Bookkeeper salary in Monroe, LA
Monroe is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $41,970 a year1 is 6.5% below the Louisiana statewide median of $44,890, and 17.2% below the US median of $50,670. Only 34 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. About 1,020 bookkeepers work here, 5% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Monroe, LA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Monroe against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe, LA | $26,920 | $41,970 | $60,330 | |
| Louisiana | $28,760 | $44,890 | $65,220 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $60,330, 2.2 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Monroe earns $33,660–$49,360. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,700 wide, against $18,180 across Louisiana and $17,950 nationally: employers in Monroe 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 | $26,920 | $2,243 | $12.94 | $34,735 |
| 25th percentile | $33,660 | $2,805 | $16.18 | $43,432 |
| Median | $41,970 | $3,498 | $20.18 | $54,155 |
| 75th percentile | $49,360 | $4,113 | $23.73 | $63,690 |
| 90th percentile | $60,330 | $5,028 | $29.00 | $77,845 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,390 a year in pay and about $9,535 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,310 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Monroe, and the Louisiana statewide median of $44,890 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local bookkeepers earn.
What a hire really costs in Monroe
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 $12,185 to the $41,970 median and brings it to $54,155 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 Monroe
Of the 16 roles we track in Monroe, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($47,070) and administrative assistants ($37,320). Project Coordinator is the highest at $78,990.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +15.1% | 300 | |
| Paralegal | +12.2% | 180 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,020 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -11.1% | 1,150 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -14.4% | 110 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in Monroe (-17.2%), between payroll specialists (-16.6%) and virtual receptionists (-17.8%). The typical role here is at -22.8%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Monroe than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 14.2% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Monroe, 11.1% across Louisiana and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 13 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $38,910 in Lafayette to $46,980 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $8,070 a year. Of the 5 areas in Louisiana with more bookkeepers than Monroe, 1 pays less: Lafayette, LA ($38,910).
| Area | Median | vs Monroe | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond, LA | +4.1% | 380 | |
| Alexandria, LA | +3.1% | 590 | |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | +0.1% | 640 | |
| Monroe, LA | this area | 1,020 | |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -5.1% | 550 | |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -6.7% | 600 | |
| Lafayette, LA | -7.3% | 2,130 |
Monroe against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Monroe is #272 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Louisiana, Beckley and Altoona pay just above Monroe and McAllen-Edinburg and Anniston-Oxford just below. All four are within $690 a year of the median in Monroe. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Monroe | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +35.1% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +8.1% | 1,020 | jobs | |
| Altoona, PA | +1.6% | 470 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | +1.4% | 450 | pay | |
| Monroe, LA | this area | 1,020 | ||
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -0.0% | 2,070 | pay | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -0.5% | 330 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -1.0% | 1,020 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Monroe, LA?
About $54,155 a year at the median, or $4,513 a month: $41,970 in pay plus about $12,185 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Monroe?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $41,970 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $26,920, the 90th $60,330, and the middle half earned $33,660 to $49,360.
Is Monroe cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,970 against $44,890 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area at $42,030, the next down the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area at $39,830.
How many bookkeepers work in Monroe?
BLS counts about 1,020 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Louisiana total of 18,980. 5 areas in Louisiana have more; the closest in size is Slidell-Mandeville, with about 1,180.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Monroe?
Yes: $4,650 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,970 and $37,320.
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.