Bookkeeper salary in Albany-Schenectady, NY
The median bookkeeper in Albany-Schenectady earned $53,540 a year in May 20251. That is 5.7% above the US median of $50,670, even though it is 7.9% below the New York statewide median of $58,160. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#66 of 521). About 4,170 bookkeepers work here, 5% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Albany-Schenectady against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | $38,890 | $53,540 | $71,920 | |
| New York | $39,880 | $58,160 | $81,990 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Albany-Schenectady earns $46,120–$62,670. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $71,920, 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 only $16,550 wide, against $21,930 across New York and $17,950 nationally: employers in Albany-Schenectady pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,890 | $3,241 | $18.70 | $50,181 |
| 25th percentile | $46,120 | $3,843 | $22.17 | $59,510 |
| Median | $53,540 | $4,462 | $25.74 | $69,084 |
| 75th percentile | $62,670 | $5,222 | $30.13 | $80,865 |
| 90th percentile | $71,920 | $5,993 | $34.58 | $92,800 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,420 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,130, or about $11,781 once benefits are added. 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 Albany-Schenectady, and the New York statewide median of $58,160 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Albany-Schenectady
At the $53,540 median, a local hire costs about $69,084 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $15,544 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for bookkeepers we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Albany-Schenectady
Of the 17 roles we track in Albany-Schenectady, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($56,360) and HR assistants ($52,690). Project Coordinator is the highest at $109,850.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +13.3% | 1,340 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +5.3% | 570 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 4,170 | |
| HR Assistant | -1.6% | 780 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -7.9% | 7,690 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Albany-Schenectady (+5.7%), between project coordinators (+7.4%) and office managers (+5.6%). The typical role here is at +1.3%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Albany-Schenectady than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Albany-Schenectady, 7.7% across New York and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $47,100 in Watertown-Fort Drum to $60,640 in New York-Newark, a gap of $13,540 a year. Of the 3 areas in New York with more bookkeepers than Albany-Schenectady, 2 pay less: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($51,610) and Rochester, NY ($50,870).
| Area | Median | vs Albany-Schenectady | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ | +13.3% | 77,010 | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +4.8% | 2,530 | |
| Kingston, NY | +1.8% | 670 | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | this area | 4,170 | |
| Syracuse, NY | -2.9% | 2,980 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -3.6% | 5,890 | |
| Ithaca, NY | -3.6% | 490 |
Albany-Schenectady against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Albany-Schenectady is #57 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside New York, Yakima and Baltimore-Columbia pay just above Albany-Schenectady and Lebanon and Fort Collins-Loveland just below. All four are within $230 a year of the median in Albany-Schenectady. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Albany-Schenectady | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +0.1% | 8,540 | pay | |
| Yakima, WA | +0.0% | 940 | pay | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | this area | 4,170 | ||
| Lebanon, PA | -0.1% | 560 | pay | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -0.4% | 1,760 | pay | |
| Boise City, ID | -7.2% | 4,190 | jobs | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | -8.1% | 4,110 | jobs | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -12.7% | 4,060 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Albany-Schenectady, NY?
About $69,084 a year at the median, or $5,757 a month: $53,540 in pay plus about $15,544 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Albany-Schenectady?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $53,540 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,890, the 90th $71,920, and the middle half earned $46,120 to $62,670.
Is Albany-Schenectady cheaper than the rest of New York for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $53,540 against $58,160 statewide. The next area up in New York is Kingston at $54,510, the next down Syracuse at $52,000.
How many bookkeepers work in Albany-Schenectady?
BLS counts about 4,170 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the New York total of 84,280. 3 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Rochester, with about 4,380.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Albany-Schenectady?
Yes: $850 a year more at the median. The medians are $53,540 and $52,690.
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.