Many know Pennsylvania for its role in the American Revolution. The founding fathers wrote both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in Pennsylvania. Today, Pennsylvania is still a great place for writing, reading and learning in general.
In order, the largest cities in Pennsylvania are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie. Philadelphia is particularly large: It is the nation's fifth-largest city. Some of the top industries in Pennsylvania are food service, medical care, banking, transportation and agriculture.
Because of its large size, large population and diversified economy, Pennsylvania is a great place for an education. Pennsylvania is home to many top colleges: the University of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State University, Carnegie-Mellon University, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the University of Pittsburg. The University of Pennsylvania, a member of the Ivy League, and Carnegie-Mellon University, home to one of the top computer sciece programs in the world, are particularly exceptional.
Pennsylvania's economy is large, diverse, healthy and growing. Were Pennsylvania ranked as a country, it would have the 18th largest economy in the world. Fortune 500 companies based in the state include H.J. Heinz, U.S. Steel, Comcast, Sunoco and Lincoln Financial group. Wal-Mart is the largest private employer in the state followed by the University of Pennsylvania. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, office and administrative support occupations are the top class of jobs with 953,060 workers. Workers in this field earn an average of $34,090 per year. Other areas with abundant work opportunities are sales and related occupations, food preparation and serving related occupations, and production occupations.
However, like the rest of the United States, Pennsylvania has experienced economic setbacks recently. The job search is more competitive. Getting an edge through proper education is essential. College-educated people have lower unemployment and earn more on average. Additionally, companies are constantly relocating. Less-skilled, less-educated workers are easy to replace in a new location, but intelligent, educated workers are priceless to every company. An education is a ticket to a more lucrative, more mobile and more stable job.