Bookkeeper salary in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
Lakeland-Winter Haven is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $46,860 a year1 is 5.0% below the Florida statewide median of $49,330, and 7.5% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #299 of 521. About 2,220 bookkeepers work here, 3% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lakeland-Winter Haven against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $33,630 | $46,860 | $66,900 | |
| Florida | $36,680 | $49,330 | $72,260 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $66,900, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Lakeland-Winter Haven earns $38,610–$57,000. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,390 wide, wider than in Florida as a whole ($17,070) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in Lakeland-Winter Haven depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,630 | $2,802 | $16.17 | $43,394 |
| 25th percentile | $38,610 | $3,218 | $18.56 | $49,819 |
| Median | $46,860 | $3,905 | $22.53 | $60,465 |
| 75th percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27.40 | $73,548 |
| 90th percentile | $66,900 | $5,575 | $32.16 | $86,323 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $10,140 a year in pay and about $13,084 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,250 in pay. 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, and the Florida statewide median of $49,330 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Lakeland-Winter Haven
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 $13,605 to the $46,860 median and brings it to $60,465 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven
Of the 17 roles we track in Lakeland-Winter Haven, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between HR assistants ($48,990) and sales development representatives ($46,070). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,720.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +5.7% | 630 | |
| HR Assistant | +4.5% | 130 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,220 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.7% | 2,250 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -10.9% | 2,430 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Lakeland-Winter Haven (-7.5%), between project coordinators (-7.4%) and accountants (-8.2%). The typical role here is at -9.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 8.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lakeland-Winter Haven, 7.7% across Florida and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $44,360 in Homosassa Springs to $51,000 in Naples-Marco Island, a gap of $6,640 a year. All 6 areas in Florida with more bookkeepers than Lakeland-Winter Haven also pay more, among them Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ($50,300) and Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL ($50,090).
| Area | Median | vs Lakeland-Winter Haven | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Florida (Nonmetro) | +1.1% | 1,010 | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | +0.8% | 1,660 | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | +0.2% | 2,050 | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | this area | 2,220 | |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | -0.8% | 290 | |
| Ocala, FL | -1.0% | 1,130 | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | -1.3% | 760 |
Lakeland-Winter Haven against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lakeland-Winter Haven is #106 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Florida, Sioux Falls and Chattanooga pay just above Lakeland-Winter Haven and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Colorado Springs just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Lakeland-Winter Haven. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lakeland-Winter Haven | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | +16.1% | 2,230 | jobs | |
| Asheville, NC | +4.3% | 2,200 | jobs | |
| Toledo, OH | +2.1% | 2,200 | jobs | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | +0.1% | 2,920 | pay | |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | +0.1% | 3,390 | pay | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | this area | 2,220 | ||
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.0% | 1,840 | pay | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -0.0% | 2,910 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?
About $60,465 a year at the median, or $5,039 a month: $46,860 in pay plus about $13,605 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
The median was $46,860 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,630, the 90th $66,900, and the middle half earned $38,610 to $57,000.
Is Lakeland-Winter Haven cheaper than the rest of Florida for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,860 against $49,330 statewide. The next area up in Florida is Palm Bay-Melbourne at $46,960, the next down Wildwood-The Villages at $46,500.
How many bookkeepers work in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
BLS counts about 2,220 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Florida total of 88,670. 6 areas in Florida have more; the closest in size is Cape Coral-Fort Myers, with about 2,600.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a sales development representative in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Yes: $790 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,860 and $46,070.
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.