Bookkeeper salary in Jacksonville, NC
No other area in North Carolina pays bookkeepers less than Jacksonville. The median is $42,910 a year1, 10.5% below the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 and 15.3% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally that is #474 of 521 areas, in the bottom tenth. About 500 bookkeepers work here, 1% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Jacksonville, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Jacksonville against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, NC | $30,940 | $42,910 | $60,510 | |
| North Carolina | $33,710 | $47,930 | $67,290 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $60,510, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Jacksonville earns $36,390–$51,630. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,240 wide, against $18,190 across North Carolina and $17,950 nationally: employers in Jacksonville 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 | $30,940 | $2,578 | $14.88 | $39,923 |
| 25th percentile | $36,390 | $3,032 | $17.50 | $46,955 |
| Median | $42,910 | $3,576 | $20.63 | $55,368 |
| 75th percentile | $51,630 | $4,302 | $24.82 | $66,619 |
| 90th percentile | $60,510 | $5,042 | $29.09 | $78,077 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,720 a year in pay and about $11,252 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,520 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 Jacksonville, and the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Jacksonville
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 $12,458 to the $42,910 median and brings it to $55,368 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 Jacksonville
Of the 16 roles we track in Jacksonville, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($44,980) and administrative assistants ($38,590). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,240.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +6.5% | 30 | |
| HR Assistant | +4.8% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 500 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -10.1% | 440 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -10.1% | 530 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in Jacksonville (-15.3%), between recruiters (-14.8%) and medical administrative assistants (-16.0%). The typical role here is at -19.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Jacksonville than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 9.9% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Jacksonville, 9.4% across North Carolina and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. All 15 areas in North Carolina with more bookkeepers than Jacksonville also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($50,800) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($50,200).
| Area | Median | vs Jacksonville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | +5.7% | 1,020 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +5.2% | 1,570 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +4.7% | 2,710 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +4.1% | 2,990 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | +3.3% | 590 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +2.7% | 2,250 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | this area | 500 |
Jacksonville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Jacksonville is #427 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Alexandria and Albany pay just above Jacksonville and Eagle Pass and Morgantown just below. All four are within $360 a year of the median in Jacksonville. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Jacksonville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glens Falls, NY | +14.9% | 500 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MI | +13.5% | 500 | jobs | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | +9.7% | 500 | jobs | |
| Albany, GA | +0.8% | 420 | pay | |
| Alexandria, LA | +0.8% | 590 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, NC | this area | 500 | ||
| Eagle Pass, TX | -0.0% | 190 | pay | |
| Morgantown, WV | -0.2% | 630 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Jacksonville, NC?
About $55,368 a year at the median, or $4,614 a month: $42,910 in pay plus about $12,458 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Jacksonville?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $42,910 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,940, the 90th $60,510, and the middle half earned $36,390 to $51,630.
Is Jacksonville the cheapest area in North Carolina for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $42,910 is the lowest of 18 areas in North Carolina. The Central North Carolina nonmetro area is next at $44,060.
How many bookkeepers work in Jacksonville?
BLS counts about 500 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the North Carolina total of 48,760. 15 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Rocky Mount, with about 590.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Jacksonville?
Yes: $4,320 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,910 and $38,590.
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.