Bookkeeper salary in Jefferson City, MO
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Jefferson City than in Missouri or the country as a whole. The median is $45,180 a year1: 5.9% below the Missouri statewide median of $47,990 and 10.8% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#408 of 521). BLS counts about 590 people in this job here, 3% of the Missouri total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Jefferson City, MO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Jefferson City against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City, MO | $35,610 | $45,180 | $60,500 | |
| Missouri | $34,570 | $47,990 | $68,180 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Jefferson City earns $38,850–$50,510. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $60,500, only 1.7 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 $11,660 wide, against $17,920 across Missouri and $17,950 nationally: employers in Jefferson City 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 | $35,610 | $2,968 | $17.12 | $45,948 |
| 25th percentile | $38,850 | $3,238 | $18.68 | $50,129 |
| Median | $45,180 | $3,765 | $21.72 | $58,297 |
| 75th percentile | $50,510 | $4,209 | $24.28 | $65,174 |
| 90th percentile | $60,500 | $5,042 | $29.09 | $78,065 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,330 a year in pay and about $6,877 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,330 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Jefferson City, and the Missouri statewide median of $47,990 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 Jefferson City
At the $45,180 median, a local hire costs about $58,297 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,117 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 Jefferson City
Of the 16 roles we track in Jefferson City, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($47,840) and HR assistants ($45,180). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,980.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +11.6% | 70 | |
| Paralegal | +5.9% | 170 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 590 | |
| HR Assistant | +0.0% | 70 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -8.8% | 50 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in Jefferson City (-10.8%), between e-commerce order specialists (-10.7%) and sales development representatives (-11.6%). The typical role here is at -14.5%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Jefferson City than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 7.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Jefferson City, 7.8% across Missouri and 8.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $41,150 in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area to $50,940 in Kansas City, a gap of $9,790 a year. Of the 7 areas in Missouri with more bookkeepers than Jefferson City, 3 pay less: the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area ($41,790), the Central Missouri nonmetro area ($42,820) and the North Missouri nonmetro area ($42,020).
| Area | Median | vs Jefferson City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +3.4% | 310 | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | +1.4% | 310 | |
| Springfield, MO | +0.3% | 1,440 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | this area | 590 | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | +0.0% | 530 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -5.2% | 830 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | -7.0% | 780 |
Jefferson City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Jefferson City is #383 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 Missouri, Bloomington and Jackson pay just above Jefferson City and Sebring and Weirton-Steubenville just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Jefferson City. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Jefferson City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha, WI | +10.1% | 590 | jobs | |
| Jackson, TN | +0.1% | 800 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IL | +0.1% | 590 | pay | |
| Jefferson City, MO | this area | 590 | ||
| Sebring, FL | -0.1% | 260 | pay | |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | -0.1% | 300 | pay | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -1.9% | 590 | jobs | |
| Alexandria, LA | -4.2% | 590 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Jefferson City, MO?
About $58,297 a year at the median, or $4,858 a month: $45,180 in pay plus about $13,117 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Jefferson City?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,180 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,610, the 90th $60,500, and the middle half earned $38,850 to $50,510.
Is Jefferson City cheaper than the rest of Missouri for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,180 against $47,990 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Springfield at $45,330, the next down Joplin at $45,180.
How many bookkeepers work in Jefferson City?
BLS counts about 590 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Missouri total of 21,400. 7 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is the North Missouri nonmetro area, with about 780.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Jefferson City?
They are level. The medians are $45,180 and $45,180.
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.