Bookkeeper salary in Columbus, IN
Columbus is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $46,660 a year1 is 2.4% below the Indiana statewide median of $47,820, and 7.9% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #315 of 521. BLS counts about 360 people in this job here, 1% of the Indiana total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Columbus, IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbus against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, IN | $33,880 | $46,660 | $62,400 | |
| Indiana | $33,010 | $47,820 | $66,960 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Columbus earns $38,910–$56,310. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $62,400, 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 $17,400 wide, against $17,800 across Indiana and $17,950 nationally: employers in Columbus 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 | $33,880 | $2,823 | $16.29 | $43,716 |
| 25th percentile | $38,910 | $3,242 | $18.71 | $50,206 |
| Median | $46,660 | $3,888 | $22.43 | $60,206 |
| 75th percentile | $56,310 | $4,692 | $27.07 | $72,658 |
| 90th percentile | $62,400 | $5,200 | $30.00 | $80,516 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,750 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,650, or about $12,452 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 median and the 75th percentile in Columbus, and the Indiana statewide median of $47,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Columbus
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 $13,546 to the $46,660 median and brings it to $60,206 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 Columbus
Of the 14 roles we track in Columbus, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($50,500) and administrative assistants ($44,410). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,510.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +18.2% | 60 | |
| Paralegal | +8.2% | 50 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 360 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.8% | 220 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.5% | 600 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 14 roles we track in Columbus (-7.9%), between administrative assistants (-6.6%) and medical administrative assistants (-8.3%). The typical role here is at -9.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.5% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Columbus, 11.5% across Indiana and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $44,650 in Muncie to $49,190 in Elkhart-Goshen, a gap of $4,540 a year. Of the 12 areas in Indiana with more bookkeepers than Columbus, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Southern Indiana nonmetro area ($45,710), the Central Indiana nonmetro area ($46,110) and Terre Haute, IN ($46,060).
| Area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IN | +0.3% | 710 | |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | +0.1% | 1,970 | |
| Evansville, IN | +0.0% | 1,320 | |
| Columbus, IN | this area | 360 | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | -0.0% | 340 | |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | -1.2% | 1,510 | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -1.3% | 550 |
Columbus against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbus is #491 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Indiana, Columbia and St. Joseph pay just above Columbus and Amarillo and Grand Island just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Columbus. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | +10.3% | 360 | jobs | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +0.2% | 310 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | +0.1% | 3,260 | pay | |
| Columbus, IN | this area | 360 | ||
| Amarillo, TX | -0.1% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Grand Island, NE | -0.1% | 440 | pay | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | -3.0% | 360 | jobs | |
| Hot Springs, AR | -17.6% | 360 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Columbus, IN?
About $60,206 a year at the median, or $5,017 a month: $46,660 in pay plus about $13,546 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Columbus?
The median was $46,660 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,880, the 90th $62,400, and the middle half earned $38,910 to $56,310.
Is Columbus cheaper than the rest of Indiana for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,660 against $47,820 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Evansville at $46,680, the next down Michigan City-La Porte at $46,650.
How many bookkeepers work in Columbus?
BLS counts about 360 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Indiana total of 29,910. 12 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is Muncie, with about 450.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Columbus?
Yes: $2,250 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,660 and $44,410.
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.