Bookkeeper salary in Memphis, TN-MS
Memphis pays bookkeepers close to the Tennessee norm. The median is $48,400 a year1, about level with the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 and 4.5% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #214 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 6,320 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Memphis, TN-MS-AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Memphis against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS | $35,550 | $48,400 | $66,920 | |
| Tennessee | $35,000 | $48,180 | $67,730 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $66,920, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Memphis earns $41,000–$58,040. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,040 wide, against $18,130 across Tennessee and $17,950 nationally: employers in Memphis 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 | $35,550 | $2,962 | $17.09 | $45,871 |
| 25th percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $19.71 | $52,903 |
| Median | $48,400 | $4,033 | $23.27 | $62,452 |
| 75th percentile | $58,040 | $4,837 | $27.90 | $74,890 |
| 90th percentile | $66,920 | $5,577 | $32.17 | $86,348 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,400 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,640, or about $12,439 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 Memphis, and the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Memphis
At the $48,400 median, a local hire costs about $62,452 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,052 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 Memphis
Of the 17 roles we track in Memphis, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($48,490) and administrative assistants ($45,960). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,130.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +10.4% | 520 | |
| HR Assistant | +0.2% | 960 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 6,320 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.0% | 5,500 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.9% | 9,360 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Memphis (-4.5%), between HR assistants (-4.2%) and accountants (-8.0%). The typical role here is at -8.9%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Memphis than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Memphis, 10.4% across Tennessee and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $40,700 in Johnson City to $50,810 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $10,110 a year. The one area in Tennessee with more bookkeepers, Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN ($50,810), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +5.0% | 13,790 | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 6,320 | |
| Knoxville, TN | -2.2% | 4,510 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -3.1% | 2,920 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -4.4% | 1,000 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -5.6% | 1,170 | |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -5.9% | 1,190 |
Memphis against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Memphis is #43 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 Tennessee, Lafayette-West Lafayette and Gainesville pay just above Memphis and Winston-Salem and Topeka just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Memphis. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | +12.9% | 6,400 | jobs | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | +6.0% | 6,310 | jobs | |
| Gainesville, GA | +0.1% | 810 | pay | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +0.0% | 930 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 6,320 | ||
| Winston-Salem, NC | -0.1% | 2,880 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | -0.1% | 1,260 | pay | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | -2.6% | 6,470 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Memphis, TN-MS?
About $62,452 a year at the median, or $5,204 a month: $48,400 in pay plus about $14,052 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Memphis?
The median was $48,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,550, the 90th $66,920, and the middle half earned $41,000 to $58,040.
Is Memphis cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $48,400 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Nashville-Murfreesboro at $50,810, the next down Knoxville at $47,320.
How many bookkeepers work in Memphis?
BLS counts about 6,320 in the May 2025 survey. Only Nashville-Murfreesboro has more in Tennessee.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Memphis?
Yes: $2,440 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,400 and $45,960.
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.