Bookkeeper salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Hickory-Lenoir than in North Carolina or the country as a whole. The median is $45,130 a year1: 5.8% below the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 and 10.9% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#413 of 521). BLS counts about 1,570 people in this job here, 3% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Hickory-Lenoir against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | $31,530 | $45,130 | $61,380 | |
| North Carolina | $33,710 | $47,930 | $67,290 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Hickory-Lenoir earns $37,780–$54,220. The top tenth earns $61,380 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 $16,440 wide, against $18,190 across North Carolina and $17,950 nationally: employers in Hickory-Lenoir 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 | $31,530 | $2,628 | $15.16 | $40,684 |
| 25th percentile | $37,780 | $3,148 | $18.16 | $48,748 |
| Median | $45,130 | $3,761 | $21.70 | $58,232 |
| 75th percentile | $54,220 | $4,518 | $26.07 | $69,961 |
| 90th percentile | $61,380 | $5,115 | $29.51 | $79,200 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,090 a year in pay and about $11,729 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,350 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 Hickory-Lenoir, and the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Hickory-Lenoir
At the $45,130 median, a local hire costs about $58,232 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,102 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 Hickory-Lenoir
Of the 17 roles we track in Hickory-Lenoir, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($45,810) and e-commerce order specialists ($43,500). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,490.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +7.5% | 200 | |
| HR Assistant | +1.5% | 70 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,570 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -3.6% | 110 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -7.6% | 1,140 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Hickory-Lenoir (-10.9%), between virtual receptionists (-10.9%) and administrative assistants (-12.3%). The typical role here is at -12.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Hickory-Lenoir, 9.3% across North Carolina and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $42,910 in Jacksonville to $50,800 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $7,890 a year. Of the 10 areas in North Carolina with more bookkeepers than Hickory-Lenoir, 3 pay less: the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($44,690), the Western North Carolina nonmetro area ($44,920) and the Central North Carolina nonmetro area ($44,060).
| Area | Median | vs Hickory-Lenoir | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, NC | +1.3% | 2,300 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | +1.3% | 350 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +0.5% | 1,020 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | this area | 1,570 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -0.5% | 2,710 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 2,990 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -1.8% | 590 |
Hickory-Lenoir against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Hickory-Lenoir is #161 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Weirton-Steubenville and Sebring pay just above Hickory-Lenoir and Lawton and Longview just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Hickory-Lenoir. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Hickory-Lenoir | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay, WI | +8.9% | 1,570 | jobs | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | +1.8% | 1,570 | jobs | |
| Sebring, FL | +0.0% | 260 | pay | |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | +0.0% | 300 | pay | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | this area | 1,570 | ||
| Lawton, OK | -0.0% | 370 | pay | |
| Longview, TX | -0.1% | 1,220 | pay | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -5.3% | 1,550 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Hickory-Lenoir, NC?
About $58,232 a year at the median, or $4,853 a month: $45,130 in pay plus about $13,102 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Hickory-Lenoir?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,130 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,530, the 90th $61,380, and the middle half earned $37,780 to $54,220.
Is Hickory-Lenoir cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,130 against $47,930 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Fayetteville at $45,360, the next down the Western North Carolina nonmetro area at $44,920.
How many bookkeepers work in Hickory-Lenoir?
BLS counts about 1,570 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the North Carolina total of 48,760. 10 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Asheville, with about 2,200.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Hickory-Lenoir?
Yes: $1,630 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,130 and $43,500.
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.