Cost of hiring in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA
BLS counts about 20,060 people in these 17 roles in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($91,820 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($35,650), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 3,610 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | -3.1% | 120 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.1% | 1,000 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -5.5% | 70 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -6.2% | 3,610 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -6.2% | 1,620 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.9% | 2,670 | |
| Bookkeeper | -7.5% | 1,840 | |
| Paralegal | -8.4% | 400 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -10.0% | 200 | |
| Office Manager | -10.2% | 2,500 | |
| Project Coordinator | -10.3% | 870 | |
| Recruiter | -13.9% | 1,130 | |
| Accountant | -15.8% | 1,640 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -15.8% | 180 | |
| Executive Assistant | -16.0% | 370 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -19.5% | 1,070 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -23.3% | 770 |
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 $42,010 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $54,206 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre against the US
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for HR assistants (-3.1%) and medical administrative assistants (-4.1%) and largest for marketing specialists (-23.3%). The middle gap across all 17 is -10.0%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for HR assistants, #161 of 384 areas by median pay; its lowest is for accountants, #438 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre has more virtual receptionists (8.1% of these jobs here, against 5.7% nationally) and office managers (12.5% against 9.1%), and fewer executive assistants (1.8% against 2.9%) and project coordinators (4.3% against 6.7%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Niles, MI is nearest, at -10.0%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kokomo, IN | -9.9% | 14 | 2,140 |
| St. George, UT | -9.9% | 15 | 8,320 |
| Niles, MI | -10.0% | 15 | 4,780 |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | -10.0% (this area) | 17 | 20,060 |
| Battle Creek, MI | -10.1% | 14 | 3,900 |
| Tucson, AZ | -10.1% | 17 | 35,710 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre span $33,660–$110,330, the widest band (3.3×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $34,250–$54,440. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 13 of 17 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, marketing specialists, recruiters and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($65,870 against a $56,330 median for sales development representatives).
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre against Pennsylvania
Against Pennsylvania as a whole, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre pays about the same or less for all 17 roles, and less for 16, most of all executive assistants (-14.5%). Its best rank within Pennsylvania is #8 of 20 areas, for executive assistants.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
By jobs in these roles, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre is #6 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 |
| Lancaster, PA | 21,700 | 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 Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $91,820 a year, about $118,477 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $35,650.
Is hiring in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-23.3%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.