Bookkeeper salary in Cleveland, OH
For this job Cleveland sits right at the Ohio figure, with a median of $48,860 a year1. That is about level with the Ohio statewide median of $48,810, and 3.6% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #193 of 521 areas. About 8,660 bookkeepers work here, 19% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Cleveland, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | $36,960 | $48,860 | $67,810 | |
| Ohio | $36,110 | $48,810 | $67,330 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Cleveland earns $43,770–$59,040. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $67,810, 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 $15,270 wide, against $16,360 across Ohio and $17,950 nationally: employers in Cleveland 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 | $36,960 | $3,080 | $17.77 | $47,690 |
| 25th percentile | $43,770 | $3,648 | $21.04 | $56,477 |
| Median | $48,860 | $4,072 | $23.49 | $63,045 |
| 75th percentile | $59,040 | $4,920 | $28.38 | $76,181 |
| 90th percentile | $67,810 | $5,651 | $32.60 | $87,497 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,180 over the median, the 25th only $5,090 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,135 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 Cleveland, and the Ohio statewide median of $48,810 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
At the $48,860 median, a local hire costs about $63,045 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,185 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 Cleveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($59,110) and HR assistants ($48,740). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,000.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +22.5% | 7,710 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +21.0% | 1,370 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 8,660 | |
| HR Assistant | -0.2% | 650 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -3.1% | 780 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland (-3.6%), between paralegals (-3.1%) and HR assistants (-3.7%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 8.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cleveland, 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. All 2 areas in Ohio with more bookkeepers than Cleveland also pay more, among them Cincinnati, OH-KY ($49,590) and Columbus, OH ($51,170).
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +1.5% | 9,050 | |
| Akron, OH | +0.7% | 2,730 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +0.2% | 2,570 | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 8,660 | |
| Eastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -1.7% | 1,220 | |
| Toledo, OH | -2.1% | 2,200 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -2.1% | 2,000 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #34 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, Asheville and Wausau pay just above Cleveland and Binghamton and Champaign-Urbana just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in Cleveland. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +16.3% | 8,680 | jobs | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | +9.6% | 8,540 | jobs | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +4.3% | 8,780 | jobs | |
| Wausau, WI | +0.0% | 600 | pay | |
| Asheville, NC | +0.0% | 2,200 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 8,660 | ||
| Binghamton, NY | -0.1% | 950 | pay | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -0.1% | 710 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Cleveland, OH?
About $63,045 a year at the median, or $5,254 a month: $48,860 in pay plus about $14,185 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Cleveland?
The median was $48,860 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,960, the 90th $67,810, and the middle half earned $43,770 to $59,040.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Ohio for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $48,860 against $48,810 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Dayton-Kettering at $48,970, the next down the Eastern Ohio nonmetro area at $48,010.
How many bookkeepers work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 8,660 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Ohio total of 45,140. Only Cincinnati and Columbus have more in Ohio.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Cleveland?
Yes: $120 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,860 and $48,740.
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.