Bookkeeper salary in Cincinnati, OH-KY
Cincinnati pays bookkeepers more than Ohio as a whole but less than the country. The median is $49,590 a year1: 1.6% above the Ohio statewide median of $48,810 and 2.1% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #155 of 521. With about 9,050 bookkeepers, no area in Ohio employs more.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cincinnati against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | $36,620 | $49,590 | $70,980 | |
| Ohio | $36,110 | $48,810 | $67,330 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Cincinnati earns $44,240–$60,120. The top tenth earns $70,980 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 $15,880 wide, against $16,360 across Ohio and $17,950 nationally: employers in Cincinnati 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 | $36,620 | $3,052 | $17.61 | $47,252 |
| 25th percentile | $44,240 | $3,687 | $21.27 | $57,084 |
| Median | $49,590 | $4,132 | $23.84 | $63,987 |
| 75th percentile | $60,120 | $5,010 | $28.90 | $77,574 |
| 90th percentile | $70,980 | $5,915 | $34.12 | $91,587 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,530 over the median, the 25th only $5,350 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,587 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 Cincinnati, and the Ohio statewide median of $48,810 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cincinnati
At the $49,590 median, a local hire costs about $63,987 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,397 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 Cincinnati
Of the 17 roles we track in Cincinnati, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($50,800) and administrative assistants ($47,850). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,380.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +16.0% | 1,030 | |
| HR Assistant | +2.4% | 610 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 9,050 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.5% | 9,670 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -6.3% | 19,410 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Cincinnati (-2.1%), between data entry specialists (-1.3%) and accountants (-3.6%). The typical role here is at -1.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 8.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cincinnati, 8.8% across Ohio and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $45,750 in Springfield to $51,170 in Columbus, a gap of $5,420 a year. No other area in Ohio has as many bookkeepers, and 14 of the other 15 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Cincinnati | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +3.2% | 9,000 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | this area | 9,050 | |
| Akron, OH | -0.8% | 2,730 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -1.3% | 2,570 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -1.5% | 8,660 | |
| Eastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -3.2% | 1,220 | |
| Toledo, OH | -3.5% | 2,200 |
Cincinnati against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cincinnati is #29 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Ohio, Greenville-Anderson and Savannah pay just above Cincinnati and Salisbury and Houston-Pasadena just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Cincinnati. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cincinnati | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +2.7% | 8,780 | jobs | |
| Savannah, GA | +0.1% | 1,350 | pay | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +0.0% | 3,770 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | this area | 9,050 | ||
| Salisbury, MD | -0.1% | 450 | pay | |
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | -0.3% | 26,090 | pay | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -2.9% | 8,960 | jobs | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -4.7% | 9,250 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Cincinnati, OH-KY?
About $63,987 a year at the median, or $5,332 a month: $49,590 in pay plus about $14,397 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Cincinnati?
The median was $49,590 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,620, the 90th $70,980, and the middle half earned $44,240 to $60,120.
Is Cincinnati cheaper than the rest of Ohio for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $49,590 against $48,810 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Columbus at $51,170, the next down Akron at $49,180.
How many bookkeepers work in Cincinnati?
BLS counts about 9,050 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Ohio has as many.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Cincinnati?
Yes: $1,740 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,590 and $47,850.
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.