Bookkeeper salary in Michigan City-La Porte, IN
Michigan City-La Porte is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $46,650 a year1 is 2.4% below the Indiana statewide median of $47,820, and 7.9% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #317 of 521. BLS counts about 340 people in this job here, 1% of the Indiana total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Michigan City-La Porte, IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Michigan City-La Porte against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $31,240 | $46,650 | $64,570 | |
| Indiana | $33,010 | $47,820 | $66,960 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $64,570, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Michigan City-La Porte earns $37,750–$56,600. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,850 wide, wider than in Indiana as a whole ($17,800) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in Michigan City-La Porte depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,240 | $2,603 | $15.02 | $40,310 |
| 25th percentile | $37,750 | $3,146 | $18.15 | $48,710 |
| Median | $46,650 | $3,888 | $22.43 | $60,194 |
| 75th percentile | $56,600 | $4,717 | $27.21 | $73,032 |
| 90th percentile | $64,570 | $5,381 | $31.04 | $83,316 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,900 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,950, or about $12,839 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 Michigan City-La Porte, and the Indiana statewide median of $47,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Michigan City-La Porte
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 $13,544 to the $46,650 median and brings it to $60,194 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 Michigan City-La Porte
Of the 15 roles we track in Michigan City-La Porte, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($49,090) and administrative assistants ($44,100). Project Coordinator is the highest at $89,790.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +7.5% | 40 | |
| Paralegal | +5.2% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 340 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.5% | 280 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -7.3% | 30 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 15 roles we track in Michigan City-La Porte (-7.9%), between administrative assistants (-7.2%) and recruiters (-10.9%). The typical role here is at -12.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Michigan City-La Porte than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 12.6% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Michigan City-La Porte, 11.4% across Indiana and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $44,650 in Muncie to $49,190 in Elkhart-Goshen, a gap of $4,540 a year. Of the 13 areas in Indiana with more bookkeepers than Michigan City-La Porte, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Southern Indiana nonmetro area ($45,710), the Central Indiana nonmetro area ($46,110) and Terre Haute, IN ($46,060).
| Area | Median | vs Michigan City-La Porte | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | +0.1% | 1,970 | |
| Evansville, IN | +0.1% | 1,320 | |
| Columbus, IN | +0.0% | 360 | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | this area | 340 | |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | -1.2% | 1,510 | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -1.3% | 550 | |
| Kokomo, IN | -1.4% | 280 |
Michigan City-La Porte against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Michigan City-La Porte is #496 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Indiana, Columbia and St. Joseph pay just above Michigan City-La Porte and Amarillo and Grand Island just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in Michigan City-La Porte. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Michigan City-La Porte | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmira, NY | +3.6% | 350 | jobs | |
| Williamsport, PA | +0.4% | 340 | jobs | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | +0.2% | 310 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | +0.1% | 3,260 | pay | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | this area | 340 | ||
| Amarillo, TX | -0.1% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Grand Island, NE | -0.1% | 440 | pay | |
| Pocatello, ID | -2.6% | 340 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Michigan City-La Porte, IN?
About $60,194 a year at the median, or $5,016 a month: $46,650 in pay plus about $13,544 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Michigan City-La Porte?
The median was $46,650 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,240, the 90th $64,570, and the middle half earned $37,750 to $56,600.
Is Michigan City-La Porte cheaper than the rest of Indiana for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,650 against $47,820 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Columbus at $46,660, the next down the Central Indiana nonmetro area at $46,110.
How many bookkeepers work in Michigan City-La Porte?
BLS counts about 340 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Indiana total of 29,910. 13 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is Columbus, with about 360.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Michigan City-La Porte?
Yes: $2,550 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,650 and $44,100.
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.