Bookkeeper salary in Bangor, ME
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Bangor than in Maine or the country as a whole. The median is $49,000 a year1: 3.0% below the Maine statewide median of $50,510 and 3.3% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #181 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 780 people in this job here, 11% of the Maine total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Bangor, ME. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bangor against Maine and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | $39,510 | $49,000 | $66,500 | |
| Maine | $40,000 | $50,510 | $69,990 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Bangor earns $44,770–$58,010. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $66,500, only 1.7 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 $13,240 wide, against $15,110 across Maine and $17,950 nationally: employers in Bangor 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 | $39,510 | $3,292 | $19.00 | $50,981 |
| 25th percentile | $44,770 | $3,731 | $21.52 | $57,768 |
| Median | $49,000 | $4,083 | $23.56 | $63,226 |
| 75th percentile | $58,010 | $4,834 | $27.89 | $74,852 |
| 90th percentile | $66,500 | $5,542 | $31.97 | $85,806 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $9,010 over the median, the 25th only $4,230 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,626 a year in employer cost. 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 Bangor, and the Maine statewide median of $50,510 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Bangor
At the $49,000 median, a local hire costs about $63,226 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,226 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 Bangor
Of the 16 roles we track in Bangor, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($53,850) and payroll specialists ($48,490). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,410.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +18.9% | 120 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +9.9% | 210 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 780 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -1.0% | 100 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -1.7% | 870 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in Bangor (-3.3%), between administrative assistants (+1.3%) and customer support specialists (-5.0%). The typical role here is at -7.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Bangor than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 13.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Bangor, 13.6% across Maine and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Maine
Across the 5 areas of Maine with data for this job, the median runs from $47,050 in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area to $54,610 in Portland-South Portland, a gap of $7,560 a year. Of the 3 areas in Maine with more bookkeepers than Bangor, 2 pay less: the Southwest Maine nonmetro area ($48,360) and the Northeast Maine nonmetro area ($47,050).
| Area | Median | vs Bangor | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +11.4% | 2,670 | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | +2.5% | 540 | |
| Bangor, ME | this area | 780 | |
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 1,690 | |
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | -4.0% | 1,240 |
Bangor against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bangor is #328 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Maine, Allentown-Bethlehem and Green Bay pay just above Bangor and Janesville-Beloit and Cape Coral-Fort Myers just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in Bangor. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bangor | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +19.6% | 780 | jobs | |
| Rochester, MN | +19.1% | 790 | jobs | |
| Eau Claire, WI | +0.6% | 780 | jobs | |
| Green Bay, WI | +0.3% | 1,570 | pay | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +0.2% | 2,430 | pay | |
| Bangor, ME | this area | 780 | ||
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | -0.0% | 600 | pay | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | -0.0% | 2,600 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Bangor, ME?
About $63,226 a year at the median, or $5,269 a month: $49,000 in pay plus about $14,226 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Bangor?
The median was $49,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,510, the 90th $66,500, and the middle half earned $44,770 to $58,010.
Is Bangor cheaper than the rest of Maine for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $49,000 against $50,510 statewide. The next area up in Maine is Lewiston-Auburn at $50,230, the next down the Southwest Maine nonmetro area at $48,360.
How many bookkeepers work in Bangor?
BLS counts about 780 in the May 2025 survey. That is 11% of the Maine total of 7,390. 3 areas in Maine have more; the closest in size is the Northeast Maine nonmetro area, with about 1,240.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a payroll specialist in Bangor?
Yes: $510 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,000 and $48,490.
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.