Bookkeeper salary in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
The median bookkeeper in Amherst Town-Northampton earned $56,430 a year in May 20251. That is 11.4% above the US median of $50,670, even though it is 5.7% below the Massachusetts statewide median of $59,830. Nationally that is #39 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 490 people in this job here, 2% of the Massachusetts total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Amherst Town-Northampton, MA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Amherst Town-Northampton against Massachusetts and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $40,590 | $56,430 | $76,060 | |
| Massachusetts | $40,760 | $59,830 | $81,080 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $76,060, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Amherst Town-Northampton earns $48,210–$64,240. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $16,030 wide, against $19,950 across Massachusetts and $17,950 nationally: employers in Amherst Town-Northampton 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 | $40,590 | $3,382 | $19.51 | $52,374 |
| 25th percentile | $48,210 | $4,018 | $23.18 | $62,206 |
| Median | $56,430 | $4,702 | $27.13 | $72,813 |
| 75th percentile | $64,240 | $5,353 | $30.88 | $82,890 |
| 90th percentile | $76,060 | $6,338 | $36.57 | $98,142 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,810 a year in pay and about $10,077 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,220 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 Amherst Town-Northampton, and the Massachusetts statewide median of $59,830 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Amherst Town-Northampton
At the $56,430 median, a local hire costs about $72,813 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,383 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 Amherst Town-Northampton
Of the 14 roles we track in Amherst Town-Northampton, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($58,720) and administrative assistants ($51,100). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,320.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +13.5% | 100 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +4.1% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 490 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -9.4% | 1,250 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -15.2% | 320 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 14 roles we track in Amherst Town-Northampton (+11.4%); project coordinators come last (-16.6%). The typical role here is at +1.3%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Amherst Town-Northampton than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.3% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Amherst Town-Northampton, 7.5% across Massachusetts and 8.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Massachusetts
Across the 7 areas of Massachusetts with data for this job, the median runs from $54,170 in Springfield to $61,770 in the Massachusetts nonmetro area, a gap of $7,600 a year. Of the 5 areas in Massachusetts with more bookkeepers than Amherst Town-Northampton, 3 pay less: Worcester, MA ($56,350), Springfield, MA ($54,170) and Pittsfield, MA ($55,320).
| Area | Median | vs Amherst Town-Northampton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts (Nonmetro) | +9.5% | 450 | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +8.0% | 21,170 | |
| Barnstable Town, MA | +7.5% | 990 | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | this area | 490 | |
| Worcester, MA | -0.1% | 2,780 | |
| Pittsfield, MA | -2.0% | 530 | |
| Springfield, MA | -4.0% | 1,430 |
Amherst Town-Northampton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Amherst Town-Northampton is #431 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, but its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Massachusetts, Longview-Kelso and Burlington-South Burlington pay just above Amherst Town-Northampton and Stockton-Lodi and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie just below. All four are within $300 a year of the median in Amherst Town-Northampton. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Amherst Town-Northampton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +0.5% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | +0.3% | 490 | pay | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | this area | 490 | ||
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.3% | 2,080 | pay | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | -0.5% | 2,530 | pay | |
| Ithaca, NY | -8.5% | 490 | jobs | |
| Mankato, MN | -10.1% | 490 | jobs | |
| San Angelo, TX | -21.5% | 490 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?
About $72,813 a year at the median, or $6,068 a month: $56,430 in pay plus about $16,383 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $56,430 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $40,590, the 90th $76,060, and the middle half earned $48,210 to $64,240.
Is Amherst Town-Northampton cheaper than the rest of Massachusetts for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $56,430 against $59,830 statewide. The next area up in Massachusetts is Barnstable Town at $60,680, the next down Worcester at $56,350.
How many bookkeepers work in Amherst Town-Northampton?
BLS counts about 490 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Massachusetts total of 29,110. 5 areas in Massachusetts have more; the closest in size is Pittsfield, with about 530.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Amherst Town-Northampton?
Yes: $5,330 a year more at the median. The medians are $56,430 and $51,100.
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.