Bookkeeper salary in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $44,620 a year1: 7.9% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 and 11.9% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#431 of 521). BLS counts about 1,450 people in this job here, 3% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | $30,950 | $44,620 | $61,420 | |
| Pennsylvania | $34,960 | $48,440 | $69,570 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $61,420, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area earns $37,050–$52,000. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,950 wide, against $17,070 across Pennsylvania and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area 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 | $30,950 | $2,579 | $14.88 | $39,935 |
| 25th percentile | $37,050 | $3,088 | $17.81 | $47,806 |
| Median | $44,620 | $3,718 | $21.45 | $57,574 |
| 75th percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25.00 | $67,097 |
| 90th percentile | $61,420 | $5,118 | $29.53 | $79,252 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,380 a year in pay and about $9,523 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,570 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 the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area
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 $12,954 to the $44,620 median and brings it to $57,574 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 the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($47,460) and administrative assistants ($43,460). Project Coordinator is the highest at $87,860.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +10.7% | 200 | |
| HR Assistant | +6.4% | 80 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,450 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -2.6% | 2,200 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -2.8% | 880 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area (-11.9%), between payroll specialists (-10.4%) and office managers (-12.0%). The typical role here is at -12.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area, 8.5% across Pennsylvania and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 6 areas in Pennsylvania with more bookkeepers than the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($52,710) and Pittsburgh, PA ($47,250).
| Area | Median | vs the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | +1.5% | 920 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +1.1% | 1,420 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 1,200 | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,450 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -3.2% | 1,190 | |
| Altoona, PA | -4.4% | 470 | |
| Johnstown, PA | -6.5% | 410 |
the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area is #175 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Wheeling and Muncie pay just above the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area and Lake Charles and Valdosta just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | +28.5% | 1,440 | jobs | |
| Midland, TX | +17.0% | 1,440 | jobs | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +8.0% | 1,450 | jobs | |
| Muncie, IN | +0.1% | 450 | pay | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | +0.1% | 520 | pay | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,450 | ||
| Lake Charles, LA | -0.2% | 830 | pay | |
| Valdosta, GA | -0.2% | 450 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro)?
About $57,574 a year at the median, or $4,798 a month: $44,620 in pay plus about $12,954 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,620 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,950, the 90th $61,420, and the middle half earned $37,050 to $52,000.
Is the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,620 against $48,440 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $44,820, the next down the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $43,180.
How many bookkeepers work in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,450 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Pennsylvania total of 48,920. 6 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, with about 1,840.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,620 and $43,460.
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.