Bookkeeper salary in Bowling Green, KY
Bowling Green is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $44,160 a year1 is 5.1% below the Kentucky statewide median of $46,550, and 12.8% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#448 of 521). About 900 bookkeepers work here, 4% of the Kentucky total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Bowling Green, KY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bowling Green against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green, KY | $29,910 | $44,160 | $63,600 | |
| Kentucky | $30,090 | $46,550 | $66,930 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $63,600, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Bowling Green earns $36,840–$52,920. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $16,080 wide, against $19,160 across Kentucky and $17,950 nationally: employers in Bowling Green 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 | $29,910 | $2,492 | $14.38 | $38,594 |
| 25th percentile | $36,840 | $3,070 | $17.71 | $47,535 |
| Median | $44,160 | $3,680 | $21.23 | $56,981 |
| 75th percentile | $52,920 | $4,410 | $25.44 | $68,284 |
| 90th percentile | $63,600 | $5,300 | $30.58 | $82,065 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,320 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,760, or about $11,303 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 Bowling Green, and the Kentucky statewide median of $46,550 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Bowling Green
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 $12,821 to the $44,160 median and brings it to $56,981 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 Bowling Green
Of the 15 roles we track in Bowling Green, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($46,320) and administrative assistants ($40,180). Project Coordinator is the highest at $81,300.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +10.3% | 340 | |
| HR Assistant | +4.9% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 900 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -9.0% | 780 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -14.0% | 1,170 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 15 roles we track in Bowling Green (-12.8%), between office managers (-11.9%) and accountants (-14.5%). The typical role here is at -15.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.9% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Bowling Green, 12.0% across Kentucky and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 10 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $41,360 in the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area to $48,000 in Lexington-Fayette, a gap of $6,640 a year. Of the 6 areas in Kentucky with more bookkeepers than Bowling Green, 4 pay less, the largest of them the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area ($41,360), the Central Kentucky nonmetro area ($43,740) and the West Kentucky nonmetro area ($44,090).
| Area | Median | vs Bowling Green | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | +8.7% | 7,730 | |
| Owensboro, KY | +5.1% | 560 | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | +4.9% | 610 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | this area | 900 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -0.2% | 1,690 | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | -0.7% | 560 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 1,960 |
Bowling Green against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bowling Green is #299 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Kentucky, Auburn-Opelika and San Angelo pay just above Bowling Green and Morristown and Jackson just below. All four are within $240 a year of the median in Bowling Green. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bowling Green | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwich-New London, CT | +30.3% | 910 | jobs | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +6.6% | 890 | jobs | |
| San Angelo, TX | +0.3% | 490 | pay | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +0.2% | 560 | pay | |
| Bowling Green, KY | this area | 900 | ||
| Morristown, TN | -0.3% | 420 | pay | |
| Jackson, MS | -0.5% | 2,610 | pay | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | -1.7% | 900 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Bowling Green, KY?
About $56,981 a year at the median, or $4,748 a month: $44,160 in pay plus about $12,821 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Bowling Green?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,160 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,910, the 90th $63,600, and the middle half earned $36,840 to $52,920.
Is Bowling Green cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,160 against $46,550 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is Paducah at $46,310, the next down the West Kentucky nonmetro area at $44,090.
How many bookkeepers work in Bowling Green?
BLS counts about 900 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Kentucky total of 23,480. 6 areas in Kentucky have more; the closest in size is the East Kentucky nonmetro area, with about 1,190.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Bowling Green?
Yes: $3,980 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,160 and $40,180.
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.