Cost of hiring in Lancaster, PA
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 17 jobs in Lancaster, with about 3,440 people1. Medians run from $36,770 a year for virtual receptionists to $95,820 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Lancaster
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +1.9% | 150 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -1.0% | 980 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -1.1% | 3,440 | |
| Paralegal | -1.8% | 330 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -2.7% | 2,960 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -3.3% | 1,730 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.9% | 2,190 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -5.4% | 250 | |
| HR Assistant | -5.9% | 110 | |
| Project Coordinator | -6.4% | 1,430 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -6.5% | 140 | |
| Office Manager | -7.9% | 1,890 | |
| Accountant | -9.0% | 1,990 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -9.8% | 1,570 | |
| Recruiter | -12.7% | 1,200 | |
| Executive Assistant | -13.4% | 350 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -17.7% | 990 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $44,290 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $57,148 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Lancaster against the US
Lancaster pays above the US median for only one of the 17 roles, e-commerce order specialists (+1.9%), and below it for 16, furthest for marketing specialists (-17.7%). The middle gap across all 17 is -5.9%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for paralegals, #106 of 506 areas by median pay; its lowest is for HR assistants, #218 of 384.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Lancaster has more e-commerce order specialists (0.7% of these jobs here, against 0.5% nationally) and virtual receptionists (8.0% against 5.7%), and fewer executive assistants (1.6% against 2.9%) and paralegals (1.5% against 2.5%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Jackson, MI is nearest, at -5.7%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | -5.6% | 17 | 67,530 |
| Jackson, MI | -5.7% | 15 | 4,680 |
| Lancaster, PA | -5.9% (this area) | 17 | 21,700 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -6.1% | 16 | 6,190 |
| Akron, OH | -6.1% | 17 | 31,320 |
| Elmira, NY | -6.2% | 14 | 3,040 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Lancaster span $36,060–$133,310, the widest band (3.7×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $35,500–$55,800. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 15 of 17 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists and recruiters: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($74,330 against a $63,160 median for sales development representatives).
Lancaster against Pennsylvania
Against Pennsylvania as a whole, Lancaster pays more only for medical administrative assistants (+1.2%), and less for 9, most of all executive assistants (-11.9%). Its best rank within Pennsylvania is #3 of 20 areas, for customer support specialists.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
By jobs in these roles, Lancaster is #5 of 20 areas in Pennsylvania. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Philadelphia-Camden to the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | 289,250 | 17 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 105,450 | 17 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 32,820 | 17 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | 32,240 | 17 |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | 20,060 | 17 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 14,930 | 17 |
| Reading, PA | 14,430 | 17 |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | 13,520 | 17 |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | 10,870 | 17 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | 10,340 | 17 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Lancaster?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $95,820 a year, about $123,639 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $36,770.
Is hiring in Lancaster cheaper than the US median?
For 16 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-17.7%). One pays more than the US median: e-commerce order specialists (+1.9%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.