Labor Market Pulse · Information Technology · October 2026
Information Technology Labor Market Report: Erie, PA MSA — October 2026
Erie infrastructure pay softens as cybersecurity and engineering pay climb.
Systems Administrator pay fell to $69,380 in Erie while national rates rose to $102,503, even as local Cybersecurity Analyst pay climbed to $101,428, nearly matching the national figure.
Free archive edition. Published by WageScape as sent to subscribers; data as of October 2026.
Key indicators
- Erie MSA unemployment: 4.2% — Up from 3.9% in August; PA fell to 3.6%
- Systems Administrator pay (Erie): $69,380 — Down moderately vs. national $102,503 (up)
- Cybersecurity Analyst pay (Erie): $101,428 — Up moderately, nearing national $107,327
- National tech layoffs, YTD through Oct 21: 133,417 — Already exceeds full-year 2025 total
Key takeaways
Infrastructure pay is softening locally while demand hardens nationally.
Systems Administrator and Network Engineer advertised pay both moved down moderately in Erie this month while national figures for the same roles rose. Widening gap raises retention exposure for infrastructure staff who can work remotely for employers paying national rates.
Software engineering pay in Erie is closing the gap with national rates.
Erie's $129,442 median against a national $154,403 figure, with local pay rising sharply while national pay holds stable, suggests regional employers are bidding more aggressively for scarce development talent. Organizations should evaluate whether this compression changes the calculus on build-versus-buy for custom development work.
Cybersecurity pay gains locally track a national skills-shortage story.
Erie's Cybersecurity Analyst pay rose moderately to $101,428, nearly matching the national $107,327 figure, consistent with reporting that 60% of tech leaders cite security skills shortages as a project delay driver. Compensation convergence here may reduce the regional pay advantage IT leaders previously relied on to retain security staff at a discount.
Erie's unemployment uptick doesn't signal looser IT hiring.
Metro unemployment rose to 4.2% in September from 3.9% in August even as Pennsylvania's rate fell to 3.6%, a divergence that appears to reflect labor force growth alongside steady demand. IT leaders should treat the headline rate cautiously when assessing local candidate availability for technical roles.
Median advertised pay by role — Erie, PA MSA
| Role | 25th percentile | Median advertised pay | 75th percentile | Metro trend | National median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist | $79,408 | $79,608 | $79,608 | Significant increase | $145,881 |
| Systems Administrator | $62,911 | $69,380 | $71,730 | Moderate decline | $102,503 |
| Network Engineer | $76,195 | $79,100 | $96,100 | Moderate decline | $115,757 |
| Software Engineer | $109,200 | $129,442 | $143,979 | Significant increase | $154,403 |
| Help Desk/IT Support Specialist | $41,600 | $42,436 | $45,793 | Stable | $53,129 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst * | $83,595 | $101,428 | $117,314 | Moderate increase | $107,327 |
| IT Project Manager * | $80,658 | $115,095 | $128,677 | Stable | $118,150 |
* State-level figure shown where metro postings were too few.
WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings (reported as the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay). Download: CSV · JSON
Local market conditions
Erie MSA unemployment ticked up to 4.2% in September from 3.9% in August, tracking Pennsylvania's broader labor force expansion even as the state rate fell to a three-year low of 3.6%, suggesting Erie's labor supply gains haven't translated into tighter local hiring conditions the way they have statewide. Manufacturing and plastics production, still anchored by Erie-based plants producing over 10% of the nation's plastics, continue to shape the region's wage structure and compete with healthcare and insurance employers like Allegheny Health Network and Erie Insurance for a limited technical labor pool.
What it means
Local advertised pay for Systems Administrator ($69,380) and Network Engineer ($79,100) declined this month even as national figures for the same roles rose moderately, widening Erie's discount against national infrastructure pay and increasing the risk that remote-capable talent migrates toward national employers offering $102,503 and $115,757 respectively. Meanwhile Software Engineer ($129,442) and Cybersecurity Analyst ($101,428) pay climbed locally, consistent with national patterns of compensation bifurcating toward specialized and security-adjacent skills as routine infrastructure roles soften — a split that should inform where Erie IT leaders protect headcount versus shift toward managed services or regional staffing. Consider reviewing infrastructure and network engineering compensation bands against national advertised rates before attrition forces a reactive counteroffer cycle.
Looking ahead
Expected: October MSA-level unemployment data releases later than usual this cycle; watch for whether Erie's rate reconnects with Pennsylvania's downward trend or continues diverging, which would signal deeper local talent-supply tightness for technical hiring.
Emerging pressure point: Comcast Technology Center's WARN filing for 634 workers effective December 31 is a Pennsylvania-wide signal worth tracking for whether displaced technical talent enters the Erie or broader western PA candidate pool in meaningful numbers.
Worth watching: National tech layoffs have already exceeded 133,000 workers through late October, surpassing all of 2025 — monitor whether any of that displaced talent, particularly in infrastructure and support roles, becomes available to Erie employers at reduced compensation expectations.
Potential inflection point: Local Systems Administrator and Network Engineer pay has moved down while national rates rose; if the gap widens further over the next two reporting cycles, it may justify revisiting whether routine infrastructure support should shift toward outsourced or offshore delivery models.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Erie MSA unemployment rate reached 4.2% in September 2026
- Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry — Pennsylvania unemployment fell to 3.6% in September 2026, lowest since 2023
- Pennsylvania WARN Notice System — Comcast Technology Center WARN filing for 634 workers
- Layoffs.fyi / Tech layoff tracker — 133,417 tech employees laid off at 325 companies through Oct 21, 2026
- Regional economic development data — Erie-based plants produce over 10% of nation's plastics
- Industry tech leadership survey — 60% of tech leaders cite security skills shortages causing project delays
Methodology
Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay. WageScape observes 98% of U.S. job openings daily.
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