Bookkeeper salary in Charleston, WV
For this job Charleston sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $43,350 a year1. That is 1.1% above the West Virginia statewide median of $42,890, and 14.4% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#468 of 521). About 1,050 bookkeepers work here, 14% of the West Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Charleston, WV. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Charleston against West Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, WV | $31,990 | $43,350 | $57,330 | |
| West Virginia | $30,890 | $42,890 | $58,560 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Charleston earns $37,440–$49,840. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $57,330, 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 $12,400 wide, against $13,070 across West Virginia and $17,950 nationally: employers in 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 | $31,990 | $2,666 | $15.38 | $41,277 |
| 25th percentile | $37,440 | $3,120 | $18.00 | $48,310 |
| Median | $43,350 | $3,612 | $20.84 | $55,935 |
| 75th percentile | $49,840 | $4,153 | $23.96 | $64,310 |
| 90th percentile | $57,330 | $4,778 | $27.56 | $73,974 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,490 a year in pay and about $8,374 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,910 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 Charleston, and the West Virginia statewide median of $42,890 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local bookkeepers earn.
What a hire really costs in Charleston
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 $12,585 to the $43,350 median and brings it to $55,935 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 Charleston
Of the 16 roles we track in Charleston, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($43,550) and HR assistants ($41,970). Project Coordinator is the highest at $89,600.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +4.1% | 80 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.5% | 1,630 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,050 | |
| HR Assistant | -3.2% | 110 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -11.1% | 280 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 16 roles we track in Charleston (-14.4%), between virtual receptionists (-13.7%) and medical administrative assistants (-16.1%). The typical role here is at -16.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.7% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Charleston, 13.0% across West Virginia and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in West Virginia
Across the 9 areas of West Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $38,450 in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area to $45,140 in Weirton-Steubenville, a gap of $6,690 a year. All 2 areas in West Virginia with more bookkeepers than Charleston pay less, among them the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area ($41,390) and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY ($42,720).
| Area | Median | vs Charleston | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | +4.1% | 300 | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | +3.8% | 400 | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | +3.0% | 520 | |
| Charleston, WV | this area | 1,050 | |
| Morgantown, WV | -1.2% | 630 | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -1.5% | 1,550 | |
| Beckley, WV | -1.8% | 450 |
Charleston against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Charleston is #259 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 West Virginia, Tuscaloosa and Sierra Vista-Douglas pay just above Charleston and Albany and Alexandria just below. All four are within $260 a year of the median in Charleston. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Charleston | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +28.2% | 1,050 | jobs | |
| Appleton, WI | +17.1% | 1,050 | jobs | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | +15.2% | 1,050 | jobs | |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | +0.6% | 210 | pay | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | +0.1% | 900 | pay | |
| Charleston, WV | this area | 1,050 | ||
| Albany, GA | -0.2% | 420 | pay | |
| Alexandria, LA | -0.2% | 590 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Charleston, WV?
About $55,935 a year at the median, or $4,661 a month: $43,350 in pay plus about $12,585 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Charleston?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $43,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,990, the 90th $57,330, and the middle half earned $37,440 to $49,840.
Is Charleston cheaper than the rest of West Virginia for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $43,350 against $42,890 statewide. The next area up in West Virginia is Wheeling at $44,650, the next down Morgantown at $42,810.
How many bookkeepers work in Charleston?
BLS counts about 1,050 in the May 2025 survey. That is 14% of the West Virginia total of 7,620. Only the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area and Huntington-Ashland have more in West Virginia.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Charleston?
Yes: $1,380 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,350 and $41,970.
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.