Accountant salary in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $70,480 a year1 is 10.8% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000, and 15.8% below the US median of $83,680. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#438 of 521). About 1,640 accountants work here, 3% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | $46,350 | $70,480 | $110,120 | |
| Pennsylvania | $50,680 | $79,000 | $130,270 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
Accountants at the 90th percentile earn $110,120, 2.4 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.6. The middle half of accountants in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre earns $52,450–$88,460. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $36,010 wide, against $37,660 across Pennsylvania and $42,790 nationally: employers in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre 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 | $46,350 | $3,862 | $22.28 | $59,806 |
| 25th percentile | $52,450 | $4,371 | $25.22 | $67,677 |
| Median | $70,480 | $5,873 | $33.88 | $90,942 |
| 75th percentile | $88,460 | $7,372 | $42.53 | $114,142 |
| 90th percentile | $110,120 | $9,177 | $52.94 | $142,090 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $17,980 a year in pay and about $23,200 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $18,030 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 Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $79,000 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre
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 $20,462 to the $70,480 median and brings it to $90,942 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 Scranton-Wilkes-Barre
Of the 17 roles we track in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($91,820); recruiters come next at $65,360.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +30.3% | 870 | |
| Accountant | this role | 1,640 | |
| Recruiter | -7.3% | 1,130 | |
| Executive Assistant | -8.7% | 370 | |
| Office Manager | -11.5% | 2,500 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre (-15.8%), between recruiters (-13.9%) and payroll specialists (-15.8%). The typical role here is at -10.0%, so, measured against the US, accountants cost less in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre than the area's general pay level would suggest. Accountants hold 8.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, 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 5 areas in Pennsylvania with more accountants than Scranton-Wilkes-Barre also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($85,990) and Pittsburgh, PA ($76,940).
| Area | Median | vs Scranton-Wilkes-Barre | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gettysburg, PA | +2.3% | 230 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +0.9% | 850 | |
| Chambersburg, PA | +0.0% | 370 | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | this area | 1,640 | |
| Erie, PA | -0.7% | 970 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -0.7% | 690 | |
| Williamsport, PA | -0.9% | 340 |
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre is #119 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, St. George and Jackson pay just above Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Shreveport-Bossier City and Lake Charles just below. All four are within $430 a year of the median in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Scranton-Wilkes-Barre | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, IL | +22.6% | 1,600 | jobs | |
| Ogden, UT | +16.4% | 1,650 | jobs | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | +6.8% | 1,640 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MS | +0.3% | 2,590 | pay | |
| St. George, UT | +0.1% | 530 | pay | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | this area | 1,640 | ||
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | -0.1% | 1,250 | pay | |
| Lake Charles, LA | -0.6% | 600 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA?
About $90,942 a year at the median, or $7,578 a month: $70,480 in pay plus about $20,462 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for accountants in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $70,480 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,350, the 90th $110,120, and the middle half earned $52,450 to $88,460.
Is Scranton-Wilkes-Barre cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $70,480 against $79,000 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Chambersburg at $70,490, the next down Erie at $70,000.
How many accountants work in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
BLS counts about 1,640 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Pennsylvania total of 54,290. 5 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Lancaster, with about 1,990.
Does an accountant cost more than a recruiter in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
Yes: $5,120 a year more at the median. The medians are $70,480 and $65,360.
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.