Accountant Jobs in Philadelphia, PA
Accountants in the Philadelphia area average about $94,900 a year, according to Pennsylvania's May 2025 wage survey, and the work clusters in the Market Street towers of Center City, where Comcast, Aramark, Deloitte and PwC keep large finance teams. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get licensed.
Current accountant Openings in Philadelphia, PA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Accountant Work in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's accounting jobs sit in three places. Corporate headquarters along Market Street and JFK Boulevard, led by Comcast, Aramark and Independence Blue Cross, hire staff and senior accountants for revenue, cash, accounts payable and program accounting. The public accounting firms, Deloitte at 1700 Market Street among them, recruit audit associates and interns, many of them still finishing accounting degrees. And the "eds and meds" economy adds a third track: Penn Medicine, the city's hospital systems and its universities all run finance departments in University City and North Broad.
What makes the market different is density. Corporate headquarters, Big Four audit practices and several academic medical centers sit within a short ride on the El or Regional Rail, so an accountant can change sectors without changing commutes.
Top Philadelphia Employers Hiring Accountants
These Philadelphia employers have posted accounting roles on their own career sites this year:
- Comcast - the Center City media company lists staff and senior accountant roles in cash and AR, revenue and program accounting, plus accounts payable analysts.
- Deloitte - the Big Four firm at 1700 Market Street hires audit and assurance staff and interns for its Philadelphia practice.
- PwC - recruits Philadelphia audit interns and co-ops, a common first step to a full-time associate offer.
- Penn Medicine - the health system's corporate services and physician practices hire accountants, financial analysts and accounts payable staff.
- Aramark - the food and facilities company, headquartered on Market Street, hires accounting specialists, senior accountants and financial analysts.
- Independence Blue Cross - the health insurer posts senior, lead and tax accountant roles at its Center City headquarters.
Accountant Salaries in Philadelphia
- Entry level: about $58,000 to $66,000 a year for staff accountants and first-year audit associates.
- Experienced: roughly $80,000 to $100,000 a year for senior accountants with a few years of experience.
- Senior: $105,000 to $120,000 or more for lead accountants, audit seniors moving to manager, and CPAs in specialty roles.
These are estimates built from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry's May 2025 figures for the Philadelphia metro, which put entry-level accountants near $62,700 and experienced accountants near $111,000. A CPA license, public accounting experience, and specialties such as tax, revenue recognition or healthcare finance move pay up. Paid internships run high too: PwC advertises its Philadelphia audit co-op at $29.25 to $48 an hour.
How to Become an Accountant in Philadelphia
Most accountant jobs require a bachelor's degree in accounting. Temple University's Fox School of Business offers an accounting BBA and a Master of Accountancy on North Broad Street, and Drexel's LeBow College of Business in University City pairs its program with co-ops. For a lower-cost start, Community College of Philadelphia's Accounting AAS at the Main Campus on Spring Garden Street prepares students for junior accountant and accounts payable roles, and its online Post-Baccalaureate Accounting Proficiency Certificate serves career changers who already hold a degree.
The CPA license is issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy. Under Act 27 of 2025, you can qualify with a bachelor's degree plus 24 months of experience, or with 150 credits or a master's degree plus 12 months of experience, in each case after passing the Uniform CPA Exam. Experience must be verified by a licensed CPA. You do not need a license to work as a staff accountant, but public accounting firms expect you to be on the CPA track.
What the Job Involves
Accountants record and reconcile transactions, close the books each month, prepare financial statements and support audits. A staff accountant might reconcile cash and receivables, post journal entries to the general ledger and chase down variances, while an audit associate tests a client's records and controls. Most of the day is spent in Excel and an ERP system such as SAP, Oracle or PeopleSoft.
Skills Employers Look For
- A bachelor's degree in accounting and progress toward the CPA
- Working knowledge of GAAP and month-end close
- Advanced Excel, including pivot tables and lookups
- Experience with an ERP such as SAP, Oracle or PeopleSoft
- Account reconciliation and variance analysis
- Clear written communication with managers and auditors
Career Path and Advancement
In Philadelphia the classic route runs from a Big Four or regional firm audit associate job to audit senior after two or three years, then either to manager or across to a corporate role at a company like Comcast, Aramark or IBX. On the corporate side, staff accountants move to senior and lead accountant, then accounting manager, assistant controller and controller. Hospital and university finance offers a parallel ladder through financial analyst and finance director roles.
Related Careers in Philadelphia
If accounting interests you, these related Philadelphia guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a CPA license to work as an accountant in Philadelphia?
No. Staff and senior accountant jobs at companies such as Comcast and Aramark do not require a license, though many prefer candidates working toward one. You need the CPA from the Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy to sign audit opinions and to advance to manager in public accounting.
How much do accountants make in Philadelphia?
Pennsylvania's May 2025 wage survey puts the average accountant in the Philadelphia metro at about $94,900 a year, with entry-level pay near $62,700 and experienced pay near $111,000. Senior roles and CPAs in specialty areas earn more.
Can I become a CPA in Pennsylvania without 150 credits?
Yes. Since Act 27 of 2025, Pennsylvania lets candidates with a bachelor's degree and 24 qualifying credits get licensed after passing the CPA Exam and completing 24 months of verified experience. The 150-credit route with 12 months of experience is still available.
Where can I study accounting in Philadelphia?
Community College of Philadelphia offers an Accounting AAS and short certificates at its Spring Garden Street campus and online. Temple's Fox School of Business and Drexel's LeBow College of Business offer bachelor's and graduate accounting programs in the city.
Are Philadelphia accounting jobs remote?
Many are hybrid rather than fully remote. Corporate employers in Center City commonly ask for two or three office days a week, and audit staff spend time at client sites, especially during busy season from January through April.
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