Bookkeeper salary in Honolulu, HI
Of the 3 areas in Hawaii with BLS pay data for this job, Honolulu has the lowest median: $48,030 a year1. That is 1.4% below the Hawaii statewide median of $48,730, and 5.2% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #233 of 521 areas. It is the largest market for the job in Hawaii: about 3,590 people, 69% of the Hawaii total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Urban Honolulu, HI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Honolulu against Hawaii and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $35,090 | $48,030 | $64,390 | |
| Hawaii | $35,760 | $48,730 | $65,090 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Honolulu earns $41,800–$57,550. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $64,390, 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 only $15,750 wide, against $16,450 across Hawaii and $17,950 nationally: employers in Honolulu 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 | $35,090 | $2,924 | $16.87 | $45,277 |
| 25th percentile | $41,800 | $3,483 | $20.10 | $53,935 |
| Median | $48,030 | $4,002 | $23.09 | $61,974 |
| 75th percentile | $57,550 | $4,796 | $27.67 | $74,258 |
| 90th percentile | $64,390 | $5,366 | $30.96 | $83,084 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $9,520 over the median, the 25th only $6,230 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $12,284 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 Honolulu, and the Hawaii statewide median of $48,730 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Honolulu
At the $48,030 median, a local hire costs about $61,974 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,944 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 Honolulu
Of the 17 roles we track in Honolulu, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between HR assistants ($48,930) and data entry specialists ($47,630). Executive Assistant is the highest at $80,600.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +3.0% | 1,580 | |
| HR Assistant | +1.9% | 370 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 3,590 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -0.8% | 160 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -2.7% | 170 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Honolulu (-5.2%), between HR assistants (-3.3%) and office managers (-9.4%). The typical role here is at -0.3%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost less in Honolulu than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 9.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Honolulu, 9.7% across Hawaii and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Hawaii
Across the 3 areas of Hawaii with data for this job, the median runs from $48,030 in Honolulu to $54,900 in Kahului-Wailuku, a gap of $6,870 a year. No other area in Hawaii has as many bookkeepers, and none of the others pays less.
| Area | Median | vs Honolulu | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | +14.3% | 660 | |
| Hawaii-Kauai (Nonmetro) | +2.6% | 940 | |
| Honolulu, HI | this area | 3,590 |
Honolulu against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Honolulu is #66 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 Hawaii, Kalamazoo-Portage and Niles pay just above Honolulu and Lexington-Fayette and Louisville just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Honolulu. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Honolulu | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +5.4% | 3,670 | jobs | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +5.1% | 3,610 | jobs | |
| Niles, MI | +0.1% | 500 | pay | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | +0.0% | 1,040 | pay | |
| Honolulu, HI | this area | 3,590 | ||
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -0.1% | 3,120 | pay | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | -0.1% | 7,730 | pay | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -7.4% | 3,480 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Honolulu, HI?
About $61,974 a year at the median, or $5,165 a month: $48,030 in pay plus about $13,944 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Honolulu?
The median was $48,030 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,090, the 90th $64,390, and the middle half earned $41,800 to $57,550.
Is Honolulu the cheapest area in Hawaii for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $48,030 is the lowest of 3 areas in Hawaii. The Hawaii-Kauai nonmetro area is next at $49,270.
How many bookkeepers work in Honolulu?
BLS counts about 3,590 in the May 2025 survey. That is 69% of the Hawaii total of 5,220. No other area in Hawaii has as many.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a data entry specialist in Honolulu?
Yes: $400 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,030 and $47,630.
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.