Bookkeeper salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
The median bookkeeper in Buffalo-Cheektowaga earned $51,610 a year in May 20251. That is 1.9% above the US median of $50,670, even though it is 11.3% below the New York statewide median of $58,160. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#87 of 521). About 5,890 bookkeepers work here, 7% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $38,400 | $51,610 | $69,260 | |
| New York | $39,880 | $58,160 | $81,990 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Buffalo-Cheektowaga earns $45,760–$60,030. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $69,260, only 1.8 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 $14,270 wide, against $21,930 across New York and $17,950 nationally: employers in Buffalo-Cheektowaga 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 | $38,400 | $3,200 | $18.46 | $49,548 |
| 25th percentile | $45,760 | $3,813 | $22.00 | $59,045 |
| Median | $51,610 | $4,301 | $24.81 | $66,594 |
| 75th percentile | $60,030 | $5,002 | $28.86 | $77,458 |
| 90th percentile | $69,260 | $5,772 | $33.30 | $89,368 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,420 a year in pay and about $10,865 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,850 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 25th percentile and the median in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, and the New York statewide median of $58,160 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
At the $51,610 median, a local hire costs about $66,594 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,984 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Of the 17 roles we track in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($55,650) and HR assistants ($49,000). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,180.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +12.9% | 2,060 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +7.8% | 630 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 5,890 | |
| HR Assistant | -5.1% | 550 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -8.9% | 250 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Buffalo-Cheektowaga (+1.9%), between virtual receptionists (+2.5%) and e-commerce order specialists (+1.8%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, 7.7% across New York and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $47,100 in Watertown-Fort Drum to $60,640 in New York-Newark, a gap of $13,540 a year. The one area in New York with more bookkeepers, New York-Newark, NY-NJ ($60,640), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Buffalo-Cheektowaga | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, NY | +5.6% | 670 | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | +3.7% | 4,170 | |
| Syracuse, NY | +0.8% | 2,980 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | this area | 5,890 | |
| Ithaca, NY | +0.0% | 490 | |
| Rochester, NY | -1.4% | 4,380 | |
| Capital/Northern New York (Nonmetro) | -3.2% | 1,830 |
Buffalo-Cheektowaga against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Buffalo-Cheektowaga is #45 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside New York, Blacksburg-Christiansburg and Dallas-Fort Worth pay just above Buffalo-Cheektowaga and Detroit-Warren and Lexington Park just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Buffalo-Cheektowaga. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Buffalo-Cheektowaga | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | +0.2% | 34,930 | pay | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | +0.0% | 720 | pay | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | this area | 5,890 | ||
| Detroit-Warren, MI | -0.3% | 14,730 | pay | |
| Lexington Park, MD | -0.3% | 360 | pay | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | -0.6% | 6,310 | jobs | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -5.7% | 5,880 | jobs | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -6.2% | 6,320 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?
About $66,594 a year at the median, or $5,549 a month: $51,610 in pay plus about $14,984 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $51,610 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,400, the 90th $69,260, and the middle half earned $45,760 to $60,030.
Is Buffalo-Cheektowaga cheaper than the rest of New York for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $51,610 against $58,160 statewide. The next area up in New York is Syracuse at $52,000, the next down Ithaca at $51,610.
How many bookkeepers work in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
BLS counts about 5,890 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the New York total of 84,280. Only New York-Newark has more in New York.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Yes: $2,610 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,610 and $49,000.
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.