Bookkeeper salary in Fort Wayne, IN
For this job Fort Wayne sits right at the Indiana figure, with a median of $47,770 a year1. That is about level with the Indiana statewide median of $47,820, and 5.7% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #251 of 521. About 1,970 bookkeepers work here, 7% of the Indiana total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Fort Wayne, IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fort Wayne against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne, IN | $32,550 | $47,770 | $63,940 | |
| Indiana | $33,010 | $47,820 | $66,960 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Fort Wayne earns $40,200–$57,150. The top tenth earns $63,940 or more, 2.0 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 $16,950 wide, against $17,800 across Indiana and $17,950 nationally: employers in Fort Wayne 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 | $32,550 | $2,712 | $15.65 | $42,000 |
| 25th percentile | $40,200 | $3,350 | $19.33 | $51,871 |
| Median | $47,770 | $3,981 | $22.97 | $61,639 |
| 75th percentile | $57,150 | $4,762 | $27.48 | $73,742 |
| 90th percentile | $63,940 | $5,328 | $30.74 | $82,503 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,380 a year in pay and about $12,103 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,570 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 Fort Wayne, and the Indiana statewide median of $47,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Fort Wayne
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 $13,869 to the $47,770 median and brings it to $61,639 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 Fort Wayne
Of the 17 roles we track in Fort Wayne, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($50,030) and HR assistants ($46,790). Project Coordinator is the highest at $92,590.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +23.2% | 490 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +4.7% | 280 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,970 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.1% | 70 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -5.4% | 3,020 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Fort Wayne (-5.7%), between administrative assistants (-5.7%) and paralegals (-6.4%). The typical role here is at -7.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fort Wayne, 11.2% across Indiana and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $44,650 in Muncie to $49,190 in Elkhart-Goshen, a gap of $4,540 a year. The one area in Indiana with more bookkeepers, Indianapolis-Carmel, IN ($48,750), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Fort Wayne | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +2.1% | 10,000 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +1.3% | 930 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | +0.4% | 1,110 | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | this area | 1,970 | |
| Bloomington, IN | -2.0% | 710 | |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | -2.2% | 1,970 | |
| Evansville, IN | -2.3% | 1,320 |
Fort Wayne against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fort Wayne is #125 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 Indiana, Sherman-Denison and Grand Junction pay just above Fort Wayne and Bay City and Greenville just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Fort Wayne. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fort Wayne | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | +28.0% | 2,040 | jobs | |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | +10.0% | 1,990 | jobs | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +5.7% | 1,940 | jobs | |
| Grand Junction, CO | +0.1% | 610 | pay | |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | +0.0% | 380 | pay | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | this area | 1,970 | ||
| Bay City, MI | -0.1% | 330 | pay | |
| Greenville, NC | -0.2% | 720 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Fort Wayne, IN?
About $61,639 a year at the median, or $5,137 a month: $47,770 in pay plus about $13,869 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Fort Wayne?
The median was $47,770 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,550, the 90th $63,940, and the middle half earned $40,200 to $57,150.
Is Fort Wayne cheaper than the rest of Indiana for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $47,770 against $47,820 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is South Bend-Mishawaka at $47,940, the next down Bloomington at $46,800.
How many bookkeepers work in Fort Wayne?
BLS counts about 1,970 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the Indiana total of 29,910. Only Indianapolis-Carmel has more in Indiana.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Fort Wayne?
Yes: $980 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,770 and $46,790.
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.