Bookkeeper salary in Fayetteville-Springdale, AR
Fayetteville-Springdale is the most expensive place in Arkansas to hire a bookkeeper. The median is $45,830 a year1, 7.0% above the Arkansas statewide median of $42,840 and 9.6% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #370 of 521. BLS counts about 2,460 people in this job here, 20% of the Arkansas total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fayetteville-Springdale against Arkansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | $31,480 | $45,830 | $63,950 | |
| Arkansas | $28,130 | $42,840 | $62,230 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $63,950, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Fayetteville-Springdale earns $37,480–$54,510. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,030 wide, between the figure for Arkansas ($15,080) 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 | $31,480 | $2,623 | $15.13 | $40,619 |
| 25th percentile | $37,480 | $3,123 | $18.02 | $48,361 |
| Median | $45,830 | $3,819 | $22.03 | $59,135 |
| 75th percentile | $54,510 | $4,542 | $26.21 | $70,335 |
| 90th percentile | $63,950 | $5,329 | $30.75 | $82,516 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,680 a year in pay and about $11,200 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,350 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-Springdale, and the Arkansas statewide median of $42,840 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Fayetteville-Springdale
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 $13,305 to the $45,830 median and brings it to $59,135 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-Springdale
Of the 17 roles we track in Fayetteville-Springdale, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($46,190) and administrative assistants ($41,550). Marketing Specialist is the highest at $83,000.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +2.4% | 250 | |
| HR Assistant | +0.8% | 370 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,460 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -9.3% | 1,550 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -13.8% | 4,170 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Fayetteville-Springdale (-9.6%), between data entry specialists (-9.0%) and customer support specialists (-11.7%). The typical role here is at -12.6%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Fayetteville-Springdale than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 9.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fayetteville-Springdale, 11.7% across Arkansas and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Arkansas
Across the 9 areas of Arkansas with data for this job, the median runs from $38,450 in Hot Springs to $45,830 in Fayetteville-Springdale, a gap of $7,380 a year. The one area in Arkansas with more bookkeepers, Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR ($44,470), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Fayetteville-Springdale | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | this area | 2,460 | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | -1.8% | 960 | |
| Jonesboro, AR | -2.6% | 470 | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -3.0% | 3,480 | |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -9.6% | 650 | |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -11.5% | 990 | |
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -12.7% | 570 |
Fayetteville-Springdale against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fayetteville-Springdale is #98 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 Arkansas, Helena and College Station-Bryan pay just above Fayetteville-Springdale and Tyler and Cape Girardeau just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Fayetteville-Springdale. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fayetteville-Springdale | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +22.5% | 2,530 | jobs | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +7.1% | 2,430 | jobs | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | +5.9% | 2,450 | jobs | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | +0.1% | 950 | pay | |
| Helena, MT | +0.1% | 650 | pay | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | this area | 2,460 | ||
| Tyler, TX | +0.0% | 940 | pay | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -0.0% | 310 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Fayetteville-Springdale, AR?
About $59,135 a year at the median, or $4,928 a month: $45,830 in pay plus about $13,305 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Fayetteville-Springdale?
The median was $45,830 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,480, the 90th $63,950, and the middle half earned $37,480 to $54,510.
Is Fayetteville-Springdale the most expensive area in Arkansas for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $45,830 is the highest of 9 areas in Arkansas. Fort Smith comes next at $45,010.
How many bookkeepers work in Fayetteville-Springdale?
BLS counts about 2,460 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the Arkansas total of 12,510. Only Little Rock-North Little Rock has more in Arkansas.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Fayetteville-Springdale?
Yes: $4,280 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,830 and $41,550.
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.