Bookkeeper salary in Joplin, MO-KS
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Joplin 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 (#409 of 521). BLS counts about 530 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Joplin, MO-KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Joplin against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joplin, MO-KS | $33,750 | $45,180 | $60,270 | |
| Missouri | $34,570 | $47,990 | $68,180 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Joplin earns $38,040–$49,700. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $60,270, only 1.8 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 Joplin 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 | $33,750 | $2,812 | $16.23 | $43,548 |
| 25th percentile | $38,040 | $3,170 | $18.29 | $49,084 |
| Median | $45,180 | $3,765 | $21.72 | $58,297 |
| 75th percentile | $49,700 | $4,142 | $23.89 | $64,129 |
| 90th percentile | $60,270 | $5,022 | $28.98 | $77,768 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $4,520 over it, while the 25th sits $7,140 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $5,832 more a year with benefits. 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 Joplin, 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 Joplin
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 $13,117 to the $45,180 median and brings it to $58,297 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 Joplin
Of the 14 roles we track in Joplin, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($46,620) and sales development representatives ($44,310). Project Coordinator is the highest at $77,760.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +7.4% | 100 | |
| Paralegal | +3.2% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 530 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.9% | 290 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -7.4% | 1,080 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 14 roles we track in Joplin (-10.8%), between virtual receptionists (-9.6%) and accountants (-13.3%). The typical role here is at -18.6%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Joplin than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.6% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Joplin, 7.8% across Missouri and 8.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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 8 areas in Missouri with more bookkeepers than Joplin, 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 Joplin | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | +1.4% | 310 | |
| Springfield, MO | +0.3% | 1,440 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | +0.0% | 590 | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | this area | 530 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -5.2% | 830 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | -7.0% | 780 | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | -7.5% | 1,320 |
Joplin against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Joplin is #415 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Missouri, Bloomington and Jackson pay just above Joplin and Sebring and Weirton-Steubenville just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Joplin. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Joplin | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield, MA | +22.4% | 530 | jobs | |
| El Centro, CA | +6.2% | 530 | jobs | |
| Dalton, GA | +0.9% | 530 | jobs | |
| Jackson, TN | +0.1% | 800 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IL | +0.1% | 590 | pay | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | this area | 530 | ||
| Sebring, FL | -0.1% | 260 | pay | |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | -0.1% | 300 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Joplin, MO-KS?
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 Joplin?
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 $33,750, the 90th $60,270, and the middle half earned $38,040 to $49,700.
Is Joplin 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 Jefferson City at $45,180, the next down the Central Missouri nonmetro area at $42,820.
How many bookkeepers work in Joplin?
BLS counts about 530 in the May 2025 survey. 8 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is Jefferson City, with about 590.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a sales development representative in Joplin?
Yes: $870 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,180 and $44,310.
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.