Bookkeeper salary in Chico, CA
Chico pays bookkeepers close to the national norm. The median is $50,710 a year1, 14.4% below the California statewide median of $59,230 and about level with the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#116 of 521). About 730 bookkeepers work here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Chico, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Chico against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CA | $39,050 | $50,710 | $74,910 | |
| California | $41,600 | $59,230 | $81,990 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $74,910, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Chico earns $46,040–$61,330. The mean ($55,010) is 8% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,290 wide, against $22,000 across California and $17,950 nationally: employers in Chico 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 | $39,050 | $3,254 | $18.77 | $50,387 |
| 25th percentile | $46,040 | $3,837 | $22.13 | $59,406 |
| Median | $50,710 | $4,226 | $24.38 | $65,432 |
| 75th percentile | $61,330 | $5,111 | $29.49 | $79,135 |
| 90th percentile | $74,910 | $6,242 | $36.01 | $96,658 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,620 over the median, the 25th only $4,670 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,703 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 25th percentile and the median in Chico, and the California statewide median of $59,230 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Chico
At the $50,710 median, a local hire costs about $65,432 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,722 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 Chico
Of the 17 roles we track in Chico, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between HR assistants ($51,120) and administrative assistants ($49,810). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,320.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +14.9% | 90 | |
| HR Assistant | +0.8% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 730 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -1.8% | 810 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.1% | 360 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Chico (+0.1%), between data entry specialists (+0.9%) and e-commerce order specialists (-0.9%). The typical role here is at +0.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Chico, 9.1% across California and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $47,960 in El Centro to $66,130 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $18,170 a year. All 20 areas in California with more bookkeepers than Chico also pay more, among them Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($58,590) and San Francisco-Oakland, CA ($65,530).
| Area | Median | vs Chico | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | +4.0% | 1,180 | |
| Merced, CA | +2.0% | 680 | |
| Visalia, CA | +1.0% | 1,390 | |
| Redding, CA | +0.7% | 660 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 730 | |
| Chico, CA | this area | 730 | |
| El Centro, CA | -5.4% | 530 |
Chico against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Chico is #341 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Mankato and Springfield pay just above Chico and Greeley and Duluth just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Chico. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Chico | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | +1.8% | 720 | jobs | |
| Springfield, IL | +0.1% | 860 | pay | |
| Mankato, MN | +0.1% | 490 | pay | |
| Chico, CA | this area | 730 | ||
| Greeley, CO | -0.1% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -0.1% | 1,080 | pay | |
| Greenville, NC | -6.0% | 720 | jobs | |
| Florence, SC | -10.7% | 730 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Chico, CA?
About $65,432 a year at the median, or $5,453 a month: $50,710 in pay plus about $14,722 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Chico?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,710 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,050, the 90th $74,910, and the middle half earned $46,040 to $61,330.
Is Chico cheaper than the rest of California for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $50,710 against $59,230 statewide. The next area up in California is the Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetro area at $50,900, the next down El Centro at $47,960.
How many bookkeepers work in Chico?
BLS counts about 730 in the May 2025 survey. 20 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Vallejo, with about 1,040.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Chico?
Yes: $900 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,710 and $49,810.
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.