Bookkeeper salary in Reading, PA
Reading pays bookkeepers close to the Pennsylvania norm. The median is $48,720 a year1, about level with the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 and 3.8% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #199 of 521. BLS counts about 1,260 people in this job here, 3% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Reading, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Reading against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | $32,860 | $48,720 | $66,560 | |
| Pennsylvania | $34,960 | $48,440 | $69,570 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Reading earns $41,770–$58,620. The top tenth earns $66,560 or more, 2.0 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 $16,850 wide, against $17,070 across Pennsylvania and $17,950 nationally: employers in Reading 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 | $32,860 | $2,738 | $15.80 | $42,400 |
| 25th percentile | $41,770 | $3,481 | $20.08 | $53,897 |
| Median | $48,720 | $4,060 | $23.42 | $62,865 |
| 75th percentile | $58,620 | $4,885 | $28.18 | $75,639 |
| 90th percentile | $66,560 | $5,547 | $32.00 | $85,884 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,900 a year in pay and about $12,774 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,950 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 Reading, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $48,440 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Reading
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 $14,145 to the $48,720 median and brings it to $62,865 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 Reading
Of the 17 roles we track in Reading, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($49,860) and administrative assistants ($45,500). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,040.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +5.5% | 80 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +2.3% | 80 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,260 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.6% | 1,700 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.2% | 690 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Reading (-3.8%), between medical administrative assistants (-1.6%) and project coordinators (-4.2%). The typical role here is at -4.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 8.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Reading, 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 9 areas in Pennsylvania with more bookkeepers than Reading, 7 pay less, the largest of them Pittsburgh, PA ($47,250), Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ($48,540) and Lancaster, PA ($48,210).
| Area | Median | vs Reading | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon, PA | +9.8% | 560 | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +8.2% | 22,660 | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +0.8% | 2,430 | |
| Reading, PA | this area | 1,260 | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -0.4% | 2,450 | |
| Lancaster, PA | -1.0% | 2,190 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -2.3% | 1,270 |
Reading against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Reading is #209 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Indianapolis-Carmel and Pueblo pay just above Reading and Cedar Rapids and Jackson just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Reading. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Reading | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | +21.5% | 1,270 | jobs | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | +3.5% | 1,290 | jobs | |
| Pueblo, CO | +0.2% | 480 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +0.1% | 10,000 | pay | |
| Reading, PA | this area | 1,260 | ||
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -0.1% | 1,120 | pay | |
| Jackson, MI | -0.1% | 500 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | -0.8% | 1,260 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Reading, PA?
About $62,865 a year at the median, or $5,239 a month: $48,720 in pay plus about $14,145 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Reading?
The median was $48,720 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,860, the 90th $66,560, and the middle half earned $41,770 to $58,620.
Is Reading cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $48,720 against $48,440 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Allentown-Bethlehem at $49,100, the next down Harrisburg-Carlisle at $48,540.
How many bookkeepers work in Reading?
BLS counts about 1,260 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Pennsylvania total of 48,920. 9 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is York-Hanover, with about 1,270.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Reading?
Yes: $3,220 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,720 and $45,500.
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.