Bookkeeper salary in California
The median bookkeeper in California earns $59,230 a year, or $28.48 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. That is 17% above the national median of $50,670, and 4th of the 54 states and territories BLS publishes.
The middle half of California’s 151,870 bookkeepers earn between $48,600 and $70,600. The highest paying metro area in the state is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, at $66,130.
Liaison does the routine half of a bookkeeper’s job for 9% of what one costs in California. See how.
Bookkeeper salary by city in California
Every metro area in California where BLS publishes a median for bookkeepers, highest first. A metro that crosses a state line appears under each of its states.
| Metro area | Median annual | Median hourly | Middle half earns | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $66,130 | $31.79 | $58,800 to $78,460 | 7,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $65,530 | $31.51 | $57,510 to $78,460 | 18,100 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $61,960 | $29.79 | $50,480 to $77,800 | 1,120 |
| Napa, CA | $61,710 | $29.67 | $55,430 to $72,800 | 700 |
| Vallejo, CA | $61,180 | $29.41 | $51,860 to $74,240 | 1,040 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,140 | $29.39 | $51,100 to $74,800 | 2,040 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $60,170 | $28.93 | $49,720 to $74,750 | 1,900 |
| Salinas, CA | $59,180 | $28.45 | $48,790 to $71,460 | 1,270 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $58,590 | $28.17 | $48,030 to $67,710 | 53,910 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $58,580 | $28.16 | $48,940 to $70,150 | 12,830 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $58,570 | $28.16 | $48,620 to $69,190 | 1,070 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $57,670 | $27.73 | $47,720 to $65,920 | 3,250 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $56,840 | $27.33 | $48,300 to $64,290 | 8,680 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $56,250 | $27.04 | $46,980 to $64,820 | 2,080 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $55,610 | $26.74 | $47,250 to $63,830 | 12,710 |
| Yuba City, CA | $55,210 | $26.54 | $46,670 to $61,650 | 460 |
| Modesto, CA | $55,040 | $26.46 | $47,710 to $63,360 | 1,730 |
| Fresno, CA | $54,170 | $26.04 | $45,250 to $61,920 | 4,310 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $53,170 | $25.56 | $47,010 to $61,630 | 2,580 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $52,920 | $25.44 | $46,180 to $61,920 | 370 |
| Merced, CA | $51,740 | $24.87 | $45,240 to $63,040 | 680 |
| Visalia, CA | $51,200 | $24.62 | $44,910 to $62,050 | 1,390 |
| Redding, CA | $51,090 | $24.56 | $44,740 to $60,940 | 660 |
| Chico, CA | $50,710 | $24.38 | $46,040 to $61,330 | 730 |
| El Centro, CA | $47,960 | $23.06 | $42,220 to $60,040 | 530 |
What a bookkeeper costs an employer in California
Wages are the start. At employers with fewer than 50 workers, benefits add 35% on top (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation), so a bookkeeper at the California median costs about $80,000 a year. The employer’s view for every state and metro is on what a bookkeeper costs, and the routine part of the job is what Liaison does inside the tools a business already runs.
The routine half of a bookkeeper’s job, for 9% of what one costs in California.
- 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 $80,000 a year for a bookkeeper at the California 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 make in California?
The median bookkeeper in California earned $59,230 a year, or $28.48 an hour, in May 2025. The middle half earned between $48,600 and $70,600. Nationally the median is $50,670, so California pays 17% more than the country as a whole.
Which cities in California pay bookkeepers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($66,130), San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($65,530) and Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($61,960).
What does a bookkeeper cost an employer in California?
Benefits at employers with fewer than 50 workers add 35% on top of wages, so a bookkeeper at the California median costs about $80,000 a year. The employer’s view is at useliaison.com/back-office-costs/bookkeeper.
Bookkeeper salary in other states
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 43-3031. Annual figures assume 2,080 hours a year. Updated 2026-10-02.
See it on your own business.
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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.