Accountant salary in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Hiring an accountant costs less in Harrisburg-Carlisle than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $76,510 a year1: 3.2% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 and 8.6% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #266 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 3,210 people in this job here, 6% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Harrisburg-Carlisle against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $50,850 | $76,510 | $111,970 | |
| Pennsylvania | $50,680 | $79,000 | $130,270 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Harrisburg-Carlisle earns $61,710–$95,080. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $111,970, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $33,370 wide, against $37,660 across Pennsylvania and $42,790 nationally: employers in Harrisburg-Carlisle 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 | $50,850 | $4,238 | $24.45 | $65,613 |
| 25th percentile | $61,710 | $5,142 | $29.67 | $79,626 |
| Median | $76,510 | $6,376 | $36.78 | $98,723 |
| 75th percentile | $95,080 | $7,923 | $45.71 | $122,684 |
| 90th percentile | $111,970 | $9,331 | $53.83 | $144,477 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,800 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $18,570, or about $23,961 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Harrisburg-Carlisle
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 $22,213 to the $76,510 median and brings it to $98,723 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle
Of the 17 roles we track in Harrisburg-Carlisle, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($97,850); marketing specialists come next at $71,500.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +27.9% | 1,910 | |
| Accountant | this role | 3,210 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -6.5% | 1,560 | |
| Executive Assistant | -7.9% | 700 | |
| Recruiter | -8.3% | 2,640 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Harrisburg-Carlisle (-8.6%), between data entry specialists (-8.3%) and marketing specialists (-9.2%). The typical role here is at -4.4%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Harrisburg-Carlisle than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 9.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Harrisburg-Carlisle, 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. All 2 areas in Pennsylvania with more accountants than Harrisburg-Carlisle also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($85,990) and Pittsburgh, PA ($76,940).
| Area | Median | vs Harrisburg-Carlisle | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +12.4% | 29,370 | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +2.5% | 2,500 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | +0.6% | 10,430 | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | this area | 3,210 | |
| Lancaster, PA | -0.5% | 1,990 | |
| Reading, PA | -1.3% | 1,230 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -1.8% | 1,400 |
Harrisburg-Carlisle against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Harrisburg-Carlisle is #65 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, Bloomington and Harrisonburg pay just above Harrisburg-Carlisle and Fargo and Pensacola-Ferry Pass just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Harrisburg-Carlisle. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Harrisburg-Carlisle | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | +4.4% | 3,260 | jobs | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | +0.0% | 450 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IL | +0.0% | 750 | pay | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | this area | 3,210 | ||
| Fargo, ND-MN | -0.1% | 1,580 | pay | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | -0.1% | 1,170 | pay | |
| Knoxville, TN | -1.5% | 3,240 | jobs | |
| Columbia, SC | -9.5% | 3,260 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?
About $98,723 a year at the median, or $8,227 a month: $76,510 in pay plus about $22,213 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
The median was $76,510 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,850, the 90th $111,970, and the middle half earned $61,710 to $95,080.
Is Harrisburg-Carlisle cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,510 against $79,000 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh at $76,940, the next down Lancaster at $76,110.
How many accountants work in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
BLS counts about 3,210 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Pennsylvania total of 54,290. Only Philadelphia-Camden and Pittsburgh have more in Pennsylvania.
Does an accountant cost more than a marketing specialist in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Yes: $5,010 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,510 and $71,500.
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.