Bookkeeper salary in the Alaska nonmetro area
The Alaska nonmetro area is a higher-paying market for bookkeepers: the median of $57,510 a year1 is 1.9% above the Alaska statewide median of $56,430, and 13.5% above the US median of $50,670. Nationally that is #31 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. About 1,740 bookkeepers work here, 38% of the Alaska total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Alaska nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Alaska nonmetro area against Alaska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska (Nonmetro) | $42,960 | $57,510 | $77,830 | |
| Alaska | $40,000 | $56,430 | $76,800 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Alaska nonmetro area earns $47,020–$67,710. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $77,830, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $20,690 wide, wider than in Alaska as a whole ($17,090) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in the Alaska nonmetro area depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,960 | $3,580 | $20.65 | $55,432 |
| 25th percentile | $47,020 | $3,918 | $22.61 | $60,671 |
| Median | $57,510 | $4,792 | $27.65 | $74,206 |
| 75th percentile | $67,710 | $5,642 | $32.55 | $87,368 |
| 90th percentile | $77,830 | $6,486 | $37.42 | $100,426 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $10,200 a year in pay and about $13,161 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $10,490 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $50,670 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in the Alaska nonmetro area, and the Alaska statewide median of $56,430 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Alaska nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $16,696 to the $57,510 median and brings it to $74,206 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
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Other roles in the Alaska nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Alaska nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($58,450) and medical administrative assistants ($49,730). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,020.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +11.9% | 180 | |
| HR Assistant | +1.6% | 110 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,740 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -13.5% | 540 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -14.5% | 2,110 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in the Alaska nonmetro area (+13.5%), between HR assistants (+15.5%) and payroll specialists (+10.7%). The typical role here is at +3.8%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in the Alaska nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 17.0% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Alaska nonmetro area, 14.4% across Alaska and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Alaska
Across the 3 areas of Alaska with data for this job, the median runs from $54,100 in Anchorage to $59,320 in Fairbanks-College, a gap of $5,220 a year. The one area in Alaska with more bookkeepers, Anchorage, AK ($54,100), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs the Alaska nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | +3.1% | 470 | |
| Alaska (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,740 | |
| Anchorage, AK | -5.9% | 2,300 |
the Alaska nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Alaska nonmetro area is #144 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Alaska, Denver-Aurora and Norwich-New London pay just above the Alaska nonmetro area and Boulder and Kennewick-Richland just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in the Alaska nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Alaska nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwich-New London, CT | +0.0% | 910 | pay | |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +0.0% | 14,100 | pay | |
| Alaska (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,740 | ||
| Boulder, CO | -0.3% | 1,440 | pay | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | -0.4% | 1,070 | pay | |
| Modesto, CA | -4.3% | 1,730 | jobs | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -7.3% | 1,760 | jobs | |
| Rapid City, SD | -18.6% | 1,720 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Alaska (Nonmetro)?
About $74,206 a year at the median, or $6,184 a month: $57,510 in pay plus about $16,696 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in the Alaska nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $57,510 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,960, the 90th $77,830, and the middle half earned $47,020 to $67,710.
Is the Alaska nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Alaska for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $57,510 against $56,430 statewide. The next area up in Alaska is Fairbanks-College at $59,320, the next down Anchorage at $54,100.
How many bookkeepers work in the Alaska nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,740 in the May 2025 survey. That is 38% of the Alaska total of 4,580. Only Anchorage has more in Alaska.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Alaska nonmetro area?
Yes: $7,780 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,510 and $49,730.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-3031: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.