Bookkeeper salary in Fayetteville, NC
Fayetteville is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $45,360 a year1 is 5.4% below the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930, and 10.5% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#396 of 521). About 1,020 bookkeepers work here, 2% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Fayetteville, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fayetteville against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | $34,250 | $45,360 | $62,290 | |
| North Carolina | $33,710 | $47,930 | $67,290 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Fayetteville earns $37,500–$54,490. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $62,290, 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 $16,990 wide, against $18,190 across North Carolina and $17,950 nationally: employers in Fayetteville 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 | $34,250 | $2,854 | $16.47 | $44,194 |
| 25th percentile | $37,500 | $3,125 | $18.03 | $48,387 |
| Median | $45,360 | $3,780 | $21.81 | $58,529 |
| 75th percentile | $54,490 | $4,541 | $26.20 | $70,310 |
| 90th percentile | $62,290 | $5,191 | $29.95 | $80,374 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,130 a year in pay and about $11,781 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,860 in pay. 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 Fayetteville, and the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Fayetteville
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 $13,169 to the $45,360 median and brings it to $58,529 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 Fayetteville
Of the 17 roles we track in Fayetteville, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($49,770) and administrative assistants ($42,410). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,680.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +15.0% | 140 | |
| HR Assistant | +9.7% | 150 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,020 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.5% | 1,100 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -6.8% | 70 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Fayetteville (-10.5%), between payroll specialists (-10.5%) and administrative assistants (-10.8%). The typical role here is at -12.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 8.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fayetteville, 9.3% across North Carolina and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $42,910 in Jacksonville to $50,800 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $7,890 a year. Of the 11 areas in North Carolina with more bookkeepers than Fayetteville, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($44,690), the Western North Carolina nonmetro area ($44,920) and the Central North Carolina nonmetro area ($44,060).
| Area | Median | vs Fayetteville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | +1.7% | 410 | |
| Wilmington, NC | +0.8% | 2,300 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | +0.7% | 350 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | this area | 1,020 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -0.5% | 1,570 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 2,710 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -1.5% | 2,990 |
Fayetteville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fayetteville is #270 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 North Carolina, Shreveport-Bossier City and Twin Falls pay just above Fayetteville and Springfield and Erie just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Fayetteville. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fayetteville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +25.0% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Greeley, CO | +11.7% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Twin Falls, ID | +0.1% | 450 | pay | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | +0.1% | 1,900 | pay | |
| Fayetteville, NC | this area | 1,020 | ||
| Springfield, MO | -0.1% | 1,440 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | -0.1% | 920 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -8.4% | 1,020 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Fayetteville, NC?
About $58,529 a year at the median, or $4,877 a month: $45,360 in pay plus about $13,169 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Fayetteville?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,360 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,250, the 90th $62,290, and the middle half earned $37,500 to $54,490.
Is Fayetteville cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,360 against $47,930 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Goldsboro at $45,700, the next down Hickory-Lenoir at $45,130.
How many bookkeepers work in Fayetteville?
BLS counts about 1,020 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the North Carolina total of 48,760. 11 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Hickory-Lenoir, with about 1,570.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Fayetteville?
Yes: $2,950 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,360 and $42,410.
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.