Bookkeeper salary in Altoona, PA
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Altoona than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $42,660 a year1: 11.9% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 and 15.8% below the US median of $50,670. Only 40 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 470 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Altoona, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Altoona against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona, PA | $30,020 | $42,660 | $57,820 | |
| Pennsylvania | $34,960 | $48,440 | $69,570 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Altoona earns $35,380–$50,350. The top tenth earns $57,820 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,970 wide, against $17,070 across Pennsylvania and $17,950 nationally: employers in Altoona pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,020 | $2,502 | $14.43 | $38,735 |
| 25th percentile | $35,380 | $2,948 | $17.01 | $45,652 |
| Median | $42,660 | $3,555 | $20.51 | $55,045 |
| 75th percentile | $50,350 | $4,196 | $24.21 | $64,968 |
| 90th percentile | $57,820 | $4,818 | $27.80 | $74,606 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,690 a year in pay and about $9,923 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,280 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Altoona, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local bookkeepers earn.
What a hire really costs in Altoona
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 $12,385 to the $42,660 median and brings it to $55,045 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 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 Altoona
Of the 15 roles we track in Altoona, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($49,110) and data entry specialists ($41,600). Project Coordinator is the highest at $87,660.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +19.1% | 40 | |
| Paralegal | +15.1% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 470 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -2.5% | 30 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.4% | 280 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 15 roles we track in Altoona (-15.8%), between virtual receptionists (-15.2%) and recruiters (-15.8%). The typical role here is at -15.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 9.9% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Altoona, 8.6% 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. All 15 areas in Pennsylvania with more bookkeepers than Altoona also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($52,710) and Pittsburgh, PA ($47,250).
| Area | Median | vs Altoona | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | +6.2% | 920 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +5.8% | 1,420 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +5.1% | 1,200 | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +4.6% | 1,450 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 1,190 | |
| Altoona, PA | this area | 470 | |
| Johnstown, PA | -2.2% | 410 |
Altoona against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Altoona is #442 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Huntington-Ashland and Columbus pay just above Altoona and Beckley and Monroe just below. All four are within $690 a year of the median in Altoona. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Altoona | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | +39.1% | 470 | jobs | |
| Ames, IA | +12.4% | 470 | jobs | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +4.7% | 470 | jobs | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | +0.3% | 920 | pay | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | +0.1% | 1,550 | pay | |
| Altoona, PA | this area | 470 | ||
| Beckley, WV | -0.2% | 450 | pay | |
| Monroe, LA | -1.6% | 1,020 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Altoona, PA?
About $55,045 a year at the median, or $4,587 a month: $42,660 in pay plus about $12,385 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Altoona?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $42,660 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,020, the 90th $57,820, and the middle half earned $35,380 to $50,350.
Is Altoona cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $42,660 against $48,440 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $43,180, the next down Johnstown at $41,730.
How many bookkeepers work in Altoona?
BLS counts about 470 in the May 2025 survey. 15 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is State College, with about 490.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a data entry specialist in Altoona?
Yes: $1,060 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,660 and $41,600.
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.