Bookkeeper salary in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Kalamazoo-Portage is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $48,040 a year1 is 1.9% below the Michigan statewide median of $48,980, and 5.2% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #232 of 521. BLS counts about 1,040 people in this job here, 3% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Kalamazoo-Portage, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kalamazoo-Portage against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $37,130 | $48,040 | $62,640 | |
| Michigan | $36,250 | $48,980 | $67,480 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Kalamazoo-Portage earns $42,790–$56,910. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $62,640, 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 $14,120 wide, against $15,790 across Michigan and $17,950 nationally: employers in Kalamazoo-Portage 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 | $37,130 | $3,094 | $17.85 | $47,910 |
| 25th percentile | $42,790 | $3,566 | $20.57 | $55,213 |
| Median | $48,040 | $4,003 | $23.10 | $61,987 |
| 75th percentile | $56,910 | $4,742 | $27.36 | $73,432 |
| 90th percentile | $62,640 | $5,220 | $30.12 | $80,826 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,870 over the median, the 25th only $5,250 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,445 a year in employer cost. 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, and the Michigan statewide median of $48,980 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Kalamazoo-Portage
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 $13,947 to the $48,040 median and brings it to $61,987 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 Kalamazoo-Portage
Of the 17 roles we track in Kalamazoo-Portage, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($53,090) and HR assistants ($46,860). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,590.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +27.5% | 80 | |
| Paralegal | +10.5% | 170 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,040 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.5% | 50 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.6% | 930 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Kalamazoo-Portage (-5.2%), between project coordinators (-4.6%) and office managers (-5.6%). The typical role here is at -7.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 9.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Kalamazoo-Portage, 9.3% across Michigan and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $45,230 in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area to $51,480 in Detroit-Warren, a gap of $6,250 a year. Of the 8 areas in Michigan with more bookkeepers than Kalamazoo-Portage, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Mid Michigan nonmetro area ($46,440), the Southern Michigan nonmetro area ($47,020) and the Northern Michigan nonmetro area ($45,230).
| Area | Median | vs Kalamazoo-Portage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | +1.1% | 5,070 | |
| Monroe, MI | +0.4% | 290 | |
| Niles, MI | +0.1% | 500 | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | this area | 1,040 | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | -0.2% | 440 | |
| Bay City, MI | -0.6% | 330 | |
| Battle Creek, MI | -1.1% | 370 |
Kalamazoo-Portage against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kalamazoo-Portage is #263 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Michigan, San Antonio-New Braunfels and Casper pay just above Kalamazoo-Portage and Honolulu and Lexington-Fayette just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Kalamazoo-Portage. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kalamazoo-Portage | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | +27.4% | 1,040 | jobs | |
| Appleton, WI | +5.7% | 1,050 | jobs | |
| Casper, WY | +0.3% | 460 | pay | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | +0.2% | 8,960 | pay | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | this area | 1,040 | ||
| Honolulu, HI | -0.0% | 3,590 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -0.1% | 3,120 | pay | |
| Charleston, WV | -9.8% | 1,050 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?
About $61,987 a year at the median, or $5,166 a month: $48,040 in pay plus about $13,947 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Kalamazoo-Portage?
The median was $48,040 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,130, the 90th $62,640, and the middle half earned $42,790 to $56,910.
Is Kalamazoo-Portage cheaper than the rest of Michigan for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $48,040 against $48,980 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Niles at $48,070, the next down Muskegon-Norton Shores at $47,940.
How many bookkeepers work in Kalamazoo-Portage?
BLS counts about 1,040 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Michigan total of 37,550. 8 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetro area, with about 1,170.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Yes: $1,180 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,040 and $46,860.
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.