Bookkeeper salary in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area
The Central Kentucky nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $43,740 a year1 is 6.0% below the Kentucky statewide median of $46,550, and 13.7% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#459 of 521). BLS counts about 1,960 people in this job here, 8% of the Kentucky total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | $29,780 | $43,740 | $64,030 | |
| Kentucky | $30,090 | $46,550 | $66,930 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $64,030, 2.2 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area earns $35,900–$52,980. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,080 wide, against $19,160 across Kentucky and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area 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 | $29,780 | $2,482 | $14.32 | $38,426 |
| 25th percentile | $35,900 | $2,992 | $17.26 | $46,323 |
| Median | $43,740 | $3,645 | $21.03 | $56,439 |
| 75th percentile | $52,980 | $4,415 | $25.47 | $68,361 |
| 90th percentile | $64,030 | $5,336 | $30.78 | $82,619 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,840 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,240, or about $11,923 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 the Central Kentucky nonmetro area, and the Kentucky statewide median of $46,550 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area
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 $12,699 to the $43,740 median and brings it to $56,439 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 the Central Kentucky nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($44,720) and data entry specialists ($38,940). Project Coordinator is the highest at $76,260.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +5.3% | 80 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +2.2% | 2,630 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,960 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -11.0% | 80 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -11.5% | 70 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area (-13.7%), between HR assistants (-9.0%) and payroll specialists (-14.2%). The typical role here is at -16.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area, 11.8% across Kentucky and 8.7% 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 3 areas in Kentucky with more bookkeepers than the Central Kentucky nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area ($41,360).
| Area | Median | vs the Central Kentucky nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah, KY-IL | +5.9% | 610 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +1.0% | 900 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | +0.8% | 1,690 | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | +0.2% | 560 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,960 | |
| East Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,190 | |
| South Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -5.4% | 2,080 |
the Central Kentucky nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Central Kentucky nonmetro area is #127 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Kentucky, Enid and Houma-Bayou Cane pay just above the Central Kentucky nonmetro area and Montgomery and Hammond just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Central Kentucky nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | +20.1% | 1,990 | jobs | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +15.5% | 1,940 | jobs | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | +9.2% | 1,970 | jobs | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | +0.1% | 770 | pay | |
| Enid, OK | +0.0% | 220 | pay | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,960 | ||
| Montgomery, AL | -0.1% | 1,400 | pay | |
| Hammond, LA | -0.1% | 380 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Central Kentucky (Nonmetro)?
About $56,439 a year at the median, or $4,703 a month: $43,740 in pay plus about $12,699 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $43,740 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,780, the 90th $64,030, and the middle half earned $35,900 to $52,980.
Is the Central Kentucky nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $43,740 against $46,550 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is Elizabethtown at $43,830, the next down the East Kentucky nonmetro area at $43,250.
How many bookkeepers work in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,960 in the May 2025 survey. That is 8% of the Kentucky total of 23,480. 3 areas in Kentucky have more; the closest in size is the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area, with about 2,080.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a data entry specialist in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,800 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,740 and $38,940.
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.