Bookkeeper salary in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $43,180 a year1: 10.9% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 and 14.8% below the US median of $50,670. Only 49 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 1,190 people in this job here, 2% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | $27,520 | $43,180 | $65,920 | |
| Pennsylvania | $34,960 | $48,440 | $69,570 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $65,920 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of bookkeepers in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area earns $34,630–$51,240. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $16,610 wide, against $17,070 across Pennsylvania and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Northeastern 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 | $27,520 | $2,293 | $13.23 | $35,510 |
| 25th percentile | $34,630 | $2,886 | $16.65 | $44,684 |
| Median | $43,180 | $3,598 | $20.76 | $55,716 |
| 75th percentile | $51,240 | $4,270 | $24.63 | $66,116 |
| 90th percentile | $65,920 | $5,493 | $31.69 | $85,058 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,060 a year in pay and about $10,400 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,550 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 Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeastern 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 $12,536 to the $43,180 median and brings it to $55,716 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 Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($44,380) and medical administrative assistants ($41,410). Project Coordinator is the highest at $96,830.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +10.6% | 50 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +2.8% | 1,890 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,190 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.1% | 460 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -5.7% | 50 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area (-14.8%), between office managers (-14.6%) and accountants (-16.4%). The typical role here is at -14.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northeastern 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 11 areas in Pennsylvania with more bookkeepers than the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($52,710) and Pittsburgh, PA ($47,250).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | +4.9% | 920 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +4.5% | 1,420 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +3.8% | 1,200 | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +3.3% | 1,450 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,190 | |
| Altoona, PA | -1.2% | 470 | |
| Johnstown, PA | -3.4% | 410 |
the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area is #228 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, Alexandria and Albany pay just above the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area and Jacksonville and Eagle Pass just below. All four are within $280 a year of the median in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +13.9% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Waco, TX | +7.2% | 1,200 | jobs | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | +3.1% | 1,180 | jobs | |
| Albany, GA | +0.2% | 420 | pay | |
| Alexandria, LA | +0.2% | 590 | pay | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,190 | ||
| Jacksonville, NC | -0.6% | 500 | pay | |
| Eagle Pass, TX | -0.6% | 190 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro)?
About $55,716 a year at the median, or $4,643 a month: $43,180 in pay plus about $12,536 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $43,180 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,520, the 90th $65,920, and the middle half earned $34,630 to $51,240.
Is the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $43,180 against $48,440 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is the Central Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $44,620, the next down Altoona at $42,660.
How many bookkeepers work in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,190 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Pennsylvania total of 48,920. 11 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, with about 1,200.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,770 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,180 and $41,410.
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.