Bookkeeper salary in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Kingsport-Bristol is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $45,670 a year1 is 5.2% below the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180, and 9.9% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #383 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 1,170 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kingsport-Bristol against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $32,710 | $45,670 | $63,570 | |
| Tennessee | $35,000 | $48,180 | $67,730 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $63,570, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Kingsport-Bristol earns $37,640–$52,380. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,740 wide, against $18,130 across Tennessee and $17,950 nationally: employers in Kingsport-Bristol 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 | $32,710 | $2,726 | $15.73 | $42,206 |
| 25th percentile | $37,640 | $3,137 | $18.10 | $48,568 |
| Median | $45,670 | $3,806 | $21.96 | $58,929 |
| 75th percentile | $52,380 | $4,365 | $25.18 | $67,587 |
| 90th percentile | $63,570 | $5,298 | $30.56 | $82,026 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,030 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,710, or about $8,658 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 median and the 75th percentile in Kingsport-Bristol, and the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Kingsport-Bristol
At the $45,670 median, a local hire costs about $58,929 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,259 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 Kingsport-Bristol
Of the 17 roles we track in Kingsport-Bristol, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($51,170) and HR assistants ($45,660). Project Coordinator is the highest at $87,290.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +18.7% | 200 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +12.0% | 90 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,170 | |
| HR Assistant | -0.0% | 100 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -12.7% | 1,190 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Kingsport-Bristol (-9.9%), between HR assistants (-9.8%) and virtual receptionists (-10.7%). The typical role here is at -14.9%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Kingsport-Bristol than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Kingsport-Bristol, 10.4% across Tennessee and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $40,700 in Johnson City to $50,810 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $10,110 a year. Of the 6 areas in Tennessee with more bookkeepers than Kingsport-Bristol, 2 pay less: the West Tennessee nonmetro area ($43,600) and the East Tennessee nonmetro area ($45,550).
| Area | Median | vs Kingsport-Bristol | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville, TN | +3.6% | 4,510 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | +2.7% | 2,920 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +1.3% | 1,000 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | this area | 1,170 | |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -0.3% | 1,190 | |
| Jackson, TN | -0.9% | 800 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -2.0% | 1,110 |
Kingsport-Bristol against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kingsport-Bristol is #232 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Tennessee, Goldsboro and Wilmington pay just above Kingsport-Bristol and Abilene and Dalton just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Kingsport-Bristol. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kingsport-Bristol | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +7.7% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Billings, MT | +4.7% | 1,160 | jobs | |
| Wilmington, NC | +0.1% | 2,300 | pay | |
| Goldsboro, NC | +0.1% | 350 | pay | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | this area | 1,170 | ||
| Abilene, TX | -0.1% | 650 | pay | |
| Dalton, GA | -0.2% | 530 | pay | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -2.5% | 1,180 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
About $58,929 a year at the median, or $4,911 a month: $45,670 in pay plus about $13,259 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Kingsport-Bristol?
The median was $45,670 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,710, the 90th $63,570, and the middle half earned $37,640 to $52,380.
Is Kingsport-Bristol cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,670 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Clarksville at $46,280, the next down the East Tennessee nonmetro area at $45,550.
How many bookkeepers work in Kingsport-Bristol?
BLS counts about 1,170 in the May 2025 survey. 6 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is the East Tennessee nonmetro area, with about 1,190.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Kingsport-Bristol?
Yes: $10 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,670 and $45,660.
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.