Prepare for Pennsylvania 2023 Civil Service Exams

Pennsylvania State Government employs over 80,000 civil service employees and offers competitive salaries and benefit packages making it a great State to work for. The Pennsylvania State Civil Service Commission (SCSC) website features open job postings, duties, applicant requirements, and application deadlines for the PA Civil Service Test (see useful links).

The Pennsylvania Civil Service Commission offers a wide range of public employment opportunities, ranging from law enforcement to correctional officers. Listed below are the seven categories that the PA SCSC uses to organize their job postings.

Pennsylvania continues to be one of the largest employers in the State, continually offering open positions in almost every field. Advance your career by preparing for your Civil Service Exam with one of JobTestPrep’s extensive PrepPacks™.

Browse and manage your entire civil service job hunt online using the Pennsylvania State Civil Service Commissions website. Creating an account is easy and gains you access to thousands of jobs located throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Once you find a position that interests you, click the “announcement details” link to view more information about the position and testing requirements. Often times there are multiple jobs listed under one posting, which means that you can apply to multiple positions with one application. Additionally, if taking a Civil Service Exam is required, your results will be used for all of the jobs you selected to apply to within that posting.

Once you have decided to apply you will be redirected to a page that will allow you to select up to 10 Pennsylvania State Counties that you would like to work in. The next step in the application process will allow you to schedule your civil service exam.

There are 7 civil service testing centers across Pennsylvania, select your center location, date, and time and your application is complete. You can now view your Civil Service Exams schedule and manage your other job applications by using the CSCS application dashboard and begin preparing for your exam.

There is no singular Civil Service Exam for Pennsylvania State, instead exam content is determined by the skills, knowledge, and experience required for the position. Generally speaking, there are four types of Civil Service Exams administered within Pennsylvania State.

Oral and Essay Exams: These exams test your ability to synthesize ideas and answers to critical thinking questions. Often times you will be required to present your answer to a committee of judges.

Typing Exams: Typing tests are administered to ensure that your word per minute and typing skills are at a level high enough to meet job requirements.

Experience and Training Ratings: This is less of an exam and more of an addition to your application. You will be asked to document your past education and work experience, commenting on your level of comfortability in certain fields. Learn more about experience and training ratings.

Computer Administered Multiple-Choice Exams: Many Pennsylvania Civil Service tests are multiple-choice computer-based exams, developed, administered, and scored by the State’s Integrated Computerized Examination (ICE) System. The SCSC develops the PA Civil Service Exams based on the job titles, requirements, skills, and related knowledge required to perform the job.

Candidates who pass their Pennsylvania Civil Service Exam have their names placed on the eligibility list for that job title. Positions are then filled from this pool of eligible candidates based on exam score.

In the table below you can find a list of Pennsylvania State Civil Service offices and testing centers. It is at these centers that you can take your scheduled Civil Service Exam. 

SCSC Office & Test Center: Offices are open five days a week and offer testing during business hours.

Test Center Only: These testing centers host exams only 10 days a month, including some Saturdays and evenings. When scheduling your exam date online the SCSC accounts for each testing centers schedule.

Looking to advance your career? Pennsylvania offers a variety of opportunities for established professionals, recent college graduates, and skilled workers seeking meaningful work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. In addition to competitive pay, working within Pennsylvania State offers great job security and prodigious health and pension benefits for all government employees. All the more reason to prepare for your Civil Service Exam with JobTestPrep’s practice packages.

Philadelphia: Looking for a civil service job in Philadelphia? We have the leading source of information regarding all Philadelphia Civil Service Exams.

Pittsburgh: How about Pittsburgh? JobTestPrep has all you need to know about the Pittsburgh Civil Service Exams.

PA State Police Exams are administered by the SCSC; however, candidates must first apply directly to the Pennsylvania State Police Department before qualifying to take the exam.

Going in prepared for your Pennsylvania Civil Service Exam will exponentially increase your chances of receiving a Civil Service job offer. With timed practice tests, answer explanations, study guides, and continually updated information, JobTestPrep is committed to offering the best methods in preparing you for your Civil Service Exam. Build confidence, familiarity, and ace your Civil Service Exam with our wide range of practice test. Try our free Civil Service sample questions and get a head start now.