Bookkeeper salary in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area than in New Mexico or the country as a whole. The median is $46,010 a year1: 4.3% below the New Mexico statewide median of $48,080 and 9.2% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #359 of 521. About 1,540 bookkeepers work here, 20% of the New Mexico total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area against New Mexico and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | $32,940 | $46,010 | $68,120 | |
| New Mexico | $35,660 | $48,080 | $70,890 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area earns $38,730–$56,020. The top tenth earns $68,120 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,290 wide, against $18,110 across New Mexico and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area 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 | $32,940 | $2,745 | $15.84 | $42,503 |
| 25th percentile | $38,730 | $3,228 | $18.62 | $49,974 |
| Median | $46,010 | $3,834 | $22.12 | $59,368 |
| 75th percentile | $56,020 | $4,668 | $26.93 | $72,284 |
| 90th percentile | $68,120 | $5,677 | $32.75 | $87,897 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,280 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $10,010, or about $12,916 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 the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area, and the New Mexico statewide median of $48,080 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area
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 $13,358 to the $46,010 median and brings it to $59,368 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 the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($53,330) and HR assistants ($45,090). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,810.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +29.7% | 480 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +15.9% | 190 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,540 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.0% | 70 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.9% | 4,470 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 15 roles we track in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area (-9.2%), between project coordinators (-8.3%) and administrative assistants (-9.9%). The typical role here is at -9.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.3% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area, 8.2% across New Mexico and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New Mexico
Across the 6 areas of New Mexico with data for this job, the median runs from $44,460 in Las Cruces to $50,890 in Santa Fe, a gap of $6,430 a year. The one area in New Mexico with more bookkeepers, Albuquerque, NM ($49,660), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | +10.6% | 560 | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +7.9% | 3,440 | |
| Northern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | +2.3% | 740 | |
| Farmington, NM | +0.0% | 560 | |
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,540 | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -3.4% | 580 |
the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area is #164 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside New Mexico, Terre Haute and Decatur pay just above the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area and Canton-Massillon and Kokomo just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | +9.9% | 1,520 | jobs | |
| Decatur, AL | +0.1% | 580 | pay | |
| Terre Haute, IN | +0.1% | 550 | pay | |
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,540 | ||
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -0.0% | 1,430 | pay | |
| Kokomo, IN | -0.0% | 280 | pay | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | -0.2% | 1,570 | jobs | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -7.2% | 1,550 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro)?
About $59,368 a year at the median, or $4,947 a month: $46,010 in pay plus about $13,358 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area?
The median was $46,010 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,940, the 90th $68,120, and the middle half earned $38,730 to $56,020.
Is the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of New Mexico for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,010 against $48,080 statewide. The next area up in New Mexico is Farmington at $46,010, the next down Las Cruces at $44,460.
How many bookkeepers work in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,540 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the New Mexico total of 7,780. Only Albuquerque has more in New Mexico.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area?
Yes: $920 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,010 and $45,090.
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.