Accountant salary in Reading, PA
Reading is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $75,550 a year1 is 4.4% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000, and 9.7% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #310 of 521 areas. About 1,230 accountants work here, 2% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Reading, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Reading against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | $48,530 | $75,550 | $123,000 | |
| Pennsylvania | $50,680 | $79,000 | $130,270 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $123,000, 2.5 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Reading earns $60,810–$96,780. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $35,970 wide, against $37,660 across Pennsylvania and $42,790 nationally: employers in Reading 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 | $48,530 | $4,044 | $23.33 | $62,619 |
| 25th percentile | $60,810 | $5,068 | $29.24 | $78,465 |
| Median | $75,550 | $6,296 | $36.32 | $97,484 |
| 75th percentile | $96,780 | $8,065 | $46.53 | $124,877 |
| 90th percentile | $123,000 | $10,250 | $59.13 | $158,710 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,740 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $21,230, or about $27,394 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 Reading, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Reading
At the $75,550 median, a local hire costs about $97,484 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,934 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 Reading
Of the 17 roles we track in Reading, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($98,040); recruiters come next at $69,410.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +29.8% | 780 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,230 | |
| Recruiter | -8.1% | 940 | |
| Office Manager | -11.9% | 1,660 | |
| Executive Assistant | -12.1% | 290 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Reading (-9.7%), between recruiters (-8.6%) and sales development representatives (-13.0%). The typical role here is at -4.3%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Reading than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 8.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Reading, 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 7 areas in Pennsylvania with more accountants than Reading, 2 pay less: Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA ($70,480) and York-Hanover, PA ($75,160).
| Area | Median | vs Reading | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | +1.8% | 10,430 | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | +1.3% | 3,210 | |
| Lancaster, PA | +0.7% | 1,990 | |
| Reading, PA | this area | 1,230 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -0.5% | 1,400 | |
| Lebanon, PA | -1.8% | 330 | |
| State College, PA | -3.3% | 460 |
Reading against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Reading is #151 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Corpus Christi and Bangor pay just above Reading and Muskegon-Norton Shores and Abilene just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Reading. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Reading | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, TX | +33.5% | 1,240 | jobs | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +23.1% | 1,230 | jobs | |
| Bangor, ME | +0.1% | 400 | pay | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | +0.0% | 1,070 | pay | |
| Reading, PA | this area | 1,230 | ||
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | -0.1% | 300 | pay | |
| Abilene, TX | -0.2% | 550 | pay | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | -6.8% | 1,250 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Reading, PA?
About $97,484 a year at the median, or $8,124 a month: $75,550 in pay plus about $21,934 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Reading?
The median was $75,550 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,530, the 90th $123,000, and the middle half earned $60,810 to $96,780.
Is Reading cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $75,550 against $79,000 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Lancaster at $76,110, the next down York-Hanover at $75,160.
How many accountants work in Reading?
BLS counts about 1,230 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Pennsylvania total of 54,290. 7 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is York-Hanover, with about 1,400.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Reading?
Yes: $6,140 a year more at the median. The medians are $75,550 and $69,410.
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.