Accountant salary in Lancaster, PA
Lancaster is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $76,110 a year1 is 3.7% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000, and 9.0% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #287 of 521 areas. About 1,990 accountants work here, 4% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Lancaster, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lancaster against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster, PA | $50,230 | $76,110 | $115,980 | |
| Pennsylvania | $50,680 | $79,000 | $130,270 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Lancaster earns $62,350–$93,920. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $115,980, only 2.3 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 $31,570 wide, against $37,660 across Pennsylvania and $42,790 nationally: employers in Lancaster 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 | $50,230 | $4,186 | $24.15 | $64,813 |
| 25th percentile | $62,350 | $5,196 | $29.98 | $80,452 |
| Median | $76,110 | $6,342 | $36.59 | $98,206 |
| 75th percentile | $93,920 | $7,827 | $45.15 | $121,187 |
| 90th percentile | $115,980 | $9,665 | $55.76 | $149,652 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $17,810 a year in pay and about $22,981 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $13,760 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 Lancaster, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Lancaster
At the $76,110 median, a local hire costs about $98,206 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,096 here. 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 Lancaster
Of the 17 roles we track in Lancaster, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($95,820); executive assistants come next at $66,350.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +25.9% | 1,430 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,990 | |
| Executive Assistant | -12.8% | 350 | |
| Recruiter | -12.8% | 1,200 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -14.9% | 990 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Lancaster (-9.0%), between office managers (-7.9%) and sales development representatives (-9.8%). The typical role here is at -5.9%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Lancaster than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 9.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lancaster, 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 4 areas in Pennsylvania with more accountants than Lancaster also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($85,990) and Pittsburgh, PA ($76,940).
| Area | Median | vs Lancaster | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +3.0% | 2,500 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | +1.1% | 10,430 | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | +0.5% | 3,210 | |
| Lancaster, PA | this area | 1,990 | |
| Reading, PA | -0.7% | 1,230 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -1.2% | 1,400 | |
| Lebanon, PA | -2.5% | 330 |
Lancaster against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lancaster is #103 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, Waco and Amarillo pay just above Lancaster and Farmington and Monroe just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Lancaster. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lancaster | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +24.8% | 2,000 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | +1.4% | 1,980 | jobs | |
| Amarillo, TX | +0.1% | 1,070 | pay | |
| Waco, TX | +0.0% | 860 | pay | |
| Lancaster, PA | this area | 1,990 | ||
| Farmington, NM | -0.0% | 240 | pay | |
| Monroe, MI | -0.0% | 290 | pay | |
| Mobile, AL | -5.2% | 2,010 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Lancaster, PA?
About $98,206 a year at the median, or $8,184 a month: $76,110 in pay plus about $22,096 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Lancaster?
The median was $76,110 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $50,230, the 90th $115,980, and the middle half earned $62,350 to $93,920.
Is Lancaster cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,110 against $79,000 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Harrisburg-Carlisle at $76,510, the next down Reading at $75,550.
How many accountants work in Lancaster?
BLS counts about 1,990 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Pennsylvania total of 54,290. 4 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Allentown-Bethlehem, with about 2,500.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Lancaster?
Yes: $9,760 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,110 and $66,350.
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.