ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT. FLC MISINTERPRETS THE DEP CLRNC AND CLBS BEYOND ITS LEVELOFF ALT.

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DURING A SCHEDULED FLT FROM ACY TO PHL; I OBTAINED THE IFR CLRNC FOR OUR FLT WHICH READ 'CLR TO PHL VIA ACY1; AS FILED; CLB; MAINTAIN 4000 FT; DEP FREQ 134.25 AND SQUAWK XXXX.' I HAVE ONLY RECEIVED THE ACY1 DEP ABOUT 4 OR MAYBE 5 TIMES DURING THE LAST 4 MONTHS. NORMALLY THE CLRNC WILL SAY: CLR TO PHL; AFTER DEP MAINTAIN RWY HDG; RADAR VECTORS TO VICTOR 184; CEDAR LAKES OR WOODSTOWN THEN AS FILED; CLB TO 2000 FT; EXPECT 4000 FT IN 5 MINS; DEP FREQ 134.25 AND SQUAWK YYYY. (SOME SMALL VARIATIONS ARE NORMAL FOR THE RTE PORTION.) ON THIS DAY; I TOOK OFF AND CLBED THROUGH 2000 FT AND CONTACTED DEP CTL SOMETIME BTWN 2000- 3000 FT. WHEN THE CTLR ANSWERED THE RADIO CALL HE QUESTIONED OUR ALT (PASSING 3300 FT AND CLBING). WE ANSWERED HIM AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT. THE CTLR ASKED WHO CLRED US TO 4000 FT. I SAID IT WAS GIVEN TO US BY CLRNC DELIVERY; AS STATED EARLIER. HOWEVER; I NOW KNOW AND ALSO KNEW THEN; THAT THE ACY1 DEP REQUIRES A CLB TO 2000 FT AND EXPECT FILED ALT 10 MINS AFTER DEP; BUT SOMEHOW; IN MY MIND; WE WERE CLRED TO 4000 FT UNRESTR. THERE WAS NO OTHER CONFLICT; THAT I KNOW ABOUT; OR ANY OTHER DEVS AT THE TIME; WHICH COMPROMISED THE SAFETY OF THIS FLT. I BELIEVED THAT ROUTINE CLRNCS; IN CONTRAST WITH NON-ROUTINE; COULD BE SOMEWHAT DETRIMENTAL AND COULD BE INADVERTENTLY MISFOLLOWED. NOW; AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS SIT; I FULLY EXPLAIN OR BRIEF 'ALL' CLRNCS TO MY CREW MEMBERS AND QUERY THE CTLR WHEN IN DOUBT.