Accountant salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $76,940 a year1 is 2.6% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000, and 8.1% below the US median of $83,680. Among US areas it comes in at #244 of 521. About 10,430 accountants work here, 19% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Pittsburgh, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Pittsburgh against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | $51,040 | $76,940 | $124,880 | |
| Pennsylvania | $50,680 | $79,000 | $130,270 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Pittsburgh earns $60,550–$97,760. The top tenth earns $124,880 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.6 times. The mean ($83,100) is 8% 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 $37,210 wide, against $37,660 across Pennsylvania and $42,790 nationally: employers in Pittsburgh 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 | $51,040 | $4,253 | $24.54 | $65,858 |
| 25th percentile | $60,550 | $5,046 | $29.11 | $78,129 |
| Median | $76,940 | $6,412 | $36.99 | $99,277 |
| 75th percentile | $97,760 | $8,147 | $47.00 | $126,142 |
| 90th percentile | $124,880 | $10,407 | $60.04 | $161,135 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $20,820 a year in pay and about $26,865 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $16,390 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 Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Pittsburgh
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 $22,337 to the $76,940 median and brings it to $99,277 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 Pittsburgh
Of the 17 roles we track in Pittsburgh, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($99,320); executive assistants come next at $69,030.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +29.1% | 7,280 | |
| Accountant | this role | 10,430 | |
| Executive Assistant | -10.3% | 2,330 | |
| Recruiter | -15.2% | 6,280 | |
| Paralegal | -17.3% | 2,620 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Pittsburgh (-8.1%), between bookkeepers (-6.7%) and office managers (-9.0%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 9.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Pittsburgh, 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. The one area in Pennsylvania with more accountants, Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($85,990), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Pittsburgh | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +11.8% | 29,370 | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +1.9% | 2,500 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | this area | 10,430 | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -0.6% | 3,210 | |
| Lancaster, PA | -1.1% | 1,990 | |
| Reading, PA | -1.8% | 1,230 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -2.3% | 1,400 |
Pittsburgh against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Pittsburgh is #30 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, Rocky Mount and Memphis pay just above Pittsburgh and Bismarck and Grand Junction just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Pittsburgh. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Pittsburgh | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +19.8% | 10,100 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, OH | +4.0% | 10,740 | jobs | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | +2.2% | 10,410 | jobs | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | +0.0% | 4,390 | pay | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | +0.0% | 360 | pay | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | this area | 10,430 | ||
| Bismarck, ND | -0.0% | 780 | pay | |
| Grand Junction, CO | -0.1% | 640 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Pittsburgh, PA?
About $99,277 a year at the median, or $8,273 a month: $76,940 in pay plus about $22,337 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Pittsburgh?
The median was $76,940 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,040, the 90th $124,880, and the middle half earned $60,550 to $97,760.
Is Pittsburgh cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,940 against $79,000 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Allentown-Bethlehem at $78,430, the next down Harrisburg-Carlisle at $76,510.
How many accountants work in Pittsburgh?
BLS counts about 10,430 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Pennsylvania total of 54,290. Only Philadelphia-Camden has more in Pennsylvania.
Does an accountant cost more than an executive assistant in Pittsburgh?
Yes: $7,910 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,940 and $69,030.
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.