Bookkeeper salary in Kennewick-Richland, WA
The median bookkeeper in Kennewick-Richland earned $57,290 a year in May 20251. That is 13.1% above the US median of $50,670, even though it is 2.3% below the Washington statewide median of $58,620. Only 32 of 521 US areas pay more for this job. About 1,070 bookkeepers work here, 3% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Kennewick-Richland, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kennewick-Richland against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $42,540 | $57,290 | $73,900 | |
| Washington | $45,070 | $58,620 | $77,630 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Kennewick-Richland earns $48,810–$63,530. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $73,900, 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 $14,720 wide, against $16,570 across Washington and $17,950 nationally: employers in Kennewick-Richland 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 | $42,540 | $3,545 | $20.45 | $54,890 |
| 25th percentile | $48,810 | $4,068 | $23.47 | $62,981 |
| Median | $57,290 | $4,774 | $27.54 | $73,923 |
| 75th percentile | $63,530 | $5,294 | $30.54 | $81,974 |
| 90th percentile | $73,900 | $6,158 | $35.53 | $95,355 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,480 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,240, or about $8,052 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 25th percentile and the median in Kennewick-Richland, and the Washington statewide median of $58,620 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Kennewick-Richland
At the $57,290 median, a local hire costs about $73,923 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,633 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 Kennewick-Richland
Of the 16 roles we track in Kennewick-Richland, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($62,430) and HR assistants ($53,620). Project Coordinator is the highest at $125,940.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +9.1% | 270 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +9.0% | 110 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,070 | |
| HR Assistant | -6.4% | 90 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -7.2% | 1,450 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 16 roles we track in Kennewick-Richland (+13.1%), between virtual receptionists (+14.5%) and administrative assistants (+11.8%). The typical role here is at +7.1%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Kennewick-Richland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 9.7% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Kennewick-Richland, 9.7% across Washington and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $51,410 in Walla Walla to $60,460 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $9,050 a year. Of the 5 areas in Washington with more bookkeepers than Kennewick-Richland, 3 pay less: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($53,050), the Eastern Washington nonmetro area ($56,100) and Bellingham, WA ($57,000).
| Area | Median | vs Kennewick-Richland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | +3.0% | 560 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +2.3% | 780 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | +1.4% | 1,710 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | this area | 1,070 | |
| Bellingham, WA | -0.5% | 1,140 | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | -1.2% | 490 | |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | -2.1% | 1,310 |
Kennewick-Richland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kennewick-Richland is #253 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Washington, Boulder and Denver-Aurora pay just above Kennewick-Richland and Portland-Vancouver and Sacramento-Roseville just below. All four are within $450 a year of the median in Kennewick-Richland. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kennewick-Richland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +2.2% | 1,070 | jobs | |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +0.4% | 14,100 | pay | |
| Boulder, CO | +0.1% | 1,440 | pay | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | this area | 1,070 | ||
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | -0.4% | 12,170 | pay | |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | -0.8% | 8,680 | pay | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -11.6% | 1,080 | jobs | |
| Laredo, TX | -30.7% | 1,070 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
About $73,923 a year at the median, or $6,160 a month: $57,290 in pay plus about $16,633 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Kennewick-Richland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $57,290 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,540, the 90th $73,900, and the middle half earned $48,810 to $63,530.
Is Kennewick-Richland cheaper than the rest of Washington for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $57,290 against $58,620 statewide. The next area up in Washington is the Western Washington nonmetro area at $58,100, the next down Bellingham at $57,000.
How many bookkeepers work in Kennewick-Richland?
BLS counts about 1,070 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Washington total of 32,930. 5 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is Bellingham, with about 1,140.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Kennewick-Richland?
Yes: $3,670 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,290 and $53,620.
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.