Bookkeeper salary in Bloomington, IN
Bloomington is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $46,800 a year1 is 2.1% below the Indiana statewide median of $47,820, and 7.6% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #305 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 710 people in this job here, 2% of the Indiana total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Bloomington, IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bloomington against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IN | $33,270 | $46,800 | $63,580 | |
| Indiana | $33,010 | $47,820 | $66,960 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $63,580, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Bloomington earns $39,850–$54,120. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,270 wide, against $17,800 across Indiana and $17,950 nationally: employers in Bloomington 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 | $33,270 | $2,772 | $16.00 | $42,929 |
| 25th percentile | $39,850 | $3,321 | $19.16 | $51,419 |
| Median | $46,800 | $3,900 | $22.50 | $60,387 |
| 75th percentile | $54,120 | $4,510 | $26.02 | $69,832 |
| 90th percentile | $63,580 | $5,298 | $30.57 | $82,039 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,950 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,320, or about $9,445 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 Bloomington, and the Indiana statewide median of $47,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Bloomington
At the $46,800 median, a local hire costs about $60,387 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,587 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 Bloomington
Of the 16 roles we track in Bloomington, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($51,760) and HR assistants ($42,970). Project Coordinator is the highest at $83,800.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +13.3% | 80 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +10.6% | 230 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 710 | |
| HR Assistant | -8.2% | 40 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -9.9% | 310 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 16 roles we track in Bloomington (-7.6%), between paralegals (-6.4%) and accountants (-8.4%). The typical role here is at -10.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Bloomington, 11.3% across Indiana and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $44,650 in Muncie to $49,190 in Elkhart-Goshen, a gap of $4,540 a year. Of the 9 areas in Indiana with more bookkeepers than Bloomington, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Northern Indiana nonmetro area ($46,700), the Southern Indiana nonmetro area ($45,710) and the Central Indiana nonmetro area ($46,110).
| Area | Median | vs Bloomington | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +3.4% | 930 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | +2.4% | 1,110 | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | +2.1% | 1,970 | |
| Bloomington, IN | this area | 710 | |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | -0.2% | 1,970 | |
| Evansville, IN | -0.3% | 1,320 | |
| Columbus, IN | -0.3% | 360 |
Bloomington against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bloomington is #348 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Indiana, Rapid City and Williamsport pay just above Bloomington and Myrtle Beach-Conway and Rockford just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Bloomington. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bloomington | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | +10.3% | 720 | jobs | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +4.3% | 710 | jobs | |
| Greenville, NC | +1.9% | 720 | jobs | |
| Williamsport, PA | +0.1% | 340 | pay | |
| Rapid City, SD | +0.0% | 1,720 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IN | this area | 710 | ||
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | -0.0% | 1,370 | pay | |
| Rockford, IL | -0.0% | 1,020 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Bloomington, IN?
About $60,387 a year at the median, or $5,032 a month: $46,800 in pay plus about $13,587 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Bloomington?
The median was $46,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,270, the 90th $63,580, and the middle half earned $39,850 to $54,120.
Is Bloomington cheaper than the rest of Indiana for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,800 against $47,820 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Fort Wayne at $47,770, the next down the Northern Indiana nonmetro area at $46,700.
How many bookkeepers work in Bloomington?
BLS counts about 710 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Indiana total of 29,910. 9 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is Lafayette-West Lafayette, with about 930.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Bloomington?
Yes: $3,830 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,800 and $42,970.
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.