What Philly Makes: The Great Philadelphia Salary Report of 2024

Larry Krasner, Terry Gross, Jalen Hurts, Cherelle Parker, and Brittany Lynn are all part of our Philadelphia salary report. / Photo-illustration by Leticia R. Albano / All photos via Getty Images except Brittany Lynn (Alexander John Photography)

It’s been a while since we took a look at what people in Philadelphia make for a living.

In fact, it’s been so long that when we last did this, John Dougherty was still the powerful head of Local 98 instead of a convicted felon. Seth Williams was hanging on by a thread as district attorney before heading off to federal prison. And some guy named Jason Peters was playing for the Eagles.

Now, here we are. It’s 2024. And we decided it was time to run the numbers again. Here, a presentation of what a wide range of Philadelphians make.

(To read the methodology behind this report, scroll to the bottom of this story.)

Cherelle Parker, Mayor: $261,497

Mayor Parker’s salary is the same as what Mayor Kenney’s was during his last year in office. Parker will get an $8,000 bump next year. But that still won’t make her the highest paid City of Philadelphia employee. Not even close. Keep reading to see who gets the biggest taxpayer bucks.

Brittany Lynn, drag queen: $200,000-plus

But, Lynn tells Philly Mag, more than $105,000 of the money she took in last year through her company Philly Drag Mafia went back out to pay other drag queens she books for gigs. As for her exact earnings last year: “A lady never reveals her age or how much money she makes … But you can safely say over $200,000.”

Rookie Philadelphia Police Officer: $66,183

Thanks to a contract extension with the city, all rank-and-file police officers will see a five-percent wage increase starting in July. And what does a rookie cop in relatively chill Lower Merion make? About $20,000 more than their peers in Philly. After five years, a cop in Lower Merion is making more like $124,000.

First-year associate at Blank Rome: $200,000

The huge Philly-based firm offers some of the highest starting salaries in the entire country. If you’re a new lawyer and you want to live in Philly, you might want to put your resume in with them.

John Fetterman at his 2019 swearing-in ceremony for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania (photo via Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)

John Fetterman, U.S. Senator: $174,000

He actually took a pay cut to take the job on Capitol Hill: Fetterman was making about $217,000 as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. When Fetterman was the mayor of Braddock, just outside of Pittsburgh, that job paid $150 per month.

Executive chef at a popular Delco restaurant: $75,000, including bonuses

The chef in question has been at the restaurant for more than ten years and says, “Believe me, the place wouldn’t still be around if I wasn’t breaking my back there every day.”

KYW news anchor Carol MacKenzie, who is suing KYW for gender discrimination, as seen in a KYW promo video

Carol MacKenzie, KYW Newsradio anchor: $153,000, approximately

No, the veteran on-air talent didn’t offer us this information. She revealed it in a lawsuit she filed last year against KYW. MacKenzie alleged that the station routinely paid similarly situated men much more than her. That suit is now in legal limbo, because Audacy, the parent company of KYW, has entered bankruptcy proceedings.

Brian Roberts, Comcast CEO: $32.1 million

According to this report, Roberts is the highest-paid CEO at any publicly-traded company in the Philadelphia region. The next highest paid is Gregory Bentley, CEO of Exton-based software company Bentley Systems. His earnings? $18.44 million. He’s followed by Steven Collis, CEO of Conshy-based big pharma player Cencora, formerly known as AmerisourceBergen. He’s at $16.74 million.

Larry Krasner, District Attorney: $211,495

He made around $179,000 in his first year, back in 2018. The starting salary for lawyers in his office is $70,000. Good luck paying back all that law school debt! But actually, attorneys who come to work for Crusading Krasner can take advantage of a tuition reimbursement program, assuming they work as a prosecutor or public defender or for a non-profit organization for a full decade and that they’ve kept up with their loan payments.

A server at Middle Child Clubhouse: $70,000

That’s for an evening server at the popular all-day bar and restaurant in Fishtown. And that figure includes tips, of course.

A Philly 911 dispatcher: $52,519

Starting pay for 911 trainees is $42,379. Now that is one incredibly stressful job.

Middle school teacher at a well-known local private school: $55,000

The teacher in question says they’d be open to working in a Philadelphia public school, where they’d have the potential to earn more money, once they feel better about the direction of the school district. Speaking of Philadelphia public school teachers, they start at $50,066. The most senior teachers can earn in the ballpark of $100,000.

Kenyatta Johnson (City of Philadelphia photo)

Kenyatta Johnson, City Council President: $194,934

Councilmembers who don’t hold leadership positions within City Council make $155.313, which is about three times the median household income in Philadelphia.

A full-time, overnight Delco Wawa worker: $40,520

That’s not bad! Especially considering the perks, which include free hoagies and, oh yeah, what’s actually a pretty stellar benefits package, relative to a lot of other jobs of this level out there.

A brewer at Yards Brewing Company: $50,000

Though we have to imagine that, after a while, you just get really, really sick of the smell of beer.

A senior librarian at the Free Library of Philadelphia: $111,577

Meanwhile, Kelly Richards, the new head of the Free Library, makes $223,871. Your average library assistant earns in the $40,000s. And the lowest-paid actual librarian has a salary of $52,303.

Rich Lazer, Philadelphia Parking Authority executive director: $238,081

And in case you want to become one of those dreaded parking enforcement officers who leave tickets on cars, your starting salary will be $45,000. Lazer just upped the starting salary from $40,137 as of April 1st. No, the position does not include hazard pay. It probably should.

A Philadelphia Uber driver: $68,000

OK, so Uber loves to tell people that drivers can make a lot of money. And $68,000 doesn’t seem like a bad living. But Uber drivers tell you that they actually wind up with far, far less at the end of the year than what their gross income shows, thanks to car washes, repairs, maintenance, leasing fees, and the like. This particular Uber driver confirmed as much but declined to say what his net income was. It’s also worth noting that the driver works the shifts a lot of drivers don’t want to touch. Late weekend nights, when you have to deal with lots of drunk people. Big sporting events and concerts, when you also have to deal with lots of drunk people — and traffic.

Bernard Havard, Walnut Street Theatre CEO: $934,461

If you think that’s a lot of money for the head of a local theater, plenty of starving artists in town agree with you. That said, most of the seats at Walnut Street Theatre shows tend to be filled.

A well-known Philadelphia actress: $8,000

Speaking of starving artists … Says the actress: “It’s embarrassing and exhausting. People don’t seem to give a shit about women. I can’t get theater work, because look at the cast lists. They are predominantly male and one or two non-union YOUNG women. It’s gross.” So how on earth is she surviving? “I’m living off savings,” she tells us. “I’ve made some really smart business decisions in the past. So, luckily, I have a decent amount in savings. Thank God!”

Sharon Pinkenson, Greater Philadelphia Film Office executive director: $196,248

How ’bout you get Bradley Cooper to shoot another movie here, Shar?

John Zillmer, CEO, Aramark: $13.32 million

We’re sure that all those Aramark workers — like concession-stand workers, cooks, and bartenders at Citizens Bank Park and the Wells Fargo Center — who’ve been fighting for better wages and benefits are well aware that their boss is one of the best-compensated chief execs in the region.

Bill Marrazzo, CEO, WHYY: $806,188

WHYY has long been criticized for Marrazzo’s salary, which is beyond huge in the public radio industry. If you’re wondering how Marrazzo’s salary has grown over time, he made $430,786 in 2007. We definitely think about what Marrazzo makes every single time Ed Cunningham interrupts our favorite WHYY shows to plead for more money for the station. (And then we still make a donation, because we love the station so much. But still …)

Jalen Hurts (Getty Images)

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback: ~$51 million

Well, that might not be what Hurts is taking home this year. But thanks to his recent contract extension, Hurts will earn $255 million over the next five years, averaging out at $51 million per year. (NFL salary structures are byzantine.) His predecessor as Birds’ signal-caller, Carson Wentz, came in at about $32 million each year.

South Philly-based house painter: $52,000

He says that he’s “constantly covered in paint” but that it’s a “good-enough living.” “I never have to take my work home with me,” he points out. He said he works an average of four days each week.

Full-time bartender at a popular Center City bar: $80,000, including tips

That’s no chump change. Then again, you do have to put up with the guy who inevitably wants to put “Piano Man” on repeat on the play-anything jukebox.

Terry Gross, Fresh Air host: $402,415

Nationally syndicated Gross is, by far, the highest-paid on-air talent at WHYY. The second-highest paid, prior to her giving up her longtime WHYY show Radio Times in 2023 and switching to a weekly show with a new format, was Marty Moss-Coane, whose most recently reported salary was $158,075.

Yannick Nezet-Seguin (Getty Images)

Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Philadelphia Orchestra musical director: $1,124,037

According to tax documents, he also pulls in over $1 million in his role as musical director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Maybe you shouldn’t have given up on those piano lessons your parents wanted to pay for.

Music teacher at a South Philadelphia public school: $84,394

The teacher supplements this school district income by playing in a wedding band and teaching private music lessons.

Amy Meisinger, Conestoga High School principal: $190,491

The high school has been ranked the second-best in all of Pennsylvania and landed its hometown on a recent list of the 20 best places in America to live for public schools.

Jeannine Payne, Masterman principal: $159,536

The principal of what has been ranked the best high school in all of Pennsylvania earns about $30,000 less than the principal of the second-best. Sometimes second-best is OK, kids!

Robert Briggs, American Bible Society president: $456,184

At least that’s what he made before he resigned. Yes, this is the same American Bible Society that poured $60 million into a Bible museum that it’s now closing down after less than three years in operation. Interestingly, the ABS is the 19th-biggest non-profit in Philadelphia (based on gross receipts) ahead of St. Joseph’s University and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. (Don’t worry: The PMA isn’t closing!)

Scott Adzick, chief surgeon, CHOP: $3,138,521

Adzick is the highest paid doctor in the University of Pennsylvania health system. The University of Pennsylvania itself is the largest non-profit in Philadelphia, based on gross receipts. Penn is also the largest employer in Philadelphia and the fourth largest in the state, behind the federal government, state government, and Walmart.

Sister Mary Scullion, Project HOME president: $193,501

She’s not the highest-paid executive at the charitable organization that houses the unhoused and provides other services. That would be her treasurer and associate executive director, who earns $370,000. Both are retiring this year.

Bryce Harper, Phillies first baseman: $26 million

That’s what Bryce Harper is earning this season. In 2019, he signed a 13-year, $330 million contract. Trea Turner is taking home slightly more than his teammate, with $27.3 million in earnings this year. His contract is an 11-year one and totals $300 million. Falling in line right behind them: Aaron Nola ($24.6 million); Zack Wheeler ($25.3 million) and J.T. Realmuto ($23.9 million).

Philadelphia school crossing guard: $13,640

We wonder if those crossing guards who dance and sing while they work make any more money than this. Maybe they can put out a tip bucket?

Bartender at a local dive bar: $36,400

That’s working five nights a week in a smoky bar filled with a bunch of deadbeats. And, yes, that includes tips. Stay in school, kids!

Fishtown-based singer and occasional pet-sitter: $12,210

And now you understand why your parents told you to get a degree before pursuing your dream of becoming the next Taylor Swift.

Pat’s Steaks manager: $50,000-plus

That’s working a four-day week. The people actually making your Whiz Wits make $15 to $18 per hour. And they get free cheesesteaks.

Pedro Ramos, The Philadelphia Foundation president: $473,159

The Philadelphia Foundation, as in the non-profit that supports so many local organizations and initiatives. The foundation also owns the Philadelphia Inquirer and helps keep it afloat.

Anthony Gargano with wife Tamara in Italy.

Anthony Gargano, ALL CITY host: $250,000

That’s what Gargano says he’ll make this year after leaving The Fanatic last year, which led to a since-settled lawsuit. He was making $300,000 at The Fanatic but doesn’t seem to be worried about the pay cut. He explains that he has a piece of ALL CITY, so that if it blows up and sells in 10 years, he’ll be able to buy that private island off the coast of Italy he’s always wanted.

Rochelle Bilal, Philadelphia Sheriff: $155,313

The controversial (and we do mean controversial) elected official would be making $285,000, had the cushy raise she proposed for herself gone through. Thankfully, it did not.

Constance DiAngelo, Philadelphia Medical Examiner: $352,637

She sees dead people. Or at least she did until she abruptly resigned amid controversy in December. The medical examiner is always the highest-paid official in the City of Philadelphia. Some assistant medical examiners make $281,120.

Cafe manager at an area La Colombe: $75,000, plus bonuses

We guess the career decision to become a barista works out OK enough for some people.

Joel Embiid, 76ers center: $47.6 million

In NBA salary rankings, Embiid topped LeBron James for third place in 2023.

Methodology: Many salaries are based on the most recent SEC filings, form 990s and published reports available at press time from corporations and non-profits. Some salaries include forms of compensation other than salary, such as stock awards, bonuses, and employer contributions to retirement and health care benefits. And some salaries were provided to us by individuals we don’t name here, because those individuals only agreed to reveal their earnings under the condition of anonymity.

Ed. note: A previous version of this story stated that the starting salary for an attorney at Blank Rome is $215,000. While that is true at the Blank Rome offices in New York, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles, the Philadelphia starting salary is $200,000. The original version of this article also reported that Curtis Jones, Jr. is the majority leader of City Council. He ended that role in 2023.