Bookkeeper salary in Jackson, MS
Bookkeepers earn more in Jackson than anywhere else in Mississippi. Expect a median of $43,920 a year1, 2.5% above the Mississippi statewide median of $42,840 and 13.3% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#452 of 521). With about 2,610 bookkeepers, 21% of the Mississippi total, no area in Mississippi employs more.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Jackson, MS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Jackson against Mississippi and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | $27,170 | $43,920 | $65,650 | |
| Mississippi | $28,210 | $42,840 | $62,390 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $65,650 or more, 2.4 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of bookkeepers in Jackson earns $35,750–$54,450. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,700 wide, wider than in Mississippi as a whole ($16,190) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in Jackson depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $27,170 | $2,264 | $13.06 | $35,058 |
| 25th percentile | $35,750 | $2,979 | $17.19 | $46,129 |
| Median | $43,920 | $3,660 | $21.12 | $56,671 |
| 75th percentile | $54,450 | $4,538 | $26.18 | $70,258 |
| 90th percentile | $65,650 | $5,471 | $31.56 | $84,710 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $10,530 a year in pay and about $13,587 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,170 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 Jackson, and the Mississippi statewide median of $42,840 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Jackson
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 $12,751 to the $43,920 median and brings it to $56,671 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 Jackson
Of the 17 roles we track in Jackson, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between HR assistants ($45,620) and administrative assistants ($38,440). Project Coordinator is the highest at $78,150.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +4.2% | 130 | |
| HR Assistant | +3.9% | 230 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,610 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -12.5% | 3,730 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -13.8% | 4,270 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Jackson (-13.3%), between HR assistants (-9.9%) and office managers (-13.5%). The typical role here is at -17.4%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Jackson than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Jackson and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Mississippi
Across the 7 areas of Mississippi with data for this job, the median runs from $39,520 in the Lower West Mississippi nonmetro area to $43,920 in Jackson, a gap of $4,400 a year. No other area in Mississippi has as many bookkeepers, and all 6 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Jackson | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | this area | 2,610 | |
| West Delta Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -3.6% | 890 | |
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -4.6% | 2,070 | |
| Lower East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -7.3% | 1,190 | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | -7.7% | 1,500 | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -8.4% | 630 | |
| Lower West Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -10.0% | 900 |
Jackson against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Jackson is #91 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Mississippi, Morristown and Bowling Green pay just above Jackson and Wichita Falls and Elizabethtown just below. All four are within $240 a year of the median in Jackson. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Jackson | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +21.1% | 2,580 | jobs | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | +11.5% | 2,600 | jobs | |
| Tucson, AZ | +7.4% | 2,640 | jobs | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +0.5% | 900 | pay | |
| Morristown, TN | +0.3% | 420 | pay | |
| Jackson, MS | this area | 2,610 | ||
| Wichita Falls, TX | -0.0% | 490 | pay | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | -0.2% | 560 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Jackson, MS?
About $56,671 a year at the median, or $4,723 a month: $43,920 in pay plus about $12,751 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Jackson?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $43,920 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,170, the 90th $65,650, and the middle half earned $35,750 to $54,450.
Is Jackson the most expensive area in Mississippi for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $43,920 is the highest of 7 areas in Mississippi. The West Delta Mississippi nonmetro area comes next at $42,340.
How many bookkeepers work in Jackson?
BLS counts about 2,610 in the May 2025 survey. That is 21% of the Mississippi total of 12,160. No other area in Mississippi has as many.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Jackson?
Yes: $5,480 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,920 and $38,440.
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.