Bookkeeper salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY
Bookkeepers earn more in Lexington-Fayette than anywhere else in Kentucky. Expect a median of $48,000 a year1, 3.1% above the Kentucky statewide median of $46,550 and 5.3% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #235 of 521 areas. About 3,120 bookkeepers work here, 13% of the Kentucky total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Lexington-Fayette, KY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lexington-Fayette against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $30,700 | $48,000 | $68,770 | |
| Kentucky | $30,090 | $46,550 | $66,930 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Lexington-Fayette earns $39,410–$58,400. The top tenth earns $68,770 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,990 wide, between the figure for Kentucky ($19,160) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,700 | $2,558 | $14.76 | $39,613 |
| 25th percentile | $39,410 | $3,284 | $18.95 | $50,852 |
| Median | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23.08 | $61,935 |
| 75th percentile | $58,400 | $4,867 | $28.08 | $75,355 |
| 90th percentile | $68,770 | $5,731 | $33.06 | $88,735 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,590 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $10,400, or about $13,419 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 Lexington-Fayette, and the Kentucky statewide median of $46,550 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Lexington-Fayette
At the $48,000 median, a local hire costs about $61,935 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,935 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 Lexington-Fayette
Of the 17 roles we track in Lexington-Fayette, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($50,690) and administrative assistants ($47,790). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,520.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +5.6% | 150 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +5.6% | 1,950 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 3,120 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -0.4% | 2,500 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.4% | 4,600 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Lexington-Fayette (-5.3%), between payroll specialists (-3.5%) and e-commerce order specialists (-6.6%). The typical role here is at -7.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lexington-Fayette, 11.8% across Kentucky and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 10 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $41,360 in the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area to $48,000 in Lexington-Fayette, a gap of $6,640 a year. The one area in Kentucky with more bookkeepers, Louisville, KY-IN ($47,990), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Lexington-Fayette | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | this area | 3,120 | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | -0.0% | 7,730 | |
| Owensboro, KY | -3.3% | 560 | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | -3.5% | 610 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -8.0% | 900 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -8.1% | 1,690 | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | -8.7% | 560 |
Lexington-Fayette against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lexington-Fayette is #76 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 Kentucky, Honolulu and Kalamazoo-Portage pay just above Lexington-Fayette and Ames and El Centro just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Lexington-Fayette. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lexington-Fayette | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +20.1% | 3,250 | jobs | |
| Reno, NV | +8.3% | 3,160 | jobs | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | +0.1% | 1,040 | pay | |
| Honolulu, HI | +0.1% | 3,590 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | this area | 3,120 | ||
| Ames, IA | -0.1% | 470 | pay | |
| El Centro, CA | -0.1% | 530 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | -3.1% | 3,070 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Lexington-Fayette, KY?
About $61,935 a year at the median, or $5,161 a month: $48,000 in pay plus about $13,935 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Lexington-Fayette?
The median was $48,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,700, the 90th $68,770, and the middle half earned $39,410 to $58,400.
Is Lexington-Fayette the most expensive area in Kentucky for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $48,000 is the highest of 10 areas in Kentucky. Louisville comes next at $47,990.
How many bookkeepers work in Lexington-Fayette?
BLS counts about 3,120 in the May 2025 survey. That is 13% of the Kentucky total of 23,480. Only Louisville has more in Kentucky.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Lexington-Fayette?
Yes: $210 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,000 and $47,790.
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.