Bookkeeper salary in Longview-Kelso, WA
The median bookkeeper in Longview-Kelso earned $56,620 a year in May 20251. That is 11.7% above the US median of $50,670, even though it is 3.4% below the Washington statewide median of $58,620. Nationally that is #38 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. About 490 bookkeepers work here, 1% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Longview-Kelso, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Longview-Kelso against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $43,920 | $56,620 | $73,360 | |
| Washington | $45,070 | $58,620 | $77,630 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Longview-Kelso earns $49,750–$62,680. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $73,360, only 1.7 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 $16,570 across Washington and $17,950 nationally: employers in Longview-Kelso 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 | $43,920 | $3,660 | $21.12 | $56,671 |
| 25th percentile | $49,750 | $4,146 | $23.92 | $64,194 |
| Median | $56,620 | $4,718 | $27.22 | $73,058 |
| 75th percentile | $62,680 | $5,223 | $30.13 | $80,877 |
| 90th percentile | $73,360 | $6,113 | $35.27 | $94,658 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,870 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,060, or about $7,819 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 25th percentile and the median in Longview-Kelso, and the Washington statewide median of $58,620 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Longview-Kelso
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 $16,438 to the $56,620 median and brings it to $73,058 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 Longview-Kelso
Of the 13 roles we track in Longview-Kelso, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($57,580) and customer support specialists ($49,460). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,440.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +3.9% | 50 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +1.7% | 430 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 490 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -12.6% | 380 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -28.0% | 300 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 13 roles we track in Longview-Kelso (+11.7%), between office managers (+18.0%) and accountants (+11.3%). The typical role here is at +10.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 15.5% of the jobs in these 13 roles in Longview-Kelso, 10.1% across Washington and 9.0% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $51,410 in Walla Walla to $60,460 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $9,050 a year. Of the 11 areas in Washington with more bookkeepers than Longview-Kelso, 5 pay less, the largest of them Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($53,050), the Eastern Washington nonmetro area ($56,100) and Olympia-Lacey, WA ($55,590).
| Area | Median | vs Longview-Kelso | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | +2.6% | 1,710 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +1.2% | 1,070 | |
| Bellingham, WA | +0.7% | 1,140 | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | this area | 490 | |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | -0.9% | 1,310 | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | -1.8% | 1,050 | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | -2.6% | 510 |
Longview-Kelso against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Longview-Kelso is #433 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, but its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Washington, Burlington-South Burlington and Sacramento-Roseville pay just above Longview-Kelso and Amherst Town-Northampton and Worcester just below. All four are within $270 a year of the median in Longview-Kelso. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Longview-Kelso | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +0.4% | 8,680 | pay | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +0.1% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | this area | 490 | ||
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | -0.3% | 490 | pay | |
| Worcester, MA | -0.5% | 2,780 | pay | |
| Ithaca, NY | -8.8% | 490 | jobs | |
| Mankato, MN | -10.4% | 490 | jobs | |
| San Angelo, TX | -21.8% | 490 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Longview-Kelso, WA?
About $73,058 a year at the median, or $6,088 a month: $56,620 in pay plus about $16,438 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Longview-Kelso?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $56,620 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,920, the 90th $73,360, and the middle half earned $49,750 to $62,680.
Is Longview-Kelso cheaper than the rest of Washington for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $56,620 against $58,620 statewide. The next area up in Washington is Bellingham at $57,000, the next down the Eastern Washington nonmetro area at $56,100.
How many bookkeepers work in Longview-Kelso?
BLS counts about 490 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Washington total of 32,930. 11 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, with about 510.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a customer support specialist in Longview-Kelso?
Yes: $7,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $56,620 and $49,460.
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.