Bookkeeper salary in Lebanon, PA
No other area in Pennsylvania pays bookkeepers more than Lebanon: the median is $53,500 a year1. That is 10.4% above the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440, and 5.6% above the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#67 of 521). BLS counts about 560 people in this job here, 1% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Lebanon, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lebanon against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon, PA | $37,700 | $53,500 | $62,860 | |
| Pennsylvania | $34,960 | $48,440 | $69,570 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Lebanon earns $45,760–$58,080. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $62,860, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($51,760) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,320 wide, against $17,070 across Pennsylvania and $17,950 nationally: employers in Lebanon 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 | $37,700 | $3,142 | $18.12 | $48,645 |
| 25th percentile | $45,760 | $3,813 | $22.00 | $59,045 |
| Median | $53,500 | $4,458 | $25.72 | $69,032 |
| 75th percentile | $58,080 | $4,840 | $27.92 | $74,942 |
| 90th percentile | $62,860 | $5,238 | $30.22 | $81,110 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $4,580 over it, while the 25th sits $7,740 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $5,910 more a year with benefits. 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 25th percentile and the median in Lebanon, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Lebanon
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 $15,532 to the $53,500 median and brings it to $69,032 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 Lebanon
Of the 15 roles we track in Lebanon, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between executive assistants ($58,930) and payroll specialists ($51,980). Project Coordinator is the highest at $88,010.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +11.2% | 40 | |
| Executive Assistant | +10.1% | 50 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 560 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -2.8% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -14.9% | 190 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 15 roles we track in Lebanon (+5.6%); executive assistants come last (-23.1%). The typical role here is at -7.9%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Lebanon than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 14.4% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Lebanon, 8.6% 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 13 areas in Pennsylvania with more bookkeepers than Lebanon pay less, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($52,710) and Pittsburgh, PA ($47,250).
| Area | Median | vs Lebanon | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon, PA | this area | 560 | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | -1.5% | 22,660 | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | -8.2% | 2,430 | |
| Reading, PA | -8.9% | 1,260 | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -9.3% | 2,450 | |
| Lancaster, PA | -9.9% | 2,190 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -11.0% | 1,270 |
Lebanon against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lebanon is #398 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, but its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Albany-Schenectady and Yakima pay just above Lebanon and Fort Collins-Loveland and Madison just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in Lebanon. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lebanon | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima, WA | +0.1% | 940 | pay | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | +0.1% | 4,170 | pay | |
| Lebanon, PA | this area | 560 | ||
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -0.4% | 1,760 | pay | |
| Madison, WI | -0.5% | 3,760 | pay | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -17.3% | 560 | jobs | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | -18.1% | 560 | jobs | |
| Dothan, AL | -22.7% | 560 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Lebanon, PA?
About $69,032 a year at the median, or $5,753 a month: $53,500 in pay plus about $15,532 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Lebanon?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $53,500 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,700, the 90th $62,860, and the middle half earned $45,760 to $58,080.
Is Lebanon the most expensive area in Pennsylvania for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $53,500 is the highest of 20 areas in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia-Camden comes next at $52,710.
How many bookkeepers work in Lebanon?
BLS counts about 560 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Pennsylvania total of 48,920. 13 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Erie, with about 920.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a payroll specialist in Lebanon?
Yes: $1,520 a year more at the median. The medians are $53,500 and $51,980.
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.