Bookkeeper salary in Dover, DE
No other area in Delaware pays bookkeepers less than Dover. The median is $45,520 a year1, 12.1% below the Delaware statewide median of $51,780 and 10.2% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#392 of 521). About 600 bookkeepers work here, 13% of the Delaware total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Dover, DE. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Dover against Delaware and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DE | $32,130 | $45,520 | $61,770 | |
| Delaware | $38,130 | $51,780 | $71,410 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $61,770, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Dover earns $39,010–$54,670. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,660 wide, against $16,640 across Delaware and $17,950 nationally: employers in Dover 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 | $32,130 | $2,678 | $15.45 | $41,458 |
| 25th percentile | $39,010 | $3,251 | $18.75 | $50,335 |
| Median | $45,520 | $3,793 | $21.88 | $58,735 |
| 75th percentile | $54,670 | $4,556 | $26.28 | $70,542 |
| 90th percentile | $61,770 | $5,148 | $29.70 | $79,703 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,510 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,150, or about $11,806 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 Dover, and the Delaware statewide median of $51,780 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Dover
At the $45,520 median, a local hire costs about $58,735 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,215 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 Dover
Of the 16 roles we track in Dover, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($49,900) and administrative assistants ($45,360). Project Coordinator is the highest at $109,940.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +12.7% | 40 | |
| HR Assistant | +9.6% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 600 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -0.4% | 1,170 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -7.5% | 1,000 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #10 of the 16 roles we track in Dover (-10.2%), between data entry specialists (-9.0%) and executive assistants (-10.7%). The typical role here is at -8.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 8.8% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Dover, 8.6% across Delaware and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Delaware
Across the 2 areas of Delaware with data for this job, the median runs from $45,520 in Dover to $48,200 in the Sussex Delaware nonmetro area, a gap of $2,680 a year. The one area in Delaware with more bookkeepers, the Sussex Delaware nonmetro area ($48,200), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Dover | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex Delaware (Nonmetro) | +5.9% | 910 | |
| Dover, DE | this area | 600 |
Dover against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Dover is #377 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Delaware, Lubbock and Rome pay just above Dover and Pocatello and Twin Falls just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Dover. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Dover | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | +7.6% | 600 | jobs | |
| Wausau, WI | +7.4% | 600 | jobs | |
| Burlington, NC | +4.3% | 600 | jobs | |
| Rome, GA | +0.1% | 300 | pay | |
| Lubbock, TX | +0.1% | 1,500 | pay | |
| Dover, DE | this area | 600 | ||
| Pocatello, ID | -0.2% | 340 | pay | |
| Twin Falls, ID | -0.2% | 450 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Dover, DE?
About $58,735 a year at the median, or $4,895 a month: $45,520 in pay plus about $13,215 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Dover?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,520 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,130, the 90th $61,770, and the middle half earned $39,010 to $54,670.
Is Dover the cheapest area in Delaware for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $45,520 is the lowest of 2 areas in Delaware. The Sussex Delaware nonmetro area is next at $48,200.
How many bookkeepers work in Dover?
BLS counts about 600 in the May 2025 survey. That is 13% of the Delaware total of 4,600. Only the Sussex Delaware nonmetro area has more in Delaware.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Dover?
Yes: $160 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,520 and $45,360.
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.