What a bookkeeper costs in 2026
The median bookkeeper in the United States earned $50,670 a year, $24.36 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. With benefits at a small employer, a full-time bookkeeper at the median costs about $68,400 a year, or about $5,700 a month.
The middle half of bookkeepers earn $43,520 to $61,470. There are 1,373,680 of them across the country, and what one costs you depends most on where you are: District of Columbia has the highest median at $65,180, and Mississippi the lowest of the 50 states at $42,840.
Liaison does the routine half of a bookkeeper’s job for 11% of that. See how.
What a bookkeeper would cost you
Pick a state or a metro area and the hours you need. The cost is the median hourly wage there plus benefits at the rate you choose.
Bookkeeper, the United States, 40 hours a week
$68,407 a year
$5,701 a month. Wages $50,669 at the median of $24.36 an hour, plus $17,738 in benefits. The middle half of bookkeepers here earn $43,520 to $61,470 in wages.
Bookkeeper wages and cost by state
Median wage, May 2025. The cost column adds benefits at the rate for employers with 1 to 49 workers (35% on top of wages).
| State | Median annual | Median hourly | Cost to a small employer | Middle half earns | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $44,640 | $21.46 | $60,267 | $36,390 to $50,680 | 19,890 |
| Alaska | $56,430 | $27.13 | $76,185 | $47,270 to $64,360 | 4,580 |
| Arizona | $50,590 | $24.32 | $68,300 | $44,980 to $59,550 | 22,690 |
| Arkansas | $42,840 | $20.60 | $57,837 | $36,020 to $51,100 | 12,510 |
| California | $59,230 | $28.48 | $79,965 | $48,600 to $70,600 | 151,870 |
| Colorado | $54,000 | $25.96 | $72,904 | $46,400 to $64,170 | 26,140 |
| Connecticut | $59,970 | $28.83 | $80,964 | $49,840 to $70,710 | 14,930 |
| Delaware | $51,780 | $24.89 | $69,907 | $44,980 to $61,620 | 4,600 |
| District of Columbia | $65,180 | $31.34 | $87,998 | $55,280 to $77,700 | 1,790 |
| Florida | $49,330 | $23.72 | $66,599 | $42,890 to $59,960 | 88,670 |
| Georgia | $49,350 | $23.73 | $66,626 | $40,410 to $60,010 | 38,700 |
| Guam | $33,280 | $16.00 | $44,930 | $27,520 to $39,730 | 880 |
| Hawaii | $48,730 | $23.43 | $65,789 | $42,340 to $58,790 | 5,220 |
| Idaho | $48,310 | $23.23 | $65,222 | $40,770 to $58,660 | 9,540 |
| Illinois | $49,560 | $23.83 | $66,910 | $42,680 to $60,130 | 51,470 |
| Indiana | $47,820 | $22.99 | $64,560 | $39,970 to $57,770 | 29,910 |
| Iowa | $48,180 | $23.17 | $65,046 | $41,140 to $57,540 | 14,020 |
| Kansas | $47,290 | $22.74 | $63,845 | $39,310 to $56,480 | 15,380 |
| Kentucky | $46,550 | $22.38 | $62,846 | $37,450 to $56,610 | 23,480 |
| Louisiana | $44,890 | $21.58 | $60,605 | $35,990 to $54,170 | 18,980 |
| Maine | $50,510 | $24.28 | $68,192 | $45,100 to $60,210 | 7,390 |
| Maryland | $53,540 | $25.74 | $72,283 | $45,990 to $63,040 | 18,170 |
| Massachusetts | $59,830 | $28.77 | $80,775 | $49,160 to $69,110 | 29,110 |
| Michigan | $48,980 | $23.55 | $66,127 | $42,740 to $58,530 | 37,550 |
| Minnesota | $54,600 | $26.25 | $73,714 | $46,970 to $62,640 | 26,850 |
| Mississippi | $42,840 | $20.60 | $57,837 | $34,890 to $51,080 | 12,160 |
| Missouri | $47,990 | $23.07 | $64,790 | $40,220 to $58,140 | 21,400 |
| Montana | $47,270 | $22.73 | $63,818 | $40,510 to $55,790 | 6,980 |
| Nebraska | $47,110 | $22.65 | $63,602 | $39,000 to $54,900 | 10,050 |
| Nevada | $50,380 | $24.22 | $68,017 | $43,800 to $60,290 | 15,180 |
| New Hampshire | $52,450 | $25.22 | $70,811 | $44,980 to $61,140 | 7,180 |
| New Jersey | $58,300 | $28.03 | $78,709 | $48,400 to $67,270 | 37,550 |
| New Mexico | $48,080 | $23.12 | $64,911 | $40,170 to $58,280 | 7,780 |
| New York | $58,160 | $27.96 | $78,520 | $47,400 to $69,330 | 84,280 |
| North Carolina | $47,930 | $23.04 | $64,709 | $39,870 to $58,060 | 48,760 |
| North Dakota | $49,710 | $23.90 | $67,112 | $44,750 to $58,990 | 4,290 |
| Ohio | $48,810 | $23.47 | $65,897 | $42,360 to $58,720 | 45,140 |
| Oklahoma | $46,180 | $22.20 | $62,346 | $38,050 to $56,360 | 16,490 |
| Oregon | $54,060 | $25.99 | $72,985 | $45,730 to $62,930 | 21,710 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,440 | $23.29 | $65,397 | $41,840 to $58,910 | 48,920 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,700 | $13.80 | $38,747 | $24,450 to $35,610 | 6,650 |
| Rhode Island | $53,280 | $25.61 | $71,932 | $46,800 to $63,160 | 4,570 |
| South Carolina | $47,940 | $23.05 | $64,722 | $39,810 to $58,240 | 19,980 |
| South Dakota | $46,340 | $22.28 | $62,562 | $39,370 to $52,000 | 10,200 |
| Tennessee | $48,180 | $23.16 | $65,046 | $40,330 to $58,460 | 37,680 |
| Texas | $48,910 | $23.52 | $66,032 | $40,710 to $60,320 | 122,400 |
| Utah | $49,440 | $23.77 | $66,748 | $41,600 to $59,670 | 12,650 |
| Vermont | $54,720 | $26.31 | $73,876 | $47,850 to $63,420 | 2,950 |
| Virgin Islands | $46,490 | $22.35 | $62,765 | $37,860 to $55,760 | 280 |
| Virginia | $51,620 | $24.82 | $69,691 | $44,420 to $62,230 | 31,990 |
| Washington | $58,620 | $28.18 | $79,141 | $49,830 to $66,400 | 32,930 |
| West Virginia | $42,890 | $20.62 | $57,905 | $36,450 to $49,520 | 7,620 |
| Wisconsin | $50,340 | $24.20 | $67,963 | $44,580 to $59,380 | 25,960 |
| Wyoming | $47,910 | $23.03 | $64,682 | $39,880 to $57,510 | 3,480 |
Highest and lowest paying metro areas
Out of the 393 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for bookkeepers. The lowest list covers the 50 states and DC; the calculator above has every metro area, Puerto Rico’s included.
| Highest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $66,130 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $65,530 |
| New Haven, CT | $62,890 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $61,960 |
| Napa, CA | $61,710 |
| Lowest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| Hot Springs, AR | $38,450 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $38,810 |
| Lafayette, LA | $38,910 |
| Laredo, TX | $39,710 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $40,230 |
The routine part of the bookkeeper’s job
Much of what a bookkeeper does every week is routine: the follow-ups, the reconciling, the scheduling, the reports pulled together from three systems. That routine part is what Liaison does, inside the tools the business already runs: $629 a month on Professional, set up with you, or $149 a month self-serve. The judgment stays with your people.
The routine half of a bookkeeper’s job, for 11% of what one costs.
- Chases every open invoice in your voice, one reminder per customer, and matches payouts to the invoices they paid.
- Reads bills as they arrive, codes and enters them, and stages the payment run for your yes.
- Reconciles the processors against the deposits and writes the month-end notes your accountant would otherwise bill for.
Professional is $629 a month, $7,548 a year, against about $68,400 a year for a bookkeeper at the median once benefits are added. On Professional we connect your tools, bring your data in and set up the first rules with you. Anything that moves money waits for your yes.
“Cut our month-end close from 4 days to 4 hours.” Marcus C., owner
$629 a month, or $500 a month on a 12-month term. Prefer to start on your own? Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with a free trial first: 7 days, no card. More: AI bookkeeper.
Questions
How much does a bookkeeper cost a small business?
The median bookkeeper earned $50,670 a year, or $24.36 an hour, in May 2025. Benefits at employers with fewer than 50 workers add 35% on top of wages (June 2026), so a full-time bookkeeper at the median costs about $68,400 a year. The middle half earn $43,520 to $61,470.
Which states pay bookkeepers the most?
District of Columbia ($65,180), Connecticut ($59,970) and Massachusetts ($59,830) have the highest median wage for bookkeepers. The lowest among the 50 states and DC are Mississippi ($42,840), Arkansas ($42,840) and West Virginia ($42,890).
Which metro areas pay bookkeepers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,130), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($65,530) and New Haven, CT ($62,890), out of the 393 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for bookkeepers.
Where does this data come from?
Wages are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, occupation 43-3031. The benefit cost is from the BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation release for June 2026. Recruiting, training, equipment and turnover are not included.
See it on your own business.
Thirty minutes with us, on your own tools. Bring the thing that eats your evenings and watch it get handled from your own inbox, calendar and books.
Professional is $629 a month and we set it up with you. Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with the free trial first: 7 days, no card. Every plan is on the pricing page.