Bookkeeper salary in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
La Crosse-Onalaska is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $48,970 a year1 is 2.7% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $50,340, and 3.4% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #186 of 521. About 720 bookkeepers work here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in La Crosse-Onalaska against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $35,240 | $48,970 | $63,400 | |
| Wisconsin | $36,350 | $50,340 | $65,460 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in La Crosse-Onalaska earns $43,630–$57,550. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $63,400, 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 $13,920 wide, against $14,800 across Wisconsin and $17,950 nationally: employers in La Crosse-Onalaska 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 | $35,240 | $2,937 | $16.94 | $45,471 |
| 25th percentile | $43,630 | $3,636 | $20.98 | $56,297 |
| Median | $48,970 | $4,081 | $23.54 | $63,187 |
| 75th percentile | $57,550 | $4,796 | $27.67 | $74,258 |
| 90th percentile | $63,400 | $5,283 | $30.48 | $81,806 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,580 over the median, the 25th only $5,340 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,071 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $50,340 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in La Crosse-Onalaska
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 $14,217 to the $48,970 median and brings it to $63,187 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 La Crosse-Onalaska
Of the 17 roles we track in La Crosse-Onalaska, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($49,720) and HR assistants ($48,790). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,990.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +21.4% | 80 | |
| Paralegal | +1.5% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 720 | |
| HR Assistant | -0.4% | 40 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -1.1% | 30 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in La Crosse-Onalaska (-3.4%), between administrative assistants (-0.9%) and HR assistants (-3.6%). The typical role here is at -3.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 9.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in La Crosse-Onalaska, 9.2% across Wisconsin and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $47,540 in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area to $53,240 in Madison, a gap of $5,700 a year. Of the 9 areas in Wisconsin with more bookkeepers than La Crosse-Onalaska, 1 pays less: the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($48,570).
| Area | Median | vs La Crosse-Onalaska | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | +0.1% | 1,780 | |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | +0.0% | 600 | |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | +0.0% | 580 | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | this area | 720 | |
| Wausau, WI | -0.2% | 600 | |
| Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -0.8% | 1,780 | |
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -2.9% | 550 |
La Crosse-Onalaska against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, La Crosse-Onalaska is #346 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Dayton-Kettering and Cape Coral-Fort Myers pay just above La Crosse-Onalaska and Odessa and Columbia just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in La Crosse-Onalaska. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs La Crosse-Onalaska | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | +5.4% | 720 | jobs | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | +0.0% | 2,600 | pay | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +0.0% | 2,570 | pay | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | this area | 720 | ||
| Odessa, TX | -0.1% | 880 | pay | |
| Columbia, MO | -0.1% | 880 | pay | |
| Greenville, NC | -2.7% | 720 | jobs | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -6.6% | 720 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?
About $63,187 a year at the median, or $5,266 a month: $48,970 in pay plus about $14,217 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in La Crosse-Onalaska?
The median was $48,970 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,240, the 90th $63,400, and the middle half earned $43,630 to $57,550.
Is La Crosse-Onalaska cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $48,970 against $50,340 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Racine-Mount Pleasant at $48,980, the next down Wausau at $48,880.
How many bookkeepers work in La Crosse-Onalaska?
BLS counts about 720 in the May 2025 survey. 9 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Eau Claire, with about 780.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Yes: $180 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,970 and $48,790.
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.