Bookkeeper salary in Modesto, CA
Modesto pays bookkeepers less than California as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $55,040 a year1: 7.1% below the California statewide median of $59,230 and 8.6% above the US median of $50,670. Only 49 of 521 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 1,730 people in this job here, 1% of the California total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Modesto, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Modesto against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CA | $39,990 | $55,040 | $75,460 | |
| California | $41,600 | $59,230 | $81,990 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Modesto earns $47,710–$63,360. The top tenth earns $75,460 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,650 wide, against $22,000 across California and $17,950 nationally: employers in Modesto 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 | $39,990 | $3,332 | $19.23 | $51,600 |
| 25th percentile | $47,710 | $3,976 | $22.94 | $61,561 |
| Median | $55,040 | $4,587 | $26.46 | $71,019 |
| 75th percentile | $63,360 | $5,280 | $30.46 | $81,755 |
| 90th percentile | $75,460 | $6,288 | $36.28 | $97,368 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,320 a year in pay and about $10,735 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,330 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 25th percentile and the median in Modesto, and the California statewide median of $59,230 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Modesto
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 $15,979 to the $55,040 median and brings it to $71,019 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 Modesto
Of the 17 roles we track in Modesto, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($55,140) and medical administrative assistants ($50,250). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,490.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +1.3% | 190 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.2% | 1,830 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,730 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.7% | 1,600 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -14.2% | 1,290 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Modesto (+8.6%), between medical administrative assistants (+9.4%) and office managers (+6.7%). The typical role here is at +5.5%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Modesto than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Modesto, 9.1% across California and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $47,960 in El Centro to $66,130 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $18,170 a year. Of the 12 areas in California with more bookkeepers than Modesto, 2 pay less: Fresno, CA ($54,170) and Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($53,170).
| Area | Median | vs Modesto | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +2.2% | 2,080 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +1.0% | 12,710 | |
| Yuba City, CA | +0.3% | 460 | |
| Modesto, CA | this area | 1,730 | |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | -0.5% | 1,300 | |
| Fresno, CA | -1.6% | 4,310 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | -3.4% | 2,580 |
Modesto against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Modesto is #145 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee and Pittsfield pay just above Modesto and Bend and Kahului-Wailuku just below. All four are within $280 a year of the median in Modesto. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Modesto | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield, MA | +0.5% | 530 | pay | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | +0.1% | 510 | pay | |
| Modesto, CA | this area | 1,730 | ||
| Bend, OR | -0.3% | 1,420 | pay | |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | -0.3% | 660 | pay | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -3.1% | 1,760 | jobs | |
| Ogden, UT | -10.2% | 1,700 | jobs | |
| Rapid City, SD | -15.0% | 1,720 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Modesto, CA?
About $71,019 a year at the median, or $5,918 a month: $55,040 in pay plus about $15,979 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Modesto?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $55,040 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,990, the 90th $75,460, and the middle half earned $47,710 to $63,360.
Is Modesto cheaper than the rest of California for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $55,040 against $59,230 statewide. The next area up in California is Yuba City at $55,210, the next down the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area at $54,750.
How many bookkeepers work in Modesto?
BLS counts about 1,730 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the California total of 151,870. 12 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, with about 1,900.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Modesto?
Yes: $4,790 a year more at the median. The medians are $55,040 and $50,250.
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.