Bookkeeper salary in Lima, OH
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Lima than in Ohio or the country as a whole. The median is $46,570 a year1: 4.6% below the Ohio statewide median of $48,810 and 8.1% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #323 of 521. BLS counts about 430 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Lima, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lima against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lima, OH | $35,360 | $46,570 | $64,960 | |
| Ohio | $36,110 | $48,810 | $67,330 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Lima earns $39,200–$54,060. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $64,960, 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 $14,860 wide, against $16,360 across Ohio and $17,950 nationally: employers in Lima 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 | $35,360 | $2,947 | $17.00 | $45,626 |
| 25th percentile | $39,200 | $3,267 | $18.85 | $50,581 |
| Median | $46,570 | $3,881 | $22.39 | $60,090 |
| 75th percentile | $54,060 | $4,505 | $25.99 | $69,755 |
| 90th percentile | $64,960 | $5,413 | $31.23 | $83,819 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,490 a year in pay and about $9,665 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,370 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 Lima, and the Ohio statewide median of $48,810 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Lima
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 $13,520 to the $46,570 median and brings it to $60,090 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 Lima
Of the 16 roles we track in Lima, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($47,430) and administrative assistants ($44,460). Project Coordinator is the highest at $81,670.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +3.4% | 30 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +1.8% | 30 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 430 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.5% | 490 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -9.1% | 460 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 16 roles we track in Lima (-8.1%), between administrative assistants (-6.5%) and data entry specialists (-11.5%). The typical role here is at -12.6%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Lima than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.4% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Lima, 8.9% across Ohio and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $45,750 in Springfield to $51,170 in Columbus, a gap of $5,420 a year. Of the 13 areas in Ohio with more bookkeepers than Lima, 4 pay less, the largest of them Canton-Massillon, OH ($46,000), the Southern Ohio nonmetro area ($46,140) and Youngstown-Warren, OH ($46,510).
| Area | Median | vs Lima | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo, OH | +2.7% | 2,200 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | +2.7% | 2,000 | |
| North Northeastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | +1.8% | 2,070 | |
| Lima, OH | this area | 430 | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -0.1% | 1,130 | |
| Mansfield, OH | -0.6% | 330 | |
| Southern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -0.9% | 1,240 |
Lima against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lima is #463 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Ohio, Grand Island and Amarillo pay just above Lima and Midland and Wichita just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Lima. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lima | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | +2.9% | 440 | jobs | |
| Amarillo, TX | +0.1% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Grand Island, NE | +0.1% | 440 | pay | |
| Lima, OH | this area | 430 | ||
| Midland, MI | -0.2% | 370 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | -0.2% | 3,070 | pay | |
| Great Falls, MT | -1.5% | 440 | jobs | |
| Albany, GA | -7.1% | 420 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Lima, OH?
About $60,090 a year at the median, or $5,008 a month: $46,570 in pay plus about $13,520 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Lima?
The median was $46,570 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,360, the 90th $64,960, and the middle half earned $39,200 to $54,060.
Is Lima cheaper than the rest of Ohio for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,570 against $48,810 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area at $47,400, the next down Youngstown-Warren at $46,510.
How many bookkeepers work in Lima?
BLS counts about 430 in the May 2025 survey. 13 areas in Ohio have more; the closest in size is Springfield, with about 520.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Lima?
Yes: $2,110 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,570 and $44,460.
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.