Bookkeeper salary in the Central Missouri nonmetro area
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in the Central Missouri nonmetro area than in Missouri or the country as a whole. The median is $42,820 a year1: 10.8% below the Missouri statewide median of $47,990 and 15.5% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally that is #477 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. About 830 bookkeepers work here, 4% of the Missouri total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Central Missouri nonmetro area against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | $31,110 | $42,820 | $58,930 | |
| Missouri | $34,570 | $47,990 | $68,180 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Central Missouri nonmetro area earns $36,540–$49,480. The top tenth earns $58,930 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,940 wide, against $17,920 across Missouri and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Central Missouri 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 | $31,110 | $2,592 | $14.96 | $40,142 |
| 25th percentile | $36,540 | $3,045 | $17.57 | $47,148 |
| Median | $42,820 | $3,568 | $20.59 | $55,252 |
| 75th percentile | $49,480 | $4,123 | $23.79 | $63,845 |
| 90th percentile | $58,930 | $4,911 | $28.33 | $76,039 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,660 a year in pay and about $8,594 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,280 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Central Missouri nonmetro area, and the Missouri statewide median of $47,990 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local bookkeepers earn.
What a hire really costs in the Central Missouri nonmetro area
At the $42,820 median, a local hire costs about $55,252 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,432 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 the Central Missouri nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Central Missouri nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($45,310) and e-commerce order specialists ($40,220). Project Coordinator is the highest at $74,080.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +10.0% | 120 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +5.8% | 180 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 830 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -6.1% | 40 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -11.0% | 1,780 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in the Central Missouri nonmetro area (-15.5%), between e-commerce order specialists (-12.9%) and recruiters (-15.6%). The typical role here is at -18.5%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in the Central Missouri nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Central Missouri nonmetro area, 7.7% across Missouri and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $41,150 in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area to $50,940 in Kansas City, a gap of $9,790 a year. Of the 5 areas in Missouri with more bookkeepers than the Central Missouri nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area ($41,790).
| Area | Median | vs the Central Missouri nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, MO | +5.9% | 1,440 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | +5.5% | 590 | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | +5.5% | 530 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | this area | 830 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | -1.9% | 780 | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | -2.4% | 1,320 | |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | -3.9% | 480 |
the Central Missouri nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Central Missouri nonmetro area is #318 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 Missouri, Eagle Pass and Jacksonville pay just above the Central Missouri nonmetro area and Morgantown and Columbus just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in the Central Missouri nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Central Missouri nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | +10.6% | 820 | jobs | |
| Idaho Falls, ID | +10.5% | 830 | jobs | |
| Lake Charles, LA | +4.0% | 830 | jobs | |
| Jacksonville, NC | +0.2% | 500 | pay | |
| Eagle Pass, TX | +0.2% | 190 | pay | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | this area | 830 | ||
| Morgantown, WV | -0.0% | 630 | pay | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | -0.0% | 920 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Central Missouri (Nonmetro)?
About $55,252 a year at the median, or $4,604 a month: $42,820 in pay plus about $12,432 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the Central Missouri nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $42,820 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,110, the 90th $58,930, and the middle half earned $36,540 to $49,480.
Is the Central Missouri nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Missouri for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $42,820 against $47,990 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Joplin at $45,180, the next down the North Missouri nonmetro area at $42,020.
How many bookkeepers work in the Central Missouri nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 830 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Missouri total of 21,400. 5 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is Columbia, with about 880.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in the Central Missouri nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,600 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,820 and $40,220.
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.