Bookkeeper salary in Lawrence, KS
For this job Lawrence sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $48,290 a year1. That is 2.1% above the Kansas statewide median of $47,290, and 4.7% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #220 of 521. BLS counts about 630 people in this job here, 4% of the Kansas total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Lawrence, KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lawrence against Kansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | $35,000 | $48,290 | $64,360 | |
| Kansas | $32,130 | $47,290 | $64,130 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Lawrence earns $43,190–$56,120. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $64,360, 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 $12,930 wide, against $17,170 across Kansas and $17,950 nationally: employers in Lawrence 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 | $35,000 | $2,917 | $16.83 | $45,161 |
| 25th percentile | $43,190 | $3,599 | $20.76 | $55,729 |
| Median | $48,290 | $4,024 | $23.22 | $62,310 |
| 75th percentile | $56,120 | $4,677 | $26.98 | $72,413 |
| 90th percentile | $64,360 | $5,363 | $30.94 | $83,045 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,830 over the median, the 25th only $5,100 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,103 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 Lawrence, and the Kansas statewide median of $47,290 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Lawrence
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 $14,020 to the $48,290 median and brings it to $62,310 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 Lawrence
Of the 13 roles we track in Lawrence, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between paralegals ($52,530) and medical administrative assistants ($44,010). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,420.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +32.8% | 230 | |
| Paralegal | +8.8% | 110 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 630 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.9% | 270 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -11.7% | 1,230 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 13 roles we track in Lawrence (-4.7%), between office managers (-4.4%) and accountants (-5.5%). The typical role here is at -8.7%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Lawrence than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.5% of the jobs in these 13 roles in Lawrence, 9.9% across Kansas and 8.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kansas
Across the 5 areas of Kansas with data for this job, the median runs from $44,660 in the Kansas nonmetro area to $48,350 in Topeka, a gap of $3,690 a year. Of the 3 areas in Kansas with more bookkeepers than Lawrence, 2 pay less: the Kansas nonmetro area ($44,660) and Wichita, KS ($46,500).
| Area | Median | vs Lawrence | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | +0.1% | 1,260 | |
| Lawrence, KS | this area | 630 | |
| Wichita, KS | -3.7% | 3,070 | |
| Manhattan, KS | -5.6% | 560 | |
| Kansas (Nonmetro) | -7.5% | 4,420 |
Lawrence against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lawrence is #369 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Kansas, Prescott Valley-Prescott and Elmira pay just above Lawrence and Tulsa and Carson City just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Lawrence. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lawrence | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmira, NY | +0.1% | 350 | pay | |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | +0.0% | 540 | pay | |
| Lawrence, KS | this area | 630 | ||
| Tulsa, OK | -0.1% | 4,400 | pay | |
| Carson City, NV | -0.1% | 550 | pay | |
| St. George, UT | -2.4% | 620 | jobs | |
| Morgantown, WV | -11.3% | 630 | jobs | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -16.7% | 630 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Lawrence, KS?
About $62,310 a year at the median, or $5,192 a month: $48,290 in pay plus about $14,020 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Lawrence?
The median was $48,290 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,000, the 90th $64,360, and the middle half earned $43,190 to $56,120.
Is Lawrence cheaper than the rest of Kansas for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $48,290 against $47,290 statewide. The next area up in Kansas is Topeka at $48,350, the next down Wichita at $46,500.
How many bookkeepers work in Lawrence?
BLS counts about 630 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Kansas total of 15,380. 3 areas in Kansas have more; the closest in size is Topeka, with about 1,260.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Lawrence?
Yes: $4,280 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,290 and $44,010.
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.