WestwardAI Consulting

Local market data · Accounting firms · Philadelphia

AI for accounting firms in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia metro area had 1,028 accounting firms in 2022, the 9th most of 386 US metros and 2% of all in the country. They employed 13,430 people at an average of $112,388 a year. 82% have fewer than 10 staff, so the same few people answer the phone, book, follow up and do the paperwork. Those are the jobs AI tools take on today.

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Accounting firms in Philadelphia vs the US

Philadelphia metroUnited States
Businesses1,02855,642
People employed13,430572,944
Average staff per business13.110.3
Average yearly pay per employee$112,388$97,895
Share with fewer than 10 staff82%84%

Pay here is 15% higher than the national average for accounting firms, so every hour of staff time costs more to spend on admin. The average accounting firm here has 13.1 people on payroll, 27% higher than the US figure of 10.3.

How big accounting firms in Philadelphia are

Fewer than 5 staff666 (65%) US 65%
5 to 9173 (17%) US 19%
10 to 19103 (10%) US 9%
20 to 4952 (5%) US 4%
50 or more33 (3%) US 3%

Businesses with paid employees, by number of employees, March 2022.

Accounting firms by county in the Philadelphia area

Montgomery County has the most, with 257 of the metro's 1,028 (25%). Among the 10 big metros on this page, Philadelphia ranks 5th for average pay and 9th for the share of small firms.

CountyBusinessesEmployeesAvg pay
Montgomery County2572,391$90,047
Bucks County163776$68,433
Delaware County121687$82,345
Chester County106668$73,223
Philadelphia County936,890$129,925
Camden County89564$68,697
New Castle County88838$190,364
Burlington County62371$79,976
Gloucester County38186$51,312
Salem County636$45,333
Cecil County523$51,217

Census withholds pay where few firms would make it identifiable.

Where AI helps a accounting firm first

An accounting firm gets the most from AI by automating the chasing: missing documents, unsigned engagement letters, repeat client questions and deadline reminders. Technical judgment and sign-off stay with the CPA or preparer. Westward can build these pieces on the firm’s own accounts, with a person approving anything that goes out.

What your team's admin hours cost in Philadelphia

Change any number. The starting values are the Philadelphia averages above; the hours and the share are yours to set.

Those hours cost you$280,800 a year

The share you would hand off$84,240 a year

Hours your team gets back1,560 a year

See what we would build for this

Guides for accounting firms, one job each

Accounting firms in other big metros

MetroBusinessesAvg payRank of 387
Los Angeles3,514$105,5232nd
New York4,261$125,3401st
Chicago1,818$110,5434th
Miami2,009$93,0493rd
Dallas1,197$109,3015th
Houston1,037$115,4748th
Atlanta1,179$112,1836th
Washington1,065$128,6517th
Boston834$127,14111th

Where these numbers come from

From the U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 (released 2024), industry code NAICS 541211 (Offices of certified public accountants), for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (11 counties). It counts businesses with paid employees in March 2022, so solo owners with no payroll are not in it. Average pay is total yearly payroll divided by employees. The calculator uses 50 working weeks and 2,080 hours a year. Page checked 2026-11-12.

Find the hours your firm can get back

A free 30-minute call. You leave knowing which part of your accounting firm to hand to AI first, what we would build, and roughly how long it takes.

Related businesses in Philadelphia

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