Bookkeeper salary in Hot Springs, AR
Of the 9 areas in Arkansas with BLS pay data for this job, Hot Springs has the lowest median: $38,450 a year1. That is 10.2% below the Arkansas statewide median of $42,840, and 24.1% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally that is #520 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. BLS counts about 360 people in this job here, 3% of the Arkansas total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Hot Springs, AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Hot Springs against Arkansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs, AR | $29,210 | $38,450 | $55,340 | |
| Arkansas | $28,130 | $42,840 | $62,230 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $55,340, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Hot Springs earns $34,480–$46,520. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,040 wide, against $15,080 across Arkansas and $17,950 nationally: employers in Hot Springs 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 | $29,210 | $2,434 | $14.04 | $37,690 |
| 25th percentile | $34,480 | $2,873 | $16.58 | $44,490 |
| Median | $38,450 | $3,204 | $18.49 | $49,613 |
| 75th percentile | $46,520 | $3,877 | $22.37 | $60,026 |
| 90th percentile | $55,340 | $4,612 | $26.61 | $71,406 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,070 over the median, the 25th only $3,970 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,413 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Hot Springs, and the Arkansas statewide median of $42,840 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local bookkeepers earn.
What a hire really costs in Hot Springs
At the $38,450 median, a local hire costs about $49,613 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,163 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 Hot Springs
Of the 12 roles we track in Hot Springs, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($38,800) and administrative assistants ($35,760). Project Coordinator is the highest at $69,110.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +4.1% | 160 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +0.9% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 360 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -7.0% | 240 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -11.2% | 470 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 12 roles we track in Hot Springs (-24.1%), between office managers (-24.0%) and administrative assistants (-24.8%). The typical role here is at -26.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 13.2% of the jobs in these 12 roles in Hot Springs, 12.2% across Arkansas and 9.1% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Arkansas
Across the 9 areas of Arkansas with data for this job, the median runs from $38,450 in Hot Springs to $45,830 in Fayetteville-Springdale, a gap of $7,380 a year. All 8 areas in Arkansas with more bookkeepers than Hot Springs also pay more, among them Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR ($44,470) and Fayetteville-Springdale, AR ($45,830).
| Area | Median | vs Hot Springs | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonesboro, AR | +16.2% | 470 | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | +15.7% | 3,480 | |
| West Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +7.7% | 650 | |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +5.5% | 990 | |
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +4.0% | 570 | |
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | +1.8% | 1,130 | |
| Hot Springs, AR | this area | 360 |
Hot Springs against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Hot Springs is #492 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. No metro area outside Arkansas pays bookkeepers less than Hot Springs; the table shows the next lowest outside Arkansas. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Hot Springs | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | +33.9% | 360 | jobs | |
| Columbus, IN | +21.4% | 360 | jobs | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | +17.7% | 360 | jobs | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | +4.6% | 630 | pay | |
| Laredo, TX | +3.3% | 1,070 | pay | |
| Lafayette, LA | +1.2% | 2,130 | pay | |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | +0.9% | 580 | pay | |
| Hot Springs, AR | this area | 360 |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Hot Springs, AR?
About $49,613 a year at the median, or $4,134 a month: $38,450 in pay plus about $11,163 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Hot Springs?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $38,450 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,210, the 90th $55,340, and the middle half earned $34,480 to $46,520.
Is Hot Springs the cheapest area in Arkansas for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $38,450 is the lowest of 9 areas in Arkansas. The North Arkansas nonmetro area is next at $39,160.
How many bookkeepers work in Hot Springs?
BLS counts about 360 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Arkansas total of 12,510. 8 areas in Arkansas have more; the closest in size is Jonesboro, with about 470.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Hot Springs?
Yes: $2,690 a year more at the median. The medians are $38,450 and $35,760.
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.