Short version: The US median for a Bookkeeper (BLS SOC 43-3031) is about $47,440 a year — roughly $22.80 an hour — with typical pay running $39,000 to $58,000. Full-charge bookkeepers, QuickBooks ProAdvisors, and CPA-firm bookkeepers routinely clear $60,000–$75,000. Metros like San Francisco, New York, Boston, and Seattle add a 15–25% premium. The single biggest lever inside the band is certification plus multi-entity experience — QuickBooks ProAdvisor, AIPB Certified Bookkeeper, or a payroll credential added to two years of clean books adds $6,000–$12,000.
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How much does a bookkeeper make?
National median (base)$47,440US, 2026 · US Bureau of Labor Statistics OES 43-3031
Typical range$39,000–$58,000Base salary, before bonus
Top decile$68,000+Senior full-charge · major metro · finance industry
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) program, roughly 1.5 million Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks work in the United States. The occupation code 43-3031 covers a wide range — from a part-time bookkeeper for a single small business, to a full-charge bookkeeper closing books monthly for a family office, to an accounting-clerk role embedded inside a CPA firm's tax practice. The median (~$47,440) is the number to anchor on. The mean is a touch higher because a small share of full-charge, multi-entity, and CPA-firm bookkeepers pull the average up.
Base pay by level
| Level | Typical US base salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Junior / Accounting Clerk (0–2 yrs) | ~$32,000–$42,000 | Data entry, A/P or A/R only, hourly common |
| Bookkeeper (3–7 yrs) | ~$42,000–$55,000 | Runs the general ledger, monthly reconciliations |
| Senior Bookkeeper (7–12 yrs) | ~$52,000–$68,000 | Monthly close, sales tax, payroll, small-team lead |
| Full-Charge Bookkeeper (8+ yrs) | ~$58,000–$78,000 | Owns the entire close, reports to controller or CEO |
| Bookkeeping / Accounting Manager | ~$70,000–$95,000 | Multi-entity, team of 2–5, hands to controller |
Bonus, benefits, and hourly-vs-salaried
Bonuses for Bookkeepers are modest but real. At a private company, a 3–8% annual bonus is standard, often keyed to a clean close or an on-time year-end. CPA firms pay meaningful tax-season overtime — a bookkeeper working the January through April crunch can add $4,000 to $10,000 in premium pay. Equity is rare outside pre-Series-B startups; when it appears, it is usually a token grant rather than a wealth event. The stronger lever is hourly to salaried: a $22/hour bookkeeper on 40 hours grosses about $45,760; the same person shifted to a salaried full-charge title with benefits often clears $58,000–$65,000 all-in when health insurance, PTO, and retirement match are counted.
Salary by city — top 10 US metros
| Metro | Median (base) | Senior / full-charge (top) |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco / San Jose, CA | ~$60,000 | ~$85,000 |
| New York, NY | ~$58,000 | ~$82,000 |
| Boston, MA | ~$55,000 | ~$78,000 |
| Washington, DC | ~$54,000 | ~$76,000 |
| Seattle, WA | ~$54,000 | ~$76,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | ~$52,000 | ~$72,000 |
| Chicago, IL | ~$50,000 | ~$70,000 |
| Denver, CO | ~$49,000 | ~$68,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | ~$47,000 | ~$66,000 |
| Dallas / Fort Worth, TX | ~$46,000 | ~$64,000 |
Metro numbers approximate BLS OES metro-level bands. Remote-work postings from high-cost employers pay closer to the metro rate of the employer, not the employee — a common but underused negotiation lever.
Salary by industry
| Industry | Typical median (US) |
|---|---|
| Finance & insurance | ~$54,000 |
| Professional services (law, CPA firms) | ~$52,000 |
| Information / technology | ~$52,000 |
| Manufacturing | ~$49,000 |
| Wholesale trade | ~$48,000 |
| Healthcare | ~$47,000 |
| Retail / e-commerce | ~$44,000 |
| Nonprofit / religious orgs | ~$42,000 |
What pushes you up the band
- QuickBooks ProAdvisor certification — often the single most cited credential in job posts; adds $3,000–$6,000 for entry candidates.
- AIPB Certified Bookkeeper (Certified Bookkeeper credential from the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers) — signals the ability to close books independently.
- Xero and NetSuite fluency — Xero for small business, NetSuite for the mid-market. Both pay a measurable premium over QuickBooks-only.
- Multi-entity experience — closing books for two or more legal entities is the fastest path to "full-charge" pay.
- Payroll ownership — running Gusto, ADP, or Paychex end-to-end, including multi-state filings, adds $4,000–$8,000.
- Sales-tax filings across states — every state added is a real skill and a real premium.
- Clean close in five business days — the number every controller and CFO looks for.
- Working directly with a CPA firm — even part-time — signals audit-ready books and pays for itself in your next role.
How to negotiate a higher bookkeeper offer
Prep
Anchor on the BLS median for your metro (not the national median), pull two or three recent postings for the same title, and quantify the last year of your work: number of entities closed, days to close, systems owned, states you file sales tax in, size of the general ledger. A recruiter can rarely say no to a bookkeeper who arrives with a specific number and a specific reason.
Anchor
Ask for the top of the posted range, or 8–12% above the midpoint if the range is not disclosed. For remote roles at high-cost employers, anchor at the employer's metro rate rather than yours — a common $6,000–$10,000 miss.
Counter
Counter once, in writing, with a specific number and a specific reason (certification, multi-entity, sales-tax coverage). Never counter with "I need more." Counter with "The QuickBooks ProAdvisor and multi-state sales-tax work I've done maps directly to what you described in the posting — I'd accept at $58,500."
Close
Get the final offer in writing before you resign anywhere. Confirm the start date, PTO, health-insurance start, and any bonus target on paper. Ask about a 90-day check-in — it signals seriousness and often unlocks a raise at the review.
Compare your bookkeeper offer to the market.
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The US median for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks (BLS SOC 43-3031) is roughly $47,440 per year as of the most recent BLS OES release, with typical pay running $39,000 to $58,000. The top decile clears $68,000, and full-charge or QuickBooks-certified bookkeepers in high-cost metros can reach $75,000–$90,000.
Averages hover near $50,000 annually because a small tail of high-earning full-charge and certified bookkeepers pulls the mean above the median. Use the median ($47,440) as your anchor, and treat anything above the 75th percentile ($58,000) as a strong offer.
New York metro bookkeepers earn a median near $58,000–$62,000, with senior full-charge bookkeepers in Manhattan reaching $75,000–$90,000. San Francisco, Boston, DC, and Seattle sit close behind. Add a 15–25% metro premium over the national median when negotiating in high-cost cities.
Bonuses are common but modest — typically 3–8% of base at private companies, larger at CPA firms during tax season. Equity is rare outside startups. The stronger comp lever is the shift from hourly ($18–$30/hr) to salaried full-charge status, which can add $8,000–$15,000 annually before any bonus.
Finance and insurance, professional services (law firms, CPA firms), and technology consistently pay above median. Bookkeepers embedded in tax and audit practices at CPA firms often earn 15–25% more than the same title at a small retail business. Utilities and government pay steadily but rarely reach the top decile.
Entry-level bookkeepers with an associate's degree or an AAT/AIPB certification typically start at $32,000–$40,000 annually, or $16–$19 per hour for part-time. Certification (Certified Bookkeeper via AIPB or QuickBooks ProAdvisor) at hire adds roughly $2,500–$5,000 to the first offer.
Full-charge bookkeepers with 8+ years, running the full monthly close and reporting to a controller, typically earn $58,000–$78,000. Those doubling as office managers, or handling multi-entity books for a small business or a family office, reach $75,000–$100,000. The senior bookkeeper who becomes a controller crosses into the $85,000–$130,000 range.
Anchor on the BLS median for your metro, cite a competing offer or the going rate from a recruiter's most recent placement, and quantify the leverage you bring — QuickBooks ProAdvisor certification, multi-entity experience, payroll, sales-tax filings across states, or clean close in five business days. Ask for the offer in writing, then counter once by $3,000–$6,000 above midpoint before accepting.