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Best states for a bookkeeper
Quoted expert
John Thornton Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and office and administrative careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to bookkeeper jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for bookkeepers.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for bookkeeper jobs.
We figured that the best places for bookkeeper jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for bookkeepers, and the Northeast is the worst. Washington, DC is the best city in the country for bookkeeper jobs, where as Delaware is the best state in the country.
10 best states for bookkeepers in 2025
1. Delaware
Total bookkeeper jobs: 92 Average annual salary: $44,991 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
2. New York
Total bookkeeper jobs: 807 Average annual salary: $48,079 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
3. Connecticut
Total bookkeeper jobs: 205 Average annual salary: $46,977 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
4. Massachusetts
Total bookkeeper jobs: 546 Average annual salary: $47,205 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
5. Alaska
Total bookkeeper jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $45,253 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
6. District of Columbia
Total bookkeeper jobs: 130 Average annual salary: $48,148 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
7. New Jersey
Total bookkeeper jobs: 462 Average annual salary: $46,773 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
8. Oregon
Total bookkeeper jobs: 302 Average annual salary: $41,419 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
9. Maryland
Total bookkeeper jobs: 423 Average annual salary: $44,494 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
10. Illinois
Total bookkeeper jobs: 793 Average annual salary: $40,846 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
Bookkeeper jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a bookkeeper
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a bookkeeper
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $44,991 | $33,000 | 961,939 | 92 |
| 2 | New York | $48,079 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 807 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $46,977 | $35,000 | 3,588,184 | 205 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $47,205 | $36,000 | 6,859,819 | 546 |
| 5 | Alaska | $45,253 | $38,000 | 739,795 | 53 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $48,148 | $35,000 | 693,972 | 130 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $46,773 | $34,000 | 9,005,644 | 462 |
| 8 | Oregon | $41,419 | $31,000 | 4,142,776 | 302 |
| 9 | Maryland | $44,494 | $33,000 | 6,052,177 | 423 |
| 10 | Illinois | $40,846 | $31,000 | 12,802,023 | 793 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $40,965 | $31,000 | 5,576,606 | 392 |
| 12 | Washington | $44,515 | $34,000 | 7,405,743 | 330 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $40,209 | $29,000 | 12,805,537 | 665 |
| 14 | Vermont | $40,247 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 48 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $40,115 | $31,000 | 1,342,795 | 102 |
| 16 | California | $43,976 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,932 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $40,629 | $30,000 | 1,059,639 | 63 |
| 18 | Nevada | $38,053 | $28,000 | 2,998,039 | 141 |
| 19 | Texas | $39,159 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,101 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $38,412 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 290 |
| 21 | Ohio | $37,663 | $28,000 | 11,658,609 | 577 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $36,228 | $28,000 | 6,715,984 | 383 |
| 23 | Virginia | $40,593 | $30,000 | 8,470,020 | 521 |
| 24 | Florida | $37,832 | $29,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,069 |
| 25 | Colorado | $38,740 | $30,000 | 5,607,154 | 389 |
| 26 | Arizona | $38,035 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 353 |
| 27 | Michigan | $37,537 | $28,000 | 9,962,311 | 377 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $43,889 | $35,000 | 1,427,538 | 35 |
| 29 | Georgia | $38,301 | $30,000 | 10,429,379 | 443 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $37,247 | $29,000 | 579,315 | 25 |
| 31 | Maine | $37,099 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 69 |
| 32 | Utah | $36,016 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 188 |
| 33 | Missouri | $36,784 | $28,000 | 6,113,532 | 291 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $36,655 | $28,000 | 10,273,419 | 364 |
| 35 | Idaho | $36,245 | $28,000 | 1,716,943 | 86 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $35,169 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 54 |
| 37 | Indiana | $35,575 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 290 |
| 38 | Iowa | $35,192 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 197 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $36,194 | $28,000 | 5,024,369 | 183 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $32,648 | $25,000 | 1,920,076 | 153 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $34,725 | $26,000 | 4,454,189 | 180 |
| 42 | Alabama | $35,248 | $27,000 | 4,874,747 | 164 |
| 43 | Montana | $31,625 | $24,000 | 1,050,493 | 114 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $35,248 | $27,000 | 3,930,864 | 118 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $34,114 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 36 |
| 46 | Kansas | $33,563 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 132 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $32,660 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 116 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $34,478 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 104 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $32,418 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 50 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $30,682 | $23,000 | 2,088,070 | 83 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $31,329 | $24,000 | 2,984,100 | 72 |
Highest paying states for bookkeepers
| Rank | State | Avg. Bookkeeper Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $44,991 |
| 2 | New York | $48,079 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $46,977 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $47,205 |
| 5 | Alaska | $45,253 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $48,148 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $46,773 |
| 8 | Oregon | $41,419 |
| 9 | Maryland | $44,494 |
| 10 | Illinois | $40,846 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $40,965 |
| 12 | Washington | $44,515 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $40,209 |
| 14 | Vermont | $40,247 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $40,115 |
| 16 | California | $43,976 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $40,629 |
| 18 | Nevada | $38,053 |
| 19 | Texas | $39,159 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $38,412 |
| 21 | Ohio | $37,663 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $36,228 |
| 23 | Virginia | $40,593 |
| 24 | Florida | $37,832 |
| 25 | Colorado | $38,740 |
| 26 | Arizona | $38,035 |
| 27 | Michigan | $37,537 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $43,889 |
| 29 | Georgia | $38,301 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $37,247 |
| 31 | Maine | $37,099 |
| 32 | Utah | $36,016 |
| 33 | Missouri | $36,784 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $36,655 |
| 35 | Idaho | $36,245 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $35,169 |
| 37 | Indiana | $35,575 |
| 38 | Iowa | $35,192 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $36,194 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $32,648 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $34,725 |
| 42 | Alabama | $35,248 |
| 43 | Montana | $31,625 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $35,248 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $34,114 |
| 46 | Kansas | $33,563 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $32,660 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $34,478 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $32,418 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $30,682 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $31,329 |
Expert opinions on the best states for bookkeepers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for bookkeepers to find work opportunities?
John Thornton Ph.D.
Professor of Accounting, School of Business and Management | Azusa Pacific University
CPA firms and corporations are still hiring accounting professionals. The disruption will be temporary, and much of the work will bounce back. But the long-term trend of global outsourcing of professional services, including accounting, has been dramatically accelerated. More than ever, graduates need to focus on setting themselves above the competition through professional certifications, such as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and the like. Graduates need to think beyond simple data collection and move to data analytics. Critical thinking skills, coupled with strong technical competencies, will win the day. One colossal growth area in accounting will be forensic and investigative accounting. With the increase in online everything, the protection of financial information will face ever-increasing pressures. Cybercrime is on the rise. So to demand innovative ways to stop fraud and white-collar crime. One impressive credential in this area is the Certified Forensic Accountant (CFE).
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Updated January 8, 2025