Bookkeeper salary in Columbus, OH
Columbus is the most expensive place in Ohio to hire a bookkeeper. The median is $51,170 a year1, 4.8% above the Ohio statewide median of $48,810 and about level with the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#99 of 521). BLS counts about 9,000 people in this job here, 20% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Columbus, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbus against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $38,240 | $51,170 | $68,900 | |
| Ohio | $36,110 | $48,810 | $67,330 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Columbus earns $45,760–$59,810. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $68,900, 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 $14,050 wide, against $16,360 across Ohio 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 | $38,240 | $3,187 | $18.38 | $49,342 |
| 25th percentile | $45,760 | $3,813 | $22.00 | $59,045 |
| Median | $51,170 | $4,264 | $24.60 | $66,026 |
| 75th percentile | $59,810 | $4,984 | $28.75 | $77,174 |
| 90th percentile | $68,900 | $5,742 | $33.12 | $88,903 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,640 over the median, the 25th only $5,410 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,148 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 25th percentile and the median in Columbus, and the Ohio statewide median of $48,810 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 $14,856 to the $51,170 median and brings it to $66,026 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 17 roles we track in Columbus, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($59,010) and HR assistants ($50,700). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,660.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +16.1% | 8,350 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +15.3% | 1,200 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 9,000 | |
| HR Assistant | -0.9% | 530 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.4% | 9,570 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Columbus (+1.0%), between payroll specialists (+1.3%) and administrative assistants (+0.7%). The typical role here is at -0.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 8.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Columbus, 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. The one area in Ohio with more bookkeepers, Cincinnati, OH-KY ($49,590), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | this area | 9,000 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -3.1% | 9,050 | |
| Akron, OH | -3.9% | 2,730 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -4.3% | 2,570 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -4.5% | 8,660 | |
| Eastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -6.2% | 1,220 | |
| Toledo, OH | -6.5% | 2,200 |
Columbus against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbus is #30 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Ohio, Atlanta-Sandy Springs and Visalia pay just above Columbus and Ann Arbor and Redding just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Columbus. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visalia, CA | +0.1% | 1,390 | pay | |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA | +0.0% | 22,480 | pay | |
| Columbus, OH | this area | 9,000 | ||
| Ann Arbor, MI | -0.1% | 1,510 | pay | |
| Redding, CA | -0.2% | 660 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -0.4% | 8,780 | jobs | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -5.9% | 8,960 | jobs | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -7.7% | 9,250 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Columbus, OH?
About $66,026 a year at the median, or $5,502 a month: $51,170 in pay plus about $14,856 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Columbus?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $51,170 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,240, the 90th $68,900, and the middle half earned $45,760 to $59,810.
Is Columbus the most expensive area in Ohio for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $51,170 is the highest of 16 areas in Ohio. Cincinnati comes next at $49,590.
How many bookkeepers work in Columbus?
BLS counts about 9,000 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the Ohio total of 45,140. Only Cincinnati has more in Ohio.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Columbus?
Yes: $470 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,170 and $50,700.
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.