Bookkeeper salary in Harrisonburg, VA
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Harrisonburg than in Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $47,090 a year1: 8.8% below the Virginia statewide median of $51,620 and 7.1% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #286 of 521. BLS counts about 500 people in this job here, 2% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Harrisonburg, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Harrisonburg against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | $34,610 | $47,090 | $64,740 | |
| Virginia | $36,610 | $51,620 | $72,860 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Harrisonburg earns $41,570–$57,100. The top tenth earns $64,740 or more, 1.9 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 $15,530 wide, against $17,810 across Virginia and $17,950 nationally: employers in Harrisonburg 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 | $34,610 | $2,884 | $16.64 | $44,658 |
| 25th percentile | $41,570 | $3,464 | $19.99 | $53,639 |
| Median | $47,090 | $3,924 | $22.64 | $60,761 |
| 75th percentile | $57,100 | $4,758 | $27.45 | $73,677 |
| 90th percentile | $64,740 | $5,395 | $31.12 | $83,535 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,010 over the median, the 25th only $5,520 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $12,916 a year in employer cost. 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 Harrisonburg, and the Virginia statewide median of $51,620 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Harrisonburg
At the $47,090 median, a local hire costs about $60,761 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,671 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 Harrisonburg
Of the 16 roles we track in Harrisonburg, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($49,660) and administrative assistants ($45,690). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,680.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +8.0% | 110 | |
| HR Assistant | +5.5% | 50 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 500 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.0% | 560 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.5% | 260 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in Harrisonburg (-7.1%), between medical administrative assistants (-5.1%) and accountants (-8.5%). The typical role here is at -10.6%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Harrisonburg than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Harrisonburg, 7.5% across Virginia and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $45,270 in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area to $52,680 in Charlottesville, a gap of $7,410 a year. Of the 10 areas in Virginia with more bookkeepers than Harrisonburg, 5 pay less, the largest of them Roanoke, VA ($46,420), the Southwest Virginia nonmetro area ($46,590) and Lynchburg, VA ($47,060).
| Area | Median | vs Harrisonburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | +3.4% | 5,880 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | +3.1% | 550 | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +3.1% | 400 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | this area | 500 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -0.1% | 890 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -0.8% | 540 | |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,010 |
Harrisonburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Harrisonburg is #425 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Virginia, Watertown-Fort Drum and St. George pay just above Harrisonburg and Greensboro-High Point and New Orleans-Metairie just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Harrisonburg. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Harrisonburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glens Falls, NY | +4.7% | 500 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MI | +3.4% | 500 | jobs | |
| St. George, UT | +0.1% | 620 | pay | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | +0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | this area | 500 | ||
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -0.2% | 3,440 | pay | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | -0.2% | 3,840 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -8.9% | 500 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Harrisonburg, VA?
About $60,761 a year at the median, or $5,063 a month: $47,090 in pay plus about $13,671 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Harrisonburg?
The median was $47,090 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,610, the 90th $64,740, and the middle half earned $41,570 to $57,100.
Is Harrisonburg cheaper than the rest of Virginia for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $47,090 against $51,620 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Staunton-Stuarts Draft at $48,530, the next down Lynchburg at $47,060.
How many bookkeepers work in Harrisonburg?
BLS counts about 500 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Virginia total of 31,990. 10 areas in Virginia have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area, with about 540.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Harrisonburg?
Yes: $1,400 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,090 and $45,690.
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.