Pittsburgh early career wages rising faster than U.S. average
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Pittsburgh's entry-level wage growth is increasing faster than the typical city.
Why it matters: The Steel City's early career wages grew 4.9% annually on average between 2020 and October 2025, according to Glassdoor's report, beating Rust Belt contemporaries like Cincinnati (4.4%), Detroit (3.9%) and Milwaukee (4.6%).
How it works: That's based on more than 5 million salary data points from Glassdoor users "with 0-4 years of relevant experience in their current job from January 2020 through October 31, 2025," and among metro areas with at least 1,000 salary data points per year.
Context: The median growth rate across all cities studied was 4.6%, according to Glassdoor.
Zoom in: Pittsburgh's average 2025 earnings for workers with 0-4 years of experience are $63,300, growing 27% since 2020.
- This entry-level wage growth contrasts with the region's overall wage growth, which is lagging compared to national averages.
Zoom out: Provo, Utah, led the nation in 7% growth, followed by Boise, Idaho (+5.5%), and Orlando, Florida (+5.4%).
- Tulsa, Oklahoma (+3.2%); Des Moines, Iowa (+3.4%); and Birmingham, Alabama (+3.4%) were the lowest.
The big picture: "It's difficult to start your career during a soft labor market, but there is a silver lining: Earnings growth is on the rise for workers with 0-4 years of experience, and 2026 will be the first year that these workers' purchasing power exceeds 2020 levels," per Glassdoor's report.