Bookkeeper salary in Charleston-North Charleston, SC
No other area in South Carolina pays bookkeepers more than Charleston-North Charleston: the median is $50,400 a year1. That is 5.1% above the South Carolina statewide median of $47,940, and about level with the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#126 of 521). About 3,350 bookkeepers work here, 17% of the South Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Charleston-North Charleston, SC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Charleston-North Charleston against South Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $35,870 | $50,400 | $73,200 | |
| South Carolina | $33,370 | $47,940 | $68,870 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Charleston-North Charleston earns $44,110–$60,850. The top tenth earns $73,200 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 $16,740 wide, against $18,430 across South Carolina and $17,950 nationally: employers in Charleston-North Charleston 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 | $35,870 | $2,989 | $17.25 | $46,284 |
| 25th percentile | $44,110 | $3,676 | $21.21 | $56,916 |
| Median | $50,400 | $4,200 | $24.23 | $65,032 |
| 75th percentile | $60,850 | $5,071 | $29.25 | $78,516 |
| 90th percentile | $73,200 | $6,100 | $35.19 | $94,452 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,450 over the median, the 25th only $6,290 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,484 a year in employer cost. 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 Charleston-North Charleston, and the South Carolina statewide median of $47,940 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Charleston-North Charleston
At the $50,400 median, a local hire costs about $65,032 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,632 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 Charleston-North Charleston
Of the 17 roles we track in Charleston-North Charleston, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($53,930) and HR assistants ($47,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,730.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +13.2% | 1,490 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +7.0% | 280 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 3,350 | |
| HR Assistant | -5.1% | 160 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.3% | 4,420 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Charleston-North Charleston (-0.5%), between administrative assistants (+0.4%) and customer support specialists (-1.7%). The typical role here is at -5.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Charleston-North Charleston than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 7.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Charleston-North Charleston, 8.0% across South Carolina and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in South Carolina
Across the 11 areas of South Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $43,810 in Sumter to $50,400 in Charleston-North Charleston, a gap of $6,590 a year. The one area in South Carolina with more bookkeepers, Greenville-Anderson, SC ($49,600), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Charleston-North Charleston | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | this area | 3,350 | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | -0.3% | 850 | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | -1.6% | 3,770 | |
| Spartanburg, SC | -3.8% | 1,150 | |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | -7.2% | 1,370 | |
| Columbia, SC | -7.4% | 3,260 | |
| Northwestern South Carolina (Nonmetro) | -8.8% | 750 |
Charleston-North Charleston against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Charleston-North Charleston is #71 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 South Carolina, Atlantic City-Hammonton and North Port-Bradenton pay just above Charleston-North Charleston and Coeur d'Alene and Miami-Fort Lauderdale just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Charleston-North Charleston. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Charleston-North Charleston | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +0.1% | 3,610 | pay | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | +0.1% | 1,290 | pay | |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | this area | 3,350 | ||
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | -0.1% | 820 | pay | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | -0.2% | 25,910 | pay | |
| Albuquerque, NM | -1.5% | 3,440 | jobs | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -6.8% | 3,440 | jobs | |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | -6.9% | 3,390 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
About $65,032 a year at the median, or $5,419 a month: $50,400 in pay plus about $14,632 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Charleston-North Charleston?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,870, the 90th $73,200, and the middle half earned $44,110 to $60,850.
Is Charleston-North Charleston the most expensive area in South Carolina for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $50,400 is the highest of 11 areas in South Carolina. Hilton Head Island-Bluffton comes next at $50,250.
How many bookkeepers work in Charleston-North Charleston?
BLS counts about 3,350 in the May 2025 survey. That is 17% of the South Carolina total of 19,980. Only Greenville-Anderson has more in South Carolina.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Charleston-North Charleston?
Yes: $2,560 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,400 and $47,840.
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.