Bookkeeper salary in Gainesville, FL
Gainesville is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $47,870 a year1 is 3.0% below the Florida statewide median of $49,330, and 5.5% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #243 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 1,090 people in this job here, 1% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Gainesville, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Gainesville against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville, FL | $35,610 | $47,870 | $71,480 | |
| Florida | $36,680 | $49,330 | $72,260 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $71,480, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Gainesville earns $41,270–$57,710. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $16,440 wide, against $17,070 across Florida and $17,950 nationally: employers in Gainesville 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 | $35,610 | $2,968 | $17.12 | $45,948 |
| 25th percentile | $41,270 | $3,439 | $19.84 | $53,252 |
| Median | $47,870 | $3,989 | $23.01 | $61,768 |
| 75th percentile | $57,710 | $4,809 | $27.75 | $74,465 |
| 90th percentile | $71,480 | $5,957 | $34.37 | $92,232 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,600 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,840, or about $12,697 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 Gainesville, and the Florida statewide median of $49,330 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Gainesville
At the $47,870 median, a local hire costs about $61,768 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,898 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 Gainesville
Of the 16 roles we track in Gainesville, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($50,480) and paralegals ($47,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,630.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +16.5% | 450 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +5.5% | 110 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,090 | |
| Paralegal | -0.1% | 360 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.0% | 1,650 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #2 of the 16 roles we track in Gainesville (-5.5%), between medical administrative assistants (+0.1%) and virtual receptionists (-7.0%). The typical role here is at -13.0%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Gainesville than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Gainesville, 7.7% across Florida and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $44,360 in Homosassa Springs to $51,000 in Naples-Marco Island, a gap of $6,640 a year. Of the 14 areas in Florida with more bookkeepers than Gainesville, 6 pay less, the largest of them Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL ($46,860), Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL ($46,960) and Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL ($47,520).
| Area | Median | vs Gainesville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | +1.4% | 580 | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | +1.2% | 11,440 | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +0.7% | 1,450 | |
| Gainesville, FL | this area | 1,090 | |
| Punta Gorda, FL | -0.0% | 520 | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | -0.7% | 1,810 | |
| North Florida (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 1,010 |
Gainesville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Gainesville is #250 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Florida, Lincoln and South Bend-Mishawaka pay just above Gainesville and Davenport-Moline and Toledo just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Gainesville. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Gainesville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +19.7% | 1,070 | jobs | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | +5.8% | 1,080 | jobs | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | +0.1% | 1,110 | pay | |
| Lincoln, NE | +0.1% | 1,660 | pay | |
| Gainesville, FL | this area | 1,090 | ||
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.1% | 1,360 | pay | |
| Toledo, OH | -0.1% | 2,200 | pay | |
| Laredo, TX | -17.0% | 1,070 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Gainesville, FL?
About $61,768 a year at the median, or $5,147 a month: $47,870 in pay plus about $13,898 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Gainesville?
The median was $47,870 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,610, the 90th $71,480, and the middle half earned $41,270 to $57,710.
Is Gainesville cheaper than the rest of Florida for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $47,870 against $49,330 statewide. The next area up in Florida is Port St. Lucie at $48,200, the next down Punta Gorda at $47,860.
How many bookkeepers work in Gainesville?
BLS counts about 1,090 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Florida total of 88,670. 14 areas in Florida have more; the closest in size is Tallahassee, with about 1,130.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a paralegal in Gainesville?
Yes: $30 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,870 and $47,840.
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.