Bookkeeper salary in Cleveland, TN
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Cleveland than in Tennessee or the country as a whole. The median is $43,660 a year1: 9.4% below the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 and 13.8% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#462 of 521). BLS counts about 400 people in this job here, 1% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Cleveland, TN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, TN | $29,890 | $43,660 | $61,840 | |
| Tennessee | $35,000 | $48,180 | $67,730 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Cleveland earns $35,790–$50,130. The top tenth earns $61,840 or more, 2.1 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 $14,340 wide, against $18,130 across Tennessee 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 | $29,890 | $2,491 | $14.37 | $38,568 |
| 25th percentile | $35,790 | $2,982 | $17.21 | $46,181 |
| Median | $43,660 | $3,638 | $20.99 | $56,335 |
| 75th percentile | $50,130 | $4,178 | $24.10 | $64,684 |
| 90th percentile | $61,840 | $5,153 | $29.73 | $79,794 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,870 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,470, or about $8,348 once benefits are added. 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 Cleveland, and the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local bookkeepers earn.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
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 $12,675 to the $43,660 median and brings it to $56,335 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 Cleveland
Of the 15 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($47,940) and administrative assistants ($42,880). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,720.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +11.4% | 40 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +9.8% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 400 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -1.8% | 390 | |
| HR Assistant | -5.8% | 30 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 15 roles we track in Cleveland (-13.8%), between virtual receptionists (-13.8%) and accountants (-14.1%). The typical role here is at -17.7%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Cleveland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.1% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Cleveland, 10.5% across Tennessee and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $40,700 in Johnson City to $50,810 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $10,110 a year. Of the 13 areas in Tennessee with more bookkeepers than Cleveland, 2 pay less: the West Tennessee nonmetro area ($43,600) and Johnson City, TN ($40,700).
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TN | +3.6% | 800 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +2.5% | 1,110 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +2.2% | 1,160 | |
| Morristown, TN | +0.9% | 420 | |
| Cleveland, TN | this area | 400 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -0.1% | 1,210 | |
| Johnson City, TN | -6.8% | 870 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #471 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Tennessee, Hammond and Montgomery pay just above Cleveland and Daphne-Fairhope and Sierra Vista-Douglas just below. All four are within $50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +11.2% | 400 | jobs | |
| Kankakee, IL | +8.2% | 400 | jobs | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | +3.0% | 400 | jobs | |
| Montgomery, AL | +0.1% | 1,400 | pay | |
| Hammond, LA | +0.0% | 380 | pay | |
| Cleveland, TN | this area | 400 | ||
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | +0.0% | 1,000 | pay | |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | -0.1% | 210 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Cleveland, TN?
About $56,335 a year at the median, or $4,695 a month: $43,660 in pay plus about $12,675 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Cleveland?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $43,660 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,890, the 90th $61,840, and the middle half earned $35,790 to $50,130.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $43,660 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Morristown at $44,040, the next down the West Tennessee nonmetro area at $43,600.
How many bookkeepers work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 400 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Tennessee total of 37,680. 13 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Morristown, with about 420.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Cleveland?
Yes: $780 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,660 and $42,880.
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.