Bookkeeper salary in the Arizona nonmetro area
The Arizona nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $46,530 a year1 is 8.0% below the Arizona statewide median of $50,590, and 8.2% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #324 of 521 areas. About 760 bookkeepers work here, 3% of the Arizona total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Arizona nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Arizona nonmetro area against Arizona and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona (Nonmetro) | $34,510 | $46,530 | $64,940 | |
| Arizona | $37,440 | $50,590 | $68,170 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $64,940, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in the Arizona nonmetro area earns $37,860–$55,860. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,000 wide, wider than in Arizona as a whole ($14,570) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in the Arizona 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 | $34,510 | $2,876 | $16.59 | $44,529 |
| 25th percentile | $37,860 | $3,155 | $18.20 | $48,852 |
| Median | $46,530 | $3,878 | $22.37 | $60,039 |
| 75th percentile | $55,860 | $4,655 | $26.86 | $72,077 |
| 90th percentile | $64,940 | $5,412 | $31.22 | $83,794 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,670 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,330, or about $12,039 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Arizona nonmetro area, and the Arizona statewide median of $50,590 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Arizona 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 $13,509 to the $46,530 median and brings it to $60,039 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 the Arizona nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Arizona nonmetro area, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($50,190) and medical administrative assistants ($46,390). Project Coordinator is the highest at $78,250.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +24.3% | 820 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +7.9% | 180 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 760 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.3% | 370 | |
| Paralegal | -0.7% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in the Arizona nonmetro area (-8.2%), between administrative assistants (-7.6%) and HR assistants (-8.9%). The typical role here is at -15.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in the Arizona nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.4% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Arizona nonmetro area, 6.5% across Arizona and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Arizona
Across the 8 areas of Arizona with data for this job, the median runs from $43,610 in Sierra Vista-Douglas to $51,980 in Phoenix-Mesa, a gap of $8,370 a year. All 2 areas in Arizona with more bookkeepers than the Arizona nonmetro area also pay more, among them Phoenix-Mesa, AZ ($51,980) and Tucson, AZ ($47,150).
| Area | Median | vs the Arizona nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | +6.7% | 460 | |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | +3.8% | 540 | |
| Tucson, AZ | +1.3% | 2,640 | |
| Arizona (Nonmetro) | this area | 760 | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -0.5% | 380 | |
| Yuma, AZ | -3.4% | 460 | |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | -6.3% | 210 |
the Arizona nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Arizona nonmetro area is #336 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Arizona, Lima and Grand Island pay just above the Arizona nonmetro area and Youngstown-Warren and Midland just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in the Arizona nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Arizona nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT | +1.9% | 760 | jobs | |
| Grand Island, NE | +0.2% | 440 | pay | |
| Lima, OH | +0.1% | 430 | pay | |
| Arizona (Nonmetro) | this area | 760 | ||
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -0.0% | 1,130 | pay | |
| Midland, MI | -0.1% | 370 | pay | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | -0.1% | 760 | jobs | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | -0.6% | 760 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Arizona (Nonmetro)?
About $60,039 a year at the median, or $5,003 a month: $46,530 in pay plus about $13,509 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the Arizona nonmetro area?
The median was $46,530 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,510, the 90th $64,940, and the middle half earned $37,860 to $55,860.
Is the Arizona nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Arizona for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,530 against $50,590 statewide. The next area up in Arizona is Tucson at $47,150, the next down Lake Havasu City-Kingman at $46,280.
How many bookkeepers work in the Arizona nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 760 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Arizona total of 22,690. Only Phoenix-Mesa and Tucson have more in Arizona.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Arizona nonmetro area?
Yes: $140 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,530 and $46,390.
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.