Bookkeeper salary in Napa, CA
Budget above the national rate here. The median bookkeeper in Napa earned $61,710 a year in May 20251, 4.2% above the California statewide median of $59,230 and 21.8% above the US median of $50,670. Only 5 of 521 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 700 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Napa, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Napa against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $45,760 | $61,710 | $85,170 | |
| California | $41,600 | $59,230 | $81,990 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Napa earns $55,430–$72,800. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $85,170, only 1.9 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,370 wide, against $22,000 across California and $17,950 nationally: employers in Napa 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 | $45,760 | $3,813 | $22.00 | $59,045 |
| 25th percentile | $55,430 | $4,619 | $26.65 | $71,523 |
| Median | $61,710 | $5,142 | $29.67 | $79,626 |
| 75th percentile | $72,800 | $6,067 | $35.00 | $93,935 |
| 90th percentile | $85,170 | $7,098 | $40.95 | $109,897 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $11,090 over the median, the 25th only $6,280 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $14,310 a year in employer cost. 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 10th and 25th percentiles in Napa, and the California statewide median of $59,230 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would be lower than what three quarters of local bookkeepers earn.
What a hire really costs in Napa
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 $17,916 to the $61,710 median and brings it to $79,626 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 Napa
Of the 17 roles we track in Napa, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($61,830) and HR assistants ($61,390). Project Coordinator is the highest at $109,060.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +2.0% | 100 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +0.2% | 510 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 700 | |
| HR Assistant | -0.5% | 40 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -1.7% | 40 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Napa (+21.8%), between paralegals (+22.5%) and HR assistants (+21.3%). The typical role here is at +19.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Napa, 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 22 areas in California with more bookkeepers than Napa, 19 pay less, the largest of them Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($58,590), San Diego-Chula Vista, CA ($58,580) and Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($55,610).
| Area | Median | vs Napa | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA | +7.2% | 7,590 | |
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | +6.2% | 18,100 | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | +0.4% | 1,120 | |
| Napa, CA | this area | 700 | |
| Vallejo, CA | -0.9% | 1,040 | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | -0.9% | 2,040 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | -2.5% | 1,900 |
Napa against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Napa is #351 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, New Haven pay just above Napa and Bridgeport-Stamford and Boston-Cambridge just below. All four are within $1,180 a year of the median in Napa. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Napa | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +1.9% | 2,900 | pay | |
| Napa, CA | this area | 700 | ||
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | -0.5% | 3,710 | pay | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | -1.2% | 21,170 | pay | |
| Bismarck, ND | -20.1% | 690 | jobs | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | -20.9% | 710 | jobs | |
| Bloomington, IN | -24.2% | 710 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Napa, CA?
About $79,626 a year at the median, or $6,635 a month: $61,710 in pay plus about $17,916 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Napa?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $61,710 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,760, the 90th $85,170, and the middle half earned $55,430 to $72,800.
Is Napa cheaper than the rest of California for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $61,710 against $59,230 statewide. The next area up in California is Santa Cruz-Watsonville at $61,960, the next down Vallejo at $61,180.
How many bookkeepers work in Napa?
BLS counts about 700 in the May 2025 survey. 22 areas in California have more; the closest in size is the Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetro area, with about 730.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Napa?
Yes: $320 a year more at the median. The medians are $61,710 and $61,390.
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.