Bookkeeper salary in Morristown, TN
Morristown is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $44,040 a year1 is 8.6% below the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180, and 13.1% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#451 of 521). About 420 bookkeepers work here, 1% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Morristown, TN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Morristown against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morristown, TN | $30,470 | $44,040 | $61,740 | |
| Tennessee | $35,000 | $48,180 | $67,730 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Morristown earns $35,940–$50,620. The top tenth earns $61,740 or more, 2.0 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 $14,680 wide, against $18,130 across Tennessee and $17,950 nationally: employers in Morristown 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 | $30,470 | $2,539 | $14.65 | $39,316 |
| 25th percentile | $35,940 | $2,995 | $17.28 | $46,374 |
| Median | $44,040 | $3,670 | $21.17 | $56,826 |
| 75th percentile | $50,620 | $4,218 | $24.34 | $65,316 |
| 90th percentile | $61,740 | $5,145 | $29.68 | $79,665 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,580 a year in pay and about $8,490 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,100 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 Morristown, and the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 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 Morristown
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 $12,786 to the $44,040 median and brings it to $56,826 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 Morristown
Of the 17 roles we track in Morristown, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($44,790) and administrative assistants ($41,040). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,720.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +5.5% | 30 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +1.7% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 420 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.8% | 440 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -11.3% | 30 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Morristown (-13.1%), between accountants (-13.0%) and administrative assistants (-13.7%). The typical role here is at -17.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Morristown than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Morristown, 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. Of the 12 areas in Tennessee with more bookkeepers than Morristown, 2 pay less: the West Tennessee nonmetro area ($43,600) and Johnson City, TN ($40,700).
| Area | Median | vs Morristown | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TN | +2.7% | 800 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +1.6% | 1,110 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +1.3% | 1,160 | |
| Morristown, TN | this area | 420 | |
| Cleveland, TN | -0.9% | 400 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 1,210 | |
| Johnson City, TN | -7.6% | 870 |
Morristown against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Morristown is #466 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Tennessee, Bowling Green and Auburn-Opelika pay just above Morristown and Jackson and Wichita Falls just below. All four are within $230 a year of the median in Morristown. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Morristown | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg, PA | +5.5% | 420 | jobs | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +0.5% | 560 | pay | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +0.3% | 900 | pay | |
| Morristown, TN | this area | 420 | ||
| Jackson, MS | -0.3% | 2,610 | pay | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | -0.3% | 490 | pay | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -0.5% | 420 | jobs | |
| Albany, GA | -1.7% | 420 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Morristown, TN?
About $56,826 a year at the median, or $4,735 a month: $44,040 in pay plus about $12,786 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Morristown?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,040 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,470, the 90th $61,740, and the middle half earned $35,940 to $50,620.
Is Morristown cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,040 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area at $44,610, the next down Cleveland at $43,660.
How many bookkeepers work in Morristown?
BLS counts about 420 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Tennessee total of 37,680. 12 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Jackson, with about 800.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Morristown?
Yes: $3,000 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,040 and $41,040.
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.