Bookkeeper salary in Appleton, WI
Pay for this job in Appleton tracks the wider market: a median of $50,780 a year1, about level with the Wisconsin statewide median of $50,340 and about level with the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#113 of 521). BLS counts about 1,050 people in this job here, 4% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Appleton, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Appleton against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | $37,250 | $50,780 | $69,390 | |
| Wisconsin | $36,350 | $50,340 | $65,460 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Appleton earns $44,540–$59,270. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $69,390, only 1.9 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 $14,730 wide, against $14,800 across Wisconsin and $17,950 nationally: employers in Appleton 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 | $37,250 | $3,104 | $17.91 | $48,065 |
| 25th percentile | $44,540 | $3,712 | $21.41 | $57,471 |
| Median | $50,780 | $4,232 | $24.41 | $65,523 |
| 75th percentile | $59,270 | $4,939 | $28.50 | $76,477 |
| 90th percentile | $69,390 | $5,782 | $33.36 | $89,535 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,240 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,490, or about $10,955 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 Appleton, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $50,340 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Appleton
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 $14,743 to the $50,780 median and brings it to $65,523 a year. 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 Appleton
Of the 17 roles we track in Appleton, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($57,450) and e-commerce order specialists ($48,460). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,290.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +18.6% | 100 | |
| Paralegal | +13.1% | 180 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,050 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -4.6% | 80 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.6% | 1,180 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Appleton (+0.2%), between administrative assistants (+0.8%) and office managers (-0.2%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 8.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Appleton, 9.2% across Wisconsin and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $47,540 in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area to $53,240 in Madison, a gap of $5,700 a year. Of the 6 areas in Wisconsin with more bookkeepers than Appleton, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($48,570), the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area ($49,010) and Green Bay, WI ($49,160).
| Area | Median | vs Appleton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | +4.8% | 3,760 | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | +0.3% | 6,750 | |
| Appleton, WI | this area | 1,050 | |
| Sheboygan, WI | -1.2% | 410 | |
| Kenosha, WI | -2.0% | 590 | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | -2.1% | 370 | |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | -2.9% | 890 |
Appleton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Appleton is #258 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 Wisconsin, Durham-Chapel Hill and Charlotte-Concord pay just above Appleton and Springfield and Mankato just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in Appleton. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Appleton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +9.5% | 1,050 | jobs | |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | +0.0% | 11,740 | pay | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +0.0% | 2,570 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | this area | 1,050 | ||
| Springfield, IL | +0.0% | 860 | pay | |
| Mankato, MN | -0.1% | 490 | pay | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | -1.7% | 1,050 | jobs | |
| Charleston, WV | -14.6% | 1,050 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Appleton, WI?
About $65,523 a year at the median, or $5,460 a month: $50,780 in pay plus about $14,743 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Appleton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,780 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,250, the 90th $69,390, and the middle half earned $44,540 to $59,270.
Is Appleton cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $50,780 against $50,340 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Milwaukee-Waukesha at $50,920, the next down Sheboygan at $50,170.
How many bookkeepers work in Appleton?
BLS counts about 1,050 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Wisconsin total of 25,960. 6 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is the Western Wisconsin nonmetro area, with about 1,100.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Appleton?
Yes: $2,320 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,780 and $48,460.
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.