Bookkeeper salary in Erie, PA
Erie is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $45,300 a year1 is 6.5% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440, and 10.6% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#398 of 521). About 920 bookkeepers work here, 2% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Erie, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Erie against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | $32,140 | $45,300 | $59,680 | |
| Pennsylvania | $34,960 | $48,440 | $69,570 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Erie earns $37,680–$51,430. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $59,680, only 1.9 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,750 wide, against $17,070 across Pennsylvania and $17,950 nationally: employers in Erie 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 | $32,140 | $2,678 | $15.45 | $41,471 |
| 25th percentile | $37,680 | $3,140 | $18.12 | $48,619 |
| Median | $45,300 | $3,775 | $21.78 | $58,452 |
| 75th percentile | $51,430 | $4,286 | $24.73 | $66,361 |
| 90th percentile | $59,680 | $4,973 | $28.69 | $77,006 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,620 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,130, or about $7,910 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 $50,670 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Erie, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Erie
At the $45,300 median, a local hire costs about $58,452 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,152 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 Erie
Of the 17 roles we track in Erie, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($46,560) and e-commerce order specialists ($43,890). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,590.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +21.2% | 80 | |
| HR Assistant | +2.8% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 920 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -3.1% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.8% | 570 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Erie (-10.6%), between project coordinators (-8.5%) and data entry specialists (-10.9%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 9.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Erie, 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 12 areas in Pennsylvania with more bookkeepers than Erie, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($44,620), the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($45,120) and the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($44,820).
| Area | Median | vs Erie | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williamsport, PA | +3.4% | 340 | |
| Chambersburg, PA | +2.6% | 420 | |
| State College, PA | +2.4% | 490 | |
| Erie, PA | this area | 920 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 1,420 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,200 | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -1.5% | 1,450 |
Erie against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Erie is #294 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, Springfield and Fayetteville pay just above Erie and Florence and Brunswick-St. Simons just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Erie. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Erie | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwich-New London, CT | +27.0% | 910 | jobs | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +6.8% | 930 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +0.1% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Springfield, MO | +0.1% | 1,440 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | this area | 920 | ||
| Florence, SC | +0.0% | 730 | pay | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | -0.1% | 360 | pay | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | -5.5% | 920 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Erie, PA?
About $58,452 a year at the median, or $4,871 a month: $45,300 in pay plus about $13,152 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Erie?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,300 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,140, the 90th $59,680, and the middle half earned $37,680 to $51,430.
Is Erie cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,300 against $48,440 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is State College at $46,370, the next down the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $45,120.
How many bookkeepers work in Erie?
BLS counts about 920 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Pennsylvania total of 48,920. 12 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, with about 1,190.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Erie?
Yes: $1,410 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,300 and $43,890.
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.