Bookkeeper salary in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area than in North Carolina or the country as a whole. The median is $44,060 a year1: 8.1% below the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 and 13.0% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#450 of 521). About 2,250 bookkeepers work here, 5% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $31,600 | $44,060 | $62,260 | |
| North Carolina | $33,710 | $47,930 | $67,290 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area earns $37,270–$52,710. The top tenth earns $62,260 or more, 2.0 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 $15,440 wide, against $18,190 across North Carolina and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Central North Carolina 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 | $31,600 | $2,633 | $15.19 | $40,774 |
| 25th percentile | $37,270 | $3,106 | $17.92 | $48,090 |
| Median | $44,060 | $3,672 | $21.18 | $56,852 |
| 75th percentile | $52,710 | $4,392 | $25.34 | $68,013 |
| 90th percentile | $62,260 | $5,188 | $29.93 | $80,335 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,650 a year in pay and about $11,161 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,790 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Central North Carolina 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 $12,792 to the $44,060 median and brings it to $56,852 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 North Carolina nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($47,230) and e-commerce order specialists ($42,320). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,170.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +9.6% | 120 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +7.2% | 200 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,250 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -3.9% | 80 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.4% | 2,110 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area (-13.0%), between data entry specialists (-12.7%) and administrative assistants (-13.2%). The typical role here is at -16.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 13.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, 9.3% across North Carolina and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $42,910 in Jacksonville to $50,800 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $7,890 a year. All 8 areas in North Carolina with more bookkeepers than the Central North Carolina nonmetro area also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($50,800) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($50,200).
| Area | Median | vs the Central North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | +3.0% | 1,020 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +2.4% | 1,570 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +2.0% | 2,710 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +1.4% | 2,990 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | +0.6% | 590 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,250 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -2.6% | 500 |
the Central North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Central North Carolina nonmetro area is #104 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 North Carolina, Bowling Green and Auburn-Opelika pay just above the Central North Carolina nonmetro area and Morristown and Jackson just below. All four are within $210 a year of the median in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Central North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | +23.5% | 2,230 | jobs | |
| Anchorage, AK | +22.8% | 2,300 | jobs | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | +6.4% | 2,220 | jobs | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +0.5% | 560 | pay | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +0.2% | 900 | pay | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,250 | ||
| Morristown, TN | -0.0% | 420 | pay | |
| Jackson, MS | -0.3% | 2,610 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Central North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $56,852 a year at the median, or $4,738 a month: $44,060 in pay plus about $12,792 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,060 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,600, the 90th $62,260, and the middle half earned $37,270 to $52,710.
Is the Central North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,060 against $47,930 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Rocky Mount at $44,320, the next down Jacksonville at $42,910.
How many bookkeepers work in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 2,250 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the North Carolina total of 48,760. 8 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Wilmington, with about 2,300.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,740 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,060 and $42,320.
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.