Updated February 6, 2023

Average Bookkeeper Salary

$40,337yearly

$19.39 hourly

Entry level Salary
$30,000 yearly

How much does a Bookkeeper make?

Bookkeepers make $40,337 per year on average, or $19.39 per hour, in the United States. Bookkeepers on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $30,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $52,000.

Location impacts how much a bookkeeper can expect to make. Bookkeepers make the most in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Alaska.

Highest Paying States For Bookkeepers

While a bookkeeper can average a salary of $40,337 per year, or $19.39 per hour, there are many opportunities for bookkeepers to make more. For example, in Washington, DC you might make $48,188 per year. Other high-paying locations include New York, NY, Boston, MA and Seattle, WA. If you're in an entry-level position, your best bet is to move to Washington, DC where the average starting salary is $35,000. The highest paying states for bookkeepers include New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Meanwhile, Arkansas, Nebraska, and West Virginia offer the lowest salaries.
  • State View
  • County View
Average Salary:

Bookkeeper average salary by State

RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1Delaware$44,991$21.6392
2New York$48,079$23.11807
3Connecticut$46,977$22.59205
4Massachusetts$47,205$22.69546
5Alaska$45,253$21.7653
6District of Columbia$48,148$23.15130
7New Jersey$46,773$22.49462
8Oregon$41,419$19.91302
9Maryland$44,494$21.39423
10Illinois$40,846$19.64793
11Minnesota$40,965$19.69392
12Washington$44,515$21.40330
13Pennsylvania$40,209$19.33665
14Vermont$40,247$19.3548
15New Hampshire$40,115$19.29102
16California$43,976$21.141,932
17Rhode Island$40,629$19.5363
18Nevada$38,053$18.29141
19Texas$39,159$18.831,101
20Wisconsin$38,412$18.47290
21Ohio$37,663$18.11577
22Tennessee$36,228$17.42383
23Virginia$40,593$19.52521
24Florida$37,832$18.191,069
25Colorado$38,740$18.63389
26Arizona$38,035$18.29353
27Michigan$37,537$18.05377
28Hawaii$43,889$21.1035
29Georgia$38,301$18.41443
30Wyoming$37,247$17.9125
31Maine$37,099$17.8469
32Utah$36,016$17.32188
33Missouri$36,784$17.68291
34North Carolina$36,655$17.62364
35Idaho$36,245$17.4386
36North Dakota$35,169$16.9154
37Indiana$35,575$17.10290
38Iowa$35,192$16.92197
39South Carolina$36,194$17.40183
40Nebraska$32,648$15.70153
41Kentucky$34,725$16.69180
42Alabama$35,248$16.95164
43Montana$31,625$15.20114
44Oklahoma$35,248$16.95118
45South Dakota$34,114$16.4036
46Kansas$33,563$16.14132
47Arkansas$32,660$15.70116
48Louisiana$34,478$16.58104
49West Virginia$32,418$15.5950
50New Mexico$30,682$14.7583
51Mississippi$31,329$15.0672

Highest Paying Cities For Bookkeepers

RankCityAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1Washington, DC$48,188$23.173
2New York, NY$48,135$23.1428
3Boston, MA$47,119$22.654
4Seattle, WA$44,733$21.512
5Baltimore, MD$44,673$21.482
6Los Angeles, CA$43,510$20.9214
7Portland, OR$41,285$19.854
8Chicago, IL$40,943$19.687
9Minneapolis, MN$40,940$19.685
10Philadelphia, PA$40,458$19.453
11San Antonio, TX$39,589$19.036
12Denver, CO$38,756$18.636
13Milwaukee, WI$38,505$18.511
14Atlanta, GA$38,259$18.396
15Tucson, AZ$38,099$18.325

Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:

  1. Washington, DC
  2. New York, NY
  3. Boston, MA
  4. Seattle, WA
  5. Baltimore, MD

Bookkeeper Salary by Years of Experience

The salary for a bookkeeper can vary depending on the years of experience that a person has, from entry level to senior level. An accountant with 0-2 years of experience earns an average salary of $28,506, a mid-career professional with 3-6 years of experience makes $40,337 a year on average, and a senior level accountant with 7-12 years of experience enjoys an average annual salary of $53,471. Data on how experience level affects total compensation is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as part of their National Compensation Survey, which is based on factors such as knowledge, complexity, contacts, and environment.

Bookkeeper Salary By Experience Level

Experience LevelAvg. SalaryHourly Rate
Entry Level$28,500$13.70
Mid Level$40,700$19.57
Senior Level$53,500$25.71

Bookkeepers Salary Details

Average Bookkeeper Salary Graph
Average Bookkeeper Salary Graph, Trends, and Summary

What is a Bookkeeper's Salary?

PercentileAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly Rate
90th Percentile$52,000$4,333$25
75th Percentile$46,000$3,833$22
Average$40,337$3,361$19
25th Percentile$35,000$2,917$17
10th Percentile$30,000$2,500$14

Highest Paying Types of Bookkeepers

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
Account Payables Analyst$54,356$4,530$26.1373,985
Accounting Technician$41,337$3,445$19.8739,972
Accounts Payable Administrator$41,860$3,488$20.1279,272
Accounting Administrator$48,068$4,006$23.1197,934
Accounting Coordinator$44,639$3,720$21.4663,129
Accounting Internship$30,642$2,554$14.7380,299

Which Companies Pay Bookkeepers The Most?

According to our most recent salary estimates, NTT Data International L.L.C. And Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School are the highest paying companies for bookkeepers.

How Much Do Bookkeepers Make In Different Industries?

Bookkeeper salaries can vary depending on the industry. In fact, our data shows that the manufacturing, finance, and professional industries tend to offer much higher salaries for bookkeepers. For example, bookkeepers make a whopping average salary of $42,063 while working in the manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, other people in this field are making $41,862 in the finance industry and $41,631 in the professional industry.

Bookkeepers may want to avoid working in the hospitality industry as it offers the lowest average salary of $37,930.

Highest Paying Industries For Bookkeepers

RankIndustryAverage SalaryHourly Rate
1Manufacturing$42,063$20.22
2Finance$41,862$20.13
3Professional$41,631$20.01
4Retail$38,113$18.32
5Hospitality$37,930$18.24

High Paying Bookkeeper Jobs

Bookkeeper Pay Trends

Average Bookkeeper Salary Over Time

Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

    Bookkeeper Salary By Year

    YearAvg. SalaryHourly Rate% Change
    2023$40,300$19.39+2.8%
    2022$39,200$18.85+2.4%
    2021$38,300$18.40+2.5%
    2020$37,300$17.94+2.2%
    2019$36,500$17.55+3.0%

    Recently Added Bookkeeper Salaries

    CompanyJobLocationDate AddedSalary
    ESP ServicesSenior BookkeeperHouston, TX11/29/2022$60,000
    Express Employment ProfessionalsBookkeeper AccountantFitchburg, WI11/29/2022$52,175
    PrideoneBookkeeperBaltimore, MD11/29/2022$41,740
    Agile Consulting LLCBookkeeperCharlotte, NC11/29/2022$45,000
    Integrated Tax ServicesBookkeeperVancouver, WA11/29/2022$58,436
    Tom Bush Regency Motors BMW & MiniAutomotive BookkeeperJacksonville, FL11/29/2022$29,218
    Fusion Growth PartnersBookkeeperPort Saint Lucie, FL11/29/2022$40,000
    Wilson's Refrigeration & AC Service, Inc.Multiple Office-BookkeeperColumbia, SC11/29/2022$41,740
    Kelly ServicesBookkeeperYpsilanti, MI11/28/2022$41,740
    Gold's Gym International, Inc.BookkeeperPoughkeepsie, NY11/28/2022$45,914

    Bookkeeper Salaries FAQs

    What State Pays Bookkeepers The Most?

    New York pays Bookkeepers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $48,148 per year, or $23.15 per hour.

    How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Bookkeeper?

    You know if you are being paid fairly as a Bookkeeper if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in New York you should be paid close to $48,079 per year.

    What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Bookkeeper?

    A good starting salary for a bookkeeper is $31,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a bookkeeper in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for bookkeepers is $40,168, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a bookkeeper can vary by state.

    Do Bookkeepers Make Good Money?

    Yes, bookkeepers make good money. The median annual bookkeeper salary is $40,000 per year, with a median hourly rate of $19. However, bookkeeping salaries vary depending on the individual's education, level of experience, and industry.

    How Much Does A Beginner Bookkeeper Make?

    A beginner bookkeeper makes around $30,000 a year. The median annual bookkeeper salary is $40,000 per year, with a median hourly rate of $19. However, bookkeeping salaries vary depending on the individual's education, level of experience, and industry.

    How Much Does A Bookkeeper Make A Year?

    A bookkeeper makes $40,000 a year, on average. This means they have a median hourly rate of just over $19. However, bookkeeping salaries vary depending on the individual's education, level of experience, and industry.

    How Much Should I Pay A Bookkeeper Per Hour?

    You should pay a bookkeeper between $20 and $40 an hour. The actual rate a company pays its bookkeeper largely depends on what the company needs from a bookkeeper.

    More financially complex business models may require a business to pay more for a bookkeeper who has more experience and skill.

    Search For Bookkeeper Jobs