Accountant salary in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Hiring an accountant costs less in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $67,390 a year1: 14.7% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 and 19.5% below the US median of $83,680. Only 51 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 1,030 people in this job here, 2% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | $45,660 | $67,390 | $111,730 | |
| Pennsylvania | $50,680 | $79,000 | $130,270 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area earns $56,540–$88,030. The top tenth earns $111,730 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($76,030) is 13% 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 $31,490 wide, against $37,660 across Pennsylvania and $42,790 nationally: employers in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area 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 | $45,660 | $3,805 | $21.95 | $58,916 |
| 25th percentile | $56,540 | $4,712 | $27.18 | $72,955 |
| Median | $67,390 | $5,616 | $32.40 | $86,955 |
| 75th percentile | $88,030 | $7,336 | $42.32 | $113,587 |
| 90th percentile | $111,730 | $9,311 | $53.72 | $144,168 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $20,640 over the median, the 25th only $10,850 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $26,632 a year in employer cost. 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 the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
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 $19,565 to the $67,390 median and brings it to $86,955 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 the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($84,080); recruiters come next at $63,610.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +24.8% | 400 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,030 | |
| Recruiter | -5.6% | 610 | |
| Office Manager | -12.2% | 1,350 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -13.9% | 350 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area (-19.5%), between project coordinators (-17.8%) and sales development representatives (-20.7%). The typical role here is at -14.9%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 9.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, 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 8 areas in Pennsylvania with more accountants than the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($85,990) and Pittsburgh, PA ($76,940).
| Area | Median | vs the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | +3.9% | 970 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +3.9% | 690 | |
| Williamsport, PA | +3.7% | 340 | |
| Johnstown, PA | +3.7% | 380 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,030 | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 1,020 | |
| Altoona, PA | -2.5% | 490 |
the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area is #186 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, Las Cruces and St. Joseph pay just above the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area and Dothan and Mansfield just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +22.4% | 1,040 | jobs | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | +18.5% | 1,040 | jobs | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +15.0% | 1,040 | jobs | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +0.1% | 340 | pay | |
| Las Cruces, NM | +0.1% | 480 | pay | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,030 | ||
| Dothan, AL | -0.1% | 610 | pay | |
| Mansfield, OH | -0.2% | 260 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro)?
About $86,955 a year at the median, or $7,246 a month: $67,390 in pay plus about $19,565 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $67,390 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,660, the 90th $111,730, and the middle half earned $56,540 to $88,030.
Is the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $67,390 against $79,000 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Johnstown at $69,870, the next down the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $65,850.
How many accountants work in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,030 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Pennsylvania total of 54,290. 8 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Reading, with about 1,230.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Yes: $3,780 a year more at the median. The medians are $67,390 and $63,610.
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.