Bookkeeper salary in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ
Allentown-Bethlehem pays bookkeepers more than Pennsylvania as a whole but less than the country. The median is $49,100 a year1: 1.4% above the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 and 3.1% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #178 of 521 areas. About 2,430 bookkeepers work here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Allentown-Bethlehem against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | $33,950 | $49,100 | $68,790 | |
| Pennsylvania | $34,960 | $48,440 | $69,570 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Allentown-Bethlehem earns $41,600–$58,680. The top tenth earns $68,790 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,080 wide, between the figure for Pennsylvania ($17,070) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,950 | $2,829 | $16.32 | $43,806 |
| 25th percentile | $41,600 | $3,467 | $20.00 | $53,677 |
| Median | $49,100 | $4,092 | $23.61 | $63,355 |
| 75th percentile | $58,680 | $4,890 | $28.21 | $75,716 |
| 90th percentile | $68,790 | $5,732 | $33.07 | $88,761 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,580 a year in pay and about $12,361 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,500 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 $50,670 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Allentown-Bethlehem, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Allentown-Bethlehem
At the $49,100 median, a local hire costs about $63,355 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,255 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 bookkeepers 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 Allentown-Bethlehem
Of the 17 roles we track in Allentown-Bethlehem, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($51,880) and e-commerce order specialists ($47,700). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,050.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +17.7% | 260 | |
| HR Assistant | +5.7% | 220 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,430 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -2.9% | 130 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.1% | 4,130 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Allentown-Bethlehem (-3.1%), between paralegals (-3.0%) and office managers (-5.4%). The typical role here is at -3.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 7.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Allentown-Bethlehem, 8.5% across Pennsylvania and 8.7% 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 $41,730 in Johnstown to $53,500 in Lebanon, a gap of $11,770 a year. Of the 3 areas in Pennsylvania with more bookkeepers than Allentown-Bethlehem, 2 pay less: Pittsburgh, PA ($47,250) and Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ($48,540).
| Area | Median | vs Allentown-Bethlehem | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon, PA | +9.0% | 560 | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +7.4% | 22,660 | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | this area | 2,430 | |
| Reading, PA | -0.8% | 1,260 | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -1.1% | 2,450 | |
| Lancaster, PA | -1.8% | 2,190 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -3.1% | 1,270 |
Allentown-Bethlehem against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Allentown-Bethlehem is #100 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, Green Bay and Akron pay just above Allentown-Bethlehem and Bangor and Janesville-Beloit just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Allentown-Bethlehem. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Allentown-Bethlehem | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +14.3% | 2,530 | jobs | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | +8.0% | 2,550 | jobs | |
| Akron, OH | +0.2% | 2,730 | pay | |
| Green Bay, WI | +0.1% | 1,570 | pay | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | this area | 2,430 | ||
| Bangor, ME | -0.2% | 780 | pay | |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | -0.2% | 600 | pay | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | -6.7% | 2,460 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ?
About $63,355 a year at the median, or $5,280 a month: $49,100 in pay plus about $14,255 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Allentown-Bethlehem?
The median was $49,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,950, the 90th $68,790, and the middle half earned $41,600 to $58,680.
Is Allentown-Bethlehem cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $49,100 against $48,440 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia-Camden at $52,710, the next down Reading at $48,720.
How many bookkeepers work in Allentown-Bethlehem?
BLS counts about 2,430 in the May 2025 survey. 3 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Harrisburg-Carlisle, with about 2,450.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Allentown-Bethlehem?
Yes: $1,400 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,100 and $47,700.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3031: 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.