Bookkeeper salary in Baton Rouge, LA
Baton Rouge pays bookkeepers more than Louisiana as a whole but less than the country. The median is $46,740 a year1: 4.1% above the Louisiana statewide median of $44,890 and 7.8% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #308 of 521. It is the largest market for the job in Louisiana: about 4,060 people, 21% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Baton Rouge, LA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Baton Rouge against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $31,200 | $46,740 | $69,720 | |
| Louisiana | $28,760 | $44,890 | $65,220 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Baton Rouge earns $38,510–$56,670. The top tenth earns $69,720 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,160 wide, between the figure for Louisiana ($18,180) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 | $40,258 |
| 25th percentile | $38,510 | $3,209 | $18.51 | $49,690 |
| Median | $46,740 | $3,895 | $22.47 | $60,310 |
| 75th percentile | $56,670 | $4,722 | $27.25 | $73,123 |
| 90th percentile | $69,720 | $5,810 | $33.52 | $89,961 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,930 a year in pay and about $12,813 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,230 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 median and the 75th percentile in Baton Rouge, and the Louisiana statewide median of $44,890 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Baton Rouge
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 $13,570 to the $46,740 median and brings it to $60,310 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 Baton Rouge
Of the 17 roles we track in Baton Rouge, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($48,420) and administrative assistants ($40,910). Project Coordinator is the highest at $86,650.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +16.8% | 540 | |
| HR Assistant | +3.6% | 200 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 4,060 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -12.5% | 5,950 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -15.2% | 210 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Baton Rouge (-7.8%), between payroll specialists (-6.3%) and virtual receptionists (-11.2%). The typical role here is at -13.4%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Baton Rouge than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Baton Rouge, 11.0% across Louisiana and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 13 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $38,910 in Lafayette to $46,980 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $8,070 a year. No other area in Louisiana has as many bookkeepers, and 11 of the other 12 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Baton Rouge | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | +0.5% | 3,840 | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | this area | 4,060 | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | -2.9% | 1,900 | |
| Lake Charles, LA | -4.7% | 830 | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -4.7% | 1,180 | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | -6.4% | 770 | |
| Hammond, LA | -6.5% | 380 |
Baton Rouge against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Baton Rouge is #59 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 Louisiana, Rockford and Myrtle Beach-Conway pay just above Baton Rouge and St. Joseph and Columbia just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Baton Rouge. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Baton Rouge | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | +14.5% | 4,170 | jobs | |
| Boise City, ID | +6.3% | 4,190 | jobs | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | +5.3% | 4,110 | jobs | |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | +0.1% | 1,370 | pay | |
| Rockford, IL | +0.1% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | this area | 4,060 | ||
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | -0.0% | 310 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | -0.1% | 3,260 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Baton Rouge, LA?
About $60,310 a year at the median, or $5,026 a month: $46,740 in pay plus about $13,570 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Baton Rouge?
The median was $46,740 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,200, the 90th $69,720, and the middle half earned $38,510 to $56,670.
Is Baton Rouge cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $46,740 against $44,890 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is New Orleans-Metairie at $46,980, the next down Shreveport-Bossier City at $45,400.
How many bookkeepers work in Baton Rouge?
BLS counts about 4,060 in the May 2025 survey. That is 21% of the Louisiana total of 18,980. No other area in Louisiana has as many.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Baton Rouge?
Yes: $5,830 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,740 and $40,910.
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.