Bookkeeper salary in Dayton-Kettering, OH
For this job Dayton-Kettering sits right at the Ohio figure, with a median of $48,970 a year1. That is about level with the Ohio statewide median of $48,810, and 3.4% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #185 of 521. BLS counts about 2,570 people in this job here, 6% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Dayton-Kettering against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | $36,370 | $48,970 | $66,820 | |
| Ohio | $36,110 | $48,810 | $67,330 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Dayton-Kettering earns $42,340–$58,950. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $66,820, 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 $16,610 wide, between the figure for Ohio ($16,360) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,370 | $3,031 | $17.49 | $46,929 |
| 25th percentile | $42,340 | $3,528 | $20.36 | $54,632 |
| Median | $48,970 | $4,081 | $23.54 | $63,187 |
| 75th percentile | $58,950 | $4,912 | $28.34 | $76,065 |
| 90th percentile | $66,820 | $5,568 | $32.12 | $86,219 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $9,980 over the median, the 25th only $6,630 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $12,877 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 Dayton-Kettering, and the Ohio statewide median of $48,810 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Dayton-Kettering
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 $14,217 to the $48,970 median and brings it to $63,187 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 Dayton-Kettering
Of the 17 roles we track in Dayton-Kettering, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($52,040) and administrative assistants ($46,310). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,130.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +19.8% | 470 | |
| HR Assistant | +6.3% | 150 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,570 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.4% | 3,640 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.2% | 4,880 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Dayton-Kettering (-3.4%), between administrative assistants (-2.6%) and project coordinators (-4.1%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Dayton-Kettering than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Dayton-Kettering, 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. Of the 4 areas in Ohio with more bookkeepers than Dayton-Kettering, 1 pays less: Cleveland, OH ($48,860).
| Area | Median | vs Dayton-Kettering | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +4.5% | 9,000 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +1.3% | 9,050 | |
| Akron, OH | +0.4% | 2,730 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | this area | 2,570 | |
| Cleveland, OH | -0.2% | 8,660 | |
| Eastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -2.0% | 1,220 | |
| Toledo, OH | -2.3% | 2,200 |
Dayton-Kettering against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Dayton-Kettering is #94 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, Racine-Mount Pleasant and Cape Coral-Fort Myers pay just above Dayton-Kettering and La Crosse-Onalaska and Odessa just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Dayton-Kettering. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Dayton-Kettering | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +8.6% | 2,580 | jobs | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | +8.3% | 2,550 | jobs | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +3.7% | 2,570 | jobs | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | +0.0% | 2,600 | pay | |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | +0.0% | 580 | pay | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | this area | 2,570 | ||
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | +0.0% | 720 | pay | |
| Odessa, TX | -0.1% | 880 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Dayton-Kettering, OH?
About $63,187 a year at the median, or $5,266 a month: $48,970 in pay plus about $14,217 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Dayton-Kettering?
The median was $48,970 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,370, the 90th $66,820, and the middle half earned $42,340 to $58,950.
Is Dayton-Kettering cheaper than the rest of Ohio for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $48,970 against $48,810 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Akron at $49,180, the next down Cleveland at $48,860.
How many bookkeepers work in Dayton-Kettering?
BLS counts about 2,570 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Ohio total of 45,140. 4 areas in Ohio have more; the closest in size is Akron, with about 2,730.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Dayton-Kettering?
Yes: $2,660 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,970 and $46,310.
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.