Bookkeeper salary in Jackson, TN
Jackson is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $45,240 a year1 is 6.1% below the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180, and 10.7% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#403 of 521). About 800 bookkeepers work here, 2% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Jackson, TN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Jackson against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TN | $31,280 | $45,240 | $62,900 | |
| Tennessee | $35,000 | $48,180 | $67,730 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $62,900, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Jackson earns $37,240–$53,100. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,860 wide, against $18,130 across Tennessee and $17,950 nationally: employers in Jackson 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 | $31,280 | $2,607 | $15.04 | $40,361 |
| 25th percentile | $37,240 | $3,103 | $17.90 | $48,052 |
| Median | $45,240 | $3,770 | $21.75 | $58,374 |
| 75th percentile | $53,100 | $4,425 | $25.53 | $68,516 |
| 90th percentile | $62,900 | $5,242 | $30.24 | $81,161 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,000 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,860, or about $10,142 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 median and the 75th percentile in Jackson, and the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Jackson
At the $45,240 median, a local hire costs about $58,374 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,134 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 Jackson
Of the 17 roles we track in Jackson, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($46,160) and administrative assistants ($40,720). Project Coordinator is the highest at $81,450.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +5.7% | 60 | |
| HR Assistant | +2.0% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 800 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -10.0% | 850 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -14.5% | 970 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Jackson (-10.7%), between HR assistants (-8.8%) and virtual receptionists (-10.9%). The typical role here is at -16.5%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Jackson than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Jackson, 10.4% across Tennessee and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $40,700 in Johnson City to $50,810 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $10,110 a year. Of the 11 areas in Tennessee with more bookkeepers than Jackson, 4 pay less, the largest of them the West Tennessee nonmetro area ($43,600), the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area ($44,610) and the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area ($44,740).
| Area | Median | vs Jackson | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +2.3% | 1,000 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | +1.0% | 1,170 | |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +0.7% | 1,190 | |
| Jackson, TN | this area | 800 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,110 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -1.4% | 1,160 | |
| Morristown, TN | -2.7% | 420 |
Jackson against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Jackson is #325 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 Tennessee, Brunswick-St. Simons and Florence pay just above Jackson and Bloomington and Jefferson City just below. All four are within $60 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | +29.0% | 790 | jobs | |
| Gainesville, GA | +7.1% | 810 | jobs | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | +4.7% | 820 | jobs | |
| Florence, SC | +0.1% | 730 | pay | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | +0.0% | 360 | pay | |
| Jackson, TN | this area | 800 | ||
| Bloomington, IL | -0.0% | 590 | pay | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -0.1% | 590 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Jackson, TN?
About $58,374 a year at the median, or $4,865 a month: $45,240 in pay plus about $13,134 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Jackson?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,240 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,280, the 90th $62,900, and the middle half earned $37,240 to $53,100.
Is Jackson cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,240 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is the East Tennessee nonmetro area at $45,550, the next down the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area at $44,740.
How many bookkeepers work in Jackson?
BLS counts about 800 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Tennessee total of 37,680. 11 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Johnson City, with about 870.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Jackson?
Yes: $4,520 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,240 and $40,720.
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.