Bookkeeper salary in Asheville, NC
Asheville pays bookkeepers more than North Carolina as a whole but less than the country. The median is $48,870 a year1: 2.0% above the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 and 3.6% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #191 of 521. BLS counts about 2,200 people in this job here, 5% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Asheville, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Asheville against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC | $33,220 | $48,870 | $63,570 | |
| North Carolina | $33,710 | $47,930 | $67,290 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Asheville earns $40,330–$57,230. The top tenth earns $63,570 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $16,900 wide, against $18,190 across North Carolina and $17,950 nationally: employers in Asheville 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 | $33,220 | $2,768 | $15.97 | $42,865 |
| 25th percentile | $40,330 | $3,361 | $19.39 | $52,039 |
| Median | $48,870 | $4,072 | $23.50 | $63,058 |
| 75th percentile | $57,230 | $4,769 | $27.51 | $73,845 |
| 90th percentile | $63,570 | $5,298 | $30.56 | $82,026 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,540 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,360, or about $10,787 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 Asheville, and the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Asheville
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 $14,188 to the $48,870 median and brings it to $63,058 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 Asheville
Of the 17 roles we track in Asheville, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($54,290) and HR assistants ($46,360). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,470.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +17.7% | 590 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +11.1% | 120 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,200 | |
| HR Assistant | -5.1% | 110 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -8.6% | 140 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Asheville (-3.6%), between e-commerce order specialists (-3.2%) and accountants (-3.9%). The typical role here is at -7.5%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Asheville than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Asheville, 9.3% across North Carolina and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $42,910 in Jacksonville to $50,800 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $7,890 a year. Of the 9 areas in North Carolina with more bookkeepers than Asheville, 6 pay less, the largest of them Greensboro-High Point, NC ($46,990), the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($44,690) and Winston-Salem, NC ($48,360).
| Area | Median | vs Asheville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | +3.9% | 11,740 | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +3.9% | 2,570 | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +2.7% | 7,550 | |
| Asheville, NC | this area | 2,200 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | -1.0% | 2,880 | |
| Greenville, NC | -2.5% | 720 | |
| Burlington, NC | -2.9% | 600 |
Asheville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Asheville is #108 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside North Carolina, Wausau and Columbia pay just above Asheville and Cleveland and Binghamton just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Asheville. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Asheville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MO | +0.1% | 880 | pay | |
| Wausau, WI | +0.0% | 600 | pay | |
| Asheville, NC | this area | 2,200 | ||
| Cleveland, OH | -0.0% | 8,660 | pay | |
| Binghamton, NY | -0.1% | 950 | pay | |
| Lancaster, PA | -1.4% | 2,190 | jobs | |
| Toledo, OH | -2.1% | 2,200 | jobs | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | -4.1% | 2,220 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Asheville, NC?
About $63,058 a year at the median, or $5,255 a month: $48,870 in pay plus about $14,188 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Asheville?
The median was $48,870 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,220, the 90th $63,570, and the middle half earned $40,330 to $57,230.
Is Asheville cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $48,870 against $47,930 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Raleigh-Cary at $50,200, the next down Winston-Salem at $48,360.
How many bookkeepers work in Asheville?
BLS counts about 2,200 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the North Carolina total of 48,760. 9 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, with about 2,250.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Asheville?
Yes: $2,510 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,870 and $46,360.
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.