Accountant salary in Erie, PA
Hiring an accountant costs less in Erie than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $70,000 a year1: 11.4% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 and 16.3% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#445 of 521). BLS counts about 970 people in this job here, 2% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Erie, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Erie against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | $42,920 | $70,000 | $123,340 | |
| Pennsylvania | $50,680 | $79,000 | $130,270 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $123,340 or more, 2.9 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of accountants in Erie earns $55,160–$89,180. The mean ($76,610) 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 only $34,020 wide, against $37,660 across Pennsylvania and $42,790 nationally: employers in Erie pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,920 | $3,577 | $20.63 | $55,381 |
| 25th percentile | $55,160 | $4,597 | $26.52 | $71,174 |
| Median | $70,000 | $5,833 | $33.65 | $90,323 |
| 75th percentile | $89,180 | $7,432 | $42.88 | $115,071 |
| 90th percentile | $123,340 | $10,278 | $59.30 | $159,148 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $19,180 a year in pay and about $24,748 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $14,840 in pay. 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 Erie, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Erie
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 $20,323 to the $70,000 median and brings it to $90,323 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.
Other roles in Erie
Of the 17 roles we track in Erie, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($93,590); recruiters come next at $60,860.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +33.7% | 520 | |
| Accountant | this role | 970 | |
| Recruiter | -13.1% | 540 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -13.3% | 420 | |
| Office Manager | -15.2% | 1,040 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Erie (-16.3%), between virtual receptionists (-15.3%) and sales development representatives (-19.7%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Erie than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 9.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Erie, 9.5% across Pennsylvania and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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 10 areas in Pennsylvania with more accountants than Erie, 2 pay less: the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($67,390) and the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($65,850).
| Area | Median | vs Erie | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +1.6% | 850 | |
| Chambersburg, PA | +0.7% | 370 | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.7% | 1,640 | |
| Erie, PA | this area | 970 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 690 | |
| Williamsport, PA | -0.2% | 340 | |
| Johnstown, PA | -0.2% | 380 |
Erie against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Erie is #200 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Lake Charles and Shreveport-Bossier City pay just above Erie and Champaign-Urbana and Texarkana just below. All four are within $560 a year of the median in Erie. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Erie | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +10.6% | 990 | jobs | |
| Lubbock, TX | +6.3% | 960 | jobs | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | +2.4% | 960 | jobs | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | +0.6% | 1,250 | pay | |
| Lake Charles, LA | +0.1% | 600 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | this area | 970 | ||
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -0.5% | 730 | pay | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -0.8% | 320 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Erie, PA?
About $90,323 a year at the median, or $7,527 a month: $70,000 in pay plus about $20,323 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Erie?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $70,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,920, the 90th $123,340, and the middle half earned $55,160 to $89,180.
Is Erie cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $70,000 against $79,000 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Scranton-Wilkes-Barre at $70,480, the next down the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $69,990.
How many accountants work in Erie?
BLS counts about 970 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Pennsylvania total of 54,290. 10 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area, with about 1,020.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Erie?
Yes: $9,140 a year more at the median. The medians are $70,000 and $60,860.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.