%
25	Cooks, restaurant	440	20,410	$15,820 - 25,480	12%	5%
26	Food preparation workers	430	18,490	$15,380 - 24,010	15%	7%
27	First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers	420	41,670	$23,530 - 62,170	4%	25%
28	Automotive service technicians and mechanics	420	26,340	$15,730 - 45,860	14%	4%
29	Maids and housekeeping cleaners	390	18,790	$15,360 - 24,630	13%	5%
30	Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks	390	31,710	$18,910 - 40,370	4%	6%
31	Construction laborers	380	24,480	$16,930 - 35,120	11%	5%
32	Bartenders	380	17,410	$15,280 - 21,710	11%	17%
33	Team assemblers	370	27,830	$20,730 - 44,030	0%	5%
34	First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers	330	41,210	$17,960 - 51,520	11%	14%
35	General and operations managers	320	77,650	$32,800 - 124,950	2%	48%
36	First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	310	49,360	$26,180 - 78,060	-4%	15%
37	Landscaping and groundskeeping workers	310	21,040	$15,210 - 31,020	18%	6%
38	Medical secretaries	310	26,770	$18,650 - 34,060	17%	18%
39	Medical assistants	300	23,810	$17,620 - 31,960	35%	10%
40	Helpers--production workers	300	24,130	$16,160 - 43,750	0%	4%
41	Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists	300	19,720	$15,430 - 27,430	12%	6%
42	Security guards	280	20,110	$15,430 - 30,770	17%	13%
43	Tellers	270	22,600	$17,590 - 28,260	14%	16%
44	Counter and rental clerks	270	21,600	$15,520 - 31,170	23%	16%
45	Industrial truck and tractor operators	270	25,960	$19,260 - 32,580	-1%	2%
46	Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders	260			-4%	5%
47	Cooks, institution and cafeteria	250	23,220	$16,010 - 32,020	11%	5%
48	Police and sheriff's patrol officers	240	43,070	$24,180 - 73,560	11%	33%
49	Dishwashers	230	16,340	$15,250 - 18,650	10%	3%
50	Child care workers	230	17,740	$15,530 - 20,450	18%	15%
51	Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop	200	17,670	$15,300 - 22,320	10%	17%
52	Parts salespersons	200	28,120	$17,070 - 38,320	-1%	6%
53	Pharmacy technicians	200	25,750	$15,900 - 35,670	32%	16%
54	Driver/sales workers	190	23,430	$15,390 - 34,480	-4%	4%
55	Executive secretaries and administrative assistants	180	33,180	$22,320 - 48,080	15%	18%
56	First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers	180	47,850	$30,820 - 66,740	9%	10%
57	Telecommunications line installers and repairers	180	43,980	$30,340 - 57,950	5%	8%
58	Billing and posting clerks and machine operators	180	26,840	$18,830 - 35,840	4%	15%
59	Machinists	170	34,520	$23,540 - 45,230	-2%	3%
60	Computer support specialists	160	32,590	$22,000 - 46,280	13%	43%
61	Insurance sales agents	160	40,000	$18,170 - 74,060	13%	45%
62	Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers	160	32,700	$18,510 - 55,270	-6%	14%
63	Postal service mail carriers	160			1%	11%
64	First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	150	52,430	$32,710 - 78,730	7%	13%
65	Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders	150	43,120	$34,310 - 49,700	-4%	4%
66	Cost estimators	140	57,610	$30,080 - 80,100	19%	32%
67	Family and general practitioners	140	188,630	$51,150 -	0%	0%
68	Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	130	39,000	$23,950 - 53,290	12%	3%
69	Eligibility interviewers, government programs	130	40,750	$29,810 - 54,980	3%	38%
70	Bill and account collectors	130	27,660	$21,380 - 38,690	23%	13%
71	Construction and building inspectors	130	40,610	$24,500 - 52,730	18%	23%
72	Industrial machinery mechanics	130	32,050	$17,640 - 50,750	9%	5%
73	Radiologic technologists and technicians	130	43,720	$30,370 - 55,250	15%	25%
74	Electrical power-line installers and repairers	120	50,290	$36,150 - 65,510	7%	6%
75	Dental assistants	120	27,250	$21,630 - 32,610	29%	9%
76	Electricians	120	44,990	$22,810 - 62,760	7%	7%
77	Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators	120	36,000	$26,580 - 49,810	14%	8%
78	Cooks, short order	120	19,330	$15,300 - 25,420	5%	5%
79	Cleaners of vehicles and equipment	120	19,720	$15,680 - 24,500	14%	3%
80	Legal secretaries	120	29,600	$20,910 - 40,000	12%	18%
81	Medical records and health information technicians	120	31,110	$21,860 - 43,590	18%	12%
82	Healthcare support workers, all other	110	25,900	$16,290 - 34,250	16%	10%
83	Laundry and dry-cleaning workers	110	22,290	$16,490 - 30,410	10%	5%
84	Business operations specialists, all other	110	38,890	$15,560 - 75,780	21%	49%
85	Printing machine operators	110	28,510	$17,610 - 44,010	-5%	6%
86	Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers	110	32,310	$23,920 - 39,640	9%	3%
87	Highway maintenance workers	110	35,340	$21,320 - 44,420	9%	5%
88	Sewing machine operators	110	21,350	$16,050 - 27,590	-26%	5%
89	Word processors and typists	100	30,250	$25,930 - 38,090	-11%	19%
90	First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators	100	48,130	$29,750 - 69,060	10%	17%
91	Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters	100	49,270	$30,870 - 62,380	11%	4%
92	Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators	100			-7%	12%
93	Production, planning, and expediting clerks	100	35,490	$20,800 - 56,380	4%	30%
94	Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators	100	35,890	$27,660 - 42,850	8%	3%
95	Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products	100	50,110	$31,500 - 77,960	0%	42%
96	Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers	90	28,490	$21,410 - 31,570	-26%	6%
97	Preschool teachers, except special education	90	19,990	$15,450 - 28,000	26%	43%
98	File clerks	90	24,960	$16,510 - 38,320	-40%	20%
99	Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders	90	42,770	$34,760 - 49,610	-8%	0%
100	Physicians and surgeons, all other	90	219,530	$164,270 -	0%	0%

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Jobs More Common Near Altoona Than Most Other Cities

* Average job popularity for metro areas = 1.0

Title	Mean Local Salary	Local Jobs	Pop. vs. Avg.*
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders	34,210	770	24.3
Eligibility interviewers, government programs	40,750	130	4.2
Electrical power-line installers and repairers	50,290	120	3.9
Family and general practitioners	188,630	140	3.8
Physician assistants	59,730	100	3.6
Construction and building inspectors	40,610	130	3.4
Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system operators	36,000	120	3.4
Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders	43,120	150	3.1
Highway maintenance workers	35,340	110	3.1
Telecommunications line installers and repairers	43,980	180	2.9
Mental health counselors		100	2.6
Medical and clinical laboratory technicians	32,740	150	2.6
Mental health and substance abuse social workers	29,600	120	2.6
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	30,550	690	2.5
Personal and home care aides	17,430	450	2.5
Parts salespersons	28,120	200	2.3
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	35,560	1,320	2.1
Sewing machine operators	21,350	110	2.1
Truck drivers, light or delivery services	27,040	760	2.1
Word processors and typists	30,250	100	2.1
Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders		260	2.1
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists	19,720	300	2
Cooks, short order	19,330	120	2
Cooks, institution and cafeteria	23,220	250	1.9
Bartenders	17,410	380	1.9
Medical and clinical laboratory technologists	47,650	120	1.8
Medical records and health information technicians	31,110	120	1.8
Retail salespersons	21,500	3,200	1.8
Helpers--production workers	24,130	300	1.7
Carpenters	29,220	600	1.7
Medical secretaries	26,770	310	1.7
Packers and packagers, hand	20,850	490	1.7
Automotive service technicians and mechanics	26,340	420	1.6
Elementary school teachers, except special education	45,060	880	1.6
Office clerks, general	22,850	1,860	1.6
Radiologic technologists and technicians	43,720	130	1.6
Teacher assistants	17,940	740	1.6
Pharmacy technicians	25,750	200	1.6
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants	25,270	840	1.6
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products	47,460	960	1.5
Cashiers	16,920	2,120	1.5
Medical assistants	23,810	300	1.5
Home health aides	20,210	520	1.5
Cost estimators	57,610	140	1.5
Healthcare support workers, all other	25,900	110	1.5
Counter and rental clerks	21,600	270	1.5
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	22,740	1,360	1.5
Printing machine operators	28,510	110	1.4
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food	17,400	1,510	1.4
Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive	23,730	1,040	1.4

Work Paying Relatively Well in the Altoona, Pennsylvania Metro Area (2008 data)

* Average Salary Index for metro areas = 1.0

Title	Mean Local Salary	Salary Index *	Local Jobs
First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation and serving workers	41,210	1.36	330
Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders	43,120	1.34	150
Computer systems analysts	81,690	1.19	170
Medical and health services managers	99,590	1.18	130
Family and general practitioners	188,630	1.15	140
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers	22,290	1.12	110
Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks	31,710	1.11	390
Eligibility interviewers, government programs	40,750	1.08	130
First-line supervisors/managers of retail sales workers	41,670	1.08	420
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders	34,210	1.07	770
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants	25,270	1.05	840
Cost estimators	57,610	1.03	140
Packers and packagers, hand	20,850	1.02	490
Helpers--production workers	24,130	1.02	300
Team assemblers	27,830	1.02	370
Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food	17,400	1.01	1,510
Highway maintenance workers	35,340	1.01	110
Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop	17,670	1	200
Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists	39,000	0.99	130
Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners	22,680	0.99	850
Stock clerks and order fillers	22,540	0.99	790
Medical records and health information technicians	31,110	0.99	120
Cooks, institution and cafeteria	23,220	0.98	250
Maids and housekeeping cleaners	18,790	0.98	390
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers	32,700	0.98	160
Waiters and waitresses	18,250	0.98	990
Cooks, short order	19,330	0.97	120
First-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers	43,620	0.97	490
Food preparation workers	18,490	0.96	430
Telecommunications line installers and repairers	43,980	0.96	180
Electricians	44,990	0.96	120
Tellers	22,600	0.95	270
Home health aides	20,210	0.95	520
Sewing machine operators	21,350	0.95	110
Dishwashers	16,340	0.95	230
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer	35,560	0.95	1,320
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand	22,740	0.94	1,360
Cooks, restaurant	20,410	0.94	440
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment	19,720	0.94	120
Middle school teachers, except special and vocational education	47,260	0.94	270
Machinists	34,520	0.93	170
Accountants and auditors	55,790	0.93	240
Truck drivers, light or delivery services	27,040	0.93	760
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	49,360	0.93	310
Counter and rental clerks	21,600	0.93	270
Medical secretaries	26,770	0.92	310
Parts salespersons	28,120	0.92	200
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	52,430	0.92	150
Child care workers	17,740	0.92	230
Medical and clinical laboratory technicians	32,740	0.92	150

Highest Paying Jobs in Altoona, Pennsylvania Metro Area (2008 data)

Title	Mean Local Salary	Local Jobs
Physicians and surgeons, all other	219,530	90
Family and general practitioners	188,630	140
Chief executives	111,920	130
Medical and health services managers	99,590	130
Pharmacists	93,240	120
Engineering managers	89,630	40
Computer and information systems managers	85,810	30
Management analysts	83,380	30
Computer systems analysts	81,690	170
Education administrators, elementary and secondary school	80,970	90
General and operations managers	77,650	320
Sales managers	77,330	80
Computer software engineers, applications	74,910	50
Administrative services managers	72,820	40
First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers	71,700	80
Physical therapists	70,800	60
Industrial production managers	70,570	70
Mechanical engineers	69,930	80
Industrial engineers	69,430	70
Network systems and data communications analysts	66,220	50
First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives	64,310	60
Civil engineers	63,940	150
Financial managers	63,790	120
Veterinarians	63,020	30
Architects, except landscape and naval	62,920
Physician assistants	59,730	100
Cost estimators	57,610	140
Electronics engineers, except computer	56,450
Network and computer systems administrators	55,950	110
Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists, all other	55,890	100
Accountants and auditors	55,790	240
Marketing managers	55,440	80
Market research analysts	53,760	60
Special education teachers, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school	53,060	80
Occupational therapists	52,490	70
First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics, installers, and repairers	52,430	150
Compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists	52,310	40
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products	52,210	70
Construction managers	52,050	40
Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents	51,880	70
Registered nurses	51,820	1,350
Dental hygienists	51,300	60
Special education teachers, secondary school	50,780	40
Electrical power-line installers and repairers	50,290	120
Respiratory therapists	50,230
Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products	50,110	100
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers	49,360	310
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers	49,270
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters	49,270	100
Advertising sales agents	49,020	30

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Helpful Articles, many in "how-to" format; e.g., "How to Become a Chef".

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