Bookkeeper salary in Hartford-West Hartford, CT
For this job Hartford-West Hartford sits right at the Connecticut figure, with a median of $59,470 a year1. That is about level with the Connecticut statewide median of $59,970, and 17.4% above the US median of $50,670. Only 14 of 521 US areas pay more for this job. With about 4,660 bookkeepers, 31% of the Connecticut total, no area in Connecticut employs more.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Hartford-West Hartford against Connecticut and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | $42,860 | $59,470 | $77,630 | |
| Connecticut | $43,450 | $59,970 | $81,740 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Hartford-West Hartford earns $48,770–$68,170. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $77,630, 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 $19,400 wide, between the figure for Connecticut ($20,870) 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 | $42,860 | $3,572 | $20.61 | $55,303 |
| 25th percentile | $48,770 | $4,064 | $23.45 | $62,929 |
| Median | $59,470 | $4,956 | $28.59 | $76,735 |
| 75th percentile | $68,170 | $5,681 | $32.77 | $87,961 |
| 90th percentile | $77,630 | $6,469 | $37.32 | $100,168 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,700 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,700, or about $11,226 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 25th percentile and the median in Hartford-West Hartford, and the Connecticut statewide median of $59,970 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Hartford-West Hartford
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 $17,265 to the $59,470 median and brings it to $76,735 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 Hartford-West Hartford
Of the 17 roles we track in Hartford-West Hartford, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($62,400) and administrative assistants ($55,940). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,720.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +13.5% | 1,930 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +4.9% | 590 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 4,660 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.9% | 6,980 | |
| HR Assistant | -12.8% | 320 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Hartford-West Hartford (+17.4%), between administrative assistants (+17.7%) and accountants (+14.7%). The typical role here is at +7.1%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Hartford-West Hartford than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 7.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Hartford-West Hartford, 8.3% across Connecticut and 8.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Connecticut
Across the 6 areas of Connecticut with data for this job, the median runs from $54,900 in the Connecticut nonmetro area to $62,890 in New Haven, a gap of $7,990 a year. No other area in Connecticut has as many bookkeepers, and 3 of the other 5 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Hartford-West Hartford | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +5.8% | 2,900 | |
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | +3.2% | 3,710 | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | this area | 4,660 | |
| Norwich-New London, CT | -3.3% | 910 | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | -5.7% | 1,440 | |
| Connecticut (Nonmetro) | -7.7% | 690 |
Hartford-West Hartford against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Hartford-West Hartford is #50 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Connecticut, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara and Seattle-Tacoma pay just above Hartford-West Hartford and Fairbanks-College and Washington-Arlington just below. All four are within $990 a year of the median in Hartford-West Hartford. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Hartford-West Hartford | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +1.7% | 17,860 | pay | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +1.2% | 1,900 | pay | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | this area | 4,660 | ||
| Fairbanks-College, AK | -0.3% | 470 | pay | |
| Washington-Arlington, DC-VA | -0.3% | 18,550 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | -13.6% | 4,890 | jobs | |
| Tulsa, OK | -18.9% | 4,400 | jobs | |
| Knoxville, TN | -20.4% | 4,510 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Hartford-West Hartford, CT?
About $76,735 a year at the median, or $6,395 a month: $59,470 in pay plus about $17,265 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Hartford-West Hartford?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $59,470 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,860, the 90th $77,630, and the middle half earned $48,770 to $68,170.
Is Hartford-West Hartford cheaper than the rest of Connecticut for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $59,470 against $59,970 statewide. The next area up in Connecticut is Bridgeport-Stamford at $61,390, the next down Norwich-New London at $57,530.
How many bookkeepers work in Hartford-West Hartford?
BLS counts about 4,660 in the May 2025 survey. That is 31% of the Connecticut total of 14,930. No other area in Connecticut has as many.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Hartford-West Hartford?
Yes: $3,530 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,470 and $55,940.
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.