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Accountant salary in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ

For this job Allentown-Bethlehem sits right at the Pennsylvania figure, with a median of $78,430 a year1. That is about level with the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000, and 6.3% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #183 of 521. BLS counts about 2,500 people in this job here.

$6,536median pay per month in Allentown-Bethlehem
$8,433employer cost per month with benefits
$37.71median pay per hour
2,500people in this job in Allentown-Bethlehem

BLS occupation 13-2011, area Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

Pay in Allentown-Bethlehem against Pennsylvania and the US

Range10thMedian90th
Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ$50,470$78,430$129,120
Pennsylvania$50,680$79,000$130,270
United States$56,020$83,680$144,090
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $129,120, 2.6 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Allentown-Bethlehem earns $61,740–$100,110. The mean ($85,500) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $38,370 wide, between the figure for Pennsylvania ($37,660) and the US figure ($42,790).

What to budget for an accountant here

Point in the local rangePer yearPer monthPer hourEmployer cost per year
10th percentile$50,470$4,206$24.26$65,123
25th percentile$61,740$5,145$29.68$79,665
Median$78,430$6,536$37.71$101,200
75th percentile$100,110$8,342$48.13$129,174
90th percentile$129,120$10,760$62.08$166,606

The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $16,690 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $21,680, or about $27,974 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.

For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Allentown-Bethlehem, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 falls there too.

What a hire really costs in Allentown-Bethlehem

Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $22,770 to the $78,430 median and brings it to $101,200 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.

We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.

$101,200local hire, first year incl. benefits
$13,888remote hire, first year incl. fee
$87,312difference in year one
86%of the local cost saved

Other roles in Allentown-Bethlehem

Of the 17 roles we track in Allentown-Bethlehem, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($100,050); recruiters come next at $70,040.

The 5 roles closest in pay. All 17 roles in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ
RoleMedianvs accountantJobs
Project Coordinator
$100,050
+27.6%1,850
Accountant
$78,430
this role2,500
Recruiter
$70,040
-10.7%1,720
Executive Assistant
$68,290
-12.9%590
Marketing Specialist
$67,740
-13.6%1,400

Measured against the US median, accountants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Allentown-Bethlehem (-6.3%), between data entry specialists (-6.0%) and recruiters (-7.8%). The typical role here is at -3.0%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Allentown-Bethlehem than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 7.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Allentown-Bethlehem, 9.5% across Pennsylvania and 9.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.

Other areas in Pennsylvania

Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $65,690 in Altoona to $85,990 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $20,300 a year. Of the 3 areas in Pennsylvania with more accountants than Allentown-Bethlehem, 2 pay less: Pittsburgh, PA ($76,940) and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ($76,510).

AreaMedianvs Allentown-BethlehemJobs
Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ
$85,990
+9.6%29,370
Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ
$78,430
this area2,500
Pittsburgh, PA
$76,940
-1.9%10,430
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
$76,510
-2.4%3,210
Lancaster, PA
$76,110
-3.0%1,990
Reading, PA
$75,550
-3.7%1,230
York-Hanover, PA
$75,160
-4.2%1,400

Allentown-Bethlehem against other US metro areas

By number of jobs, Allentown-Bethlehem is #87 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Pennsylvania, Sumter and Yuba City pay just above Allentown-Bethlehem and Pueblo and Hanford-Corcoran just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Allentown-Bethlehem. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.

Metro areaMedianvs Allentown-BethlehemJobsClose in
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA
$90,340
+15.2%2,530jobs
Yuba City, CA
$78,530
+0.1%280pay
Sumter, SC
$78,460
+0.0%150pay
Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ
$78,430
this area2,500
Pueblo, CO
$78,340
-0.1%420pay
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$78,300
-0.2%210pay
Montgomery, AL
$75,040
-4.3%2,530jobs
Tallahassee, FL
$61,840
-21.2%2,450jobs

Questions

How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ?

About $101,200 a year at the median, or $8,433 a month: $78,430 in pay plus about $22,770 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.

What is the pay range for accountants in Allentown-Bethlehem?

The median was $78,430 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,470, the 90th $129,120, and the middle half earned $61,740 to $100,110.

Is Allentown-Bethlehem cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for accountants?

About the same: a median of $78,430 against $79,000 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia-Camden at $85,990, the next down Pittsburgh at $76,940.

How many accountants work in Allentown-Bethlehem?

BLS counts about 2,500 in the May 2025 survey. 3 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Harrisburg-Carlisle, with about 3,210.

Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Allentown-Bethlehem?

Yes: $8,390 a year more at the median. The medians are $78,430 and $70,040.

Sources

4 sources, with links
  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
  3. Stafka pricing: stafka.com
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.