Bookkeeper salary in Columbia, SC
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Columbia than in South Carolina or the country as a whole. The median is $46,690 a year1: 2.6% below the South Carolina statewide median of $47,940 and 7.9% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #312 of 521 areas. About 3,260 bookkeepers work here, 16% of the South Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Columbia, SC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbia against South Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC | $33,770 | $46,690 | $67,080 | |
| South Carolina | $33,370 | $47,940 | $68,870 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Columbia earns $38,180–$56,800. The top tenth earns $67,080 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,620 wide, wider than in South Carolina as a whole ($18,430) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in Columbia depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,770 | $2,814 | $16.24 | $43,574 |
| 25th percentile | $38,180 | $3,182 | $18.36 | $49,265 |
| Median | $46,690 | $3,891 | $22.45 | $60,245 |
| 75th percentile | $56,800 | $4,733 | $27.31 | $73,290 |
| 90th percentile | $67,080 | $5,590 | $32.25 | $86,555 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $10,110 a year in pay and about $13,045 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,510 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 median and the 75th percentile in Columbia, and the South Carolina statewide median of $47,940 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Columbia
At the $46,690 median, a local hire costs about $60,245 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,555 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 Columbia
Of the 17 roles we track in Columbia, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($48,570) and administrative assistants ($45,620). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,260.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +11.9% | 220 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +4.0% | 3,400 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 3,260 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -2.3% | 6,610 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.7% | 380 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Columbia (-7.9%), between virtual receptionists (-6.5%) and paralegals (-9.0%). The typical role here is at -10.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 6.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Columbia, 8.0% across South Carolina and 8.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in South Carolina
Across the 11 areas of South Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $43,810 in Sumter to $50,400 in Charleston-North Charleston, a gap of $6,590 a year. All 2 areas in South Carolina with more bookkeepers than Columbia also pay more, among them Greenville-Anderson, SC ($49,600) and Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($50,400).
| Area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +6.2% | 3,770 | |
| Spartanburg, SC | +3.8% | 1,150 | |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | +0.2% | 1,370 | |
| Columbia, SC | this area | 3,260 | |
| Northwestern South Carolina (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 750 | |
| Florence, SC | -3.0% | 730 | |
| Northeastern South Carolina (Nonmetro) | -4.2% | 650 |
Columbia against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbia is #73 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 South Carolina, St. Joseph and Baton Rouge pay just above Columbia and Evansville and Columbus just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Columbia. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +23.5% | 3,250 | jobs | |
| Reno, NV | +11.4% | 3,160 | jobs | |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | +0.5% | 3,390 | jobs | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | +0.1% | 4,060 | pay | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +0.1% | 310 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | this area | 3,260 | ||
| Evansville, IN | -0.0% | 1,320 | pay | |
| Columbus, IN | -0.1% | 360 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Columbia, SC?
About $60,245 a year at the median, or $5,020 a month: $46,690 in pay plus about $13,555 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Columbia?
The median was $46,690 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,770, the 90th $67,080, and the middle half earned $38,180 to $56,800.
Is Columbia cheaper than the rest of South Carolina for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,690 against $47,940 statewide. The next area up in South Carolina is Myrtle Beach-Conway at $46,790, the next down the Northwestern South Carolina nonmetro area at $45,940.
How many bookkeepers work in Columbia?
BLS counts about 3,260 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the South Carolina total of 19,980. Only Greenville-Anderson and Charleston-North Charleston have more in South Carolina.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Columbia?
Yes: $1,070 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,690 and $45,620.
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.