Bookkeeper salary in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area than in Tennessee or the country as a whole. The median is $44,610 a year1: 7.4% below the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 and 12.0% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#432 of 521). BLS counts about 1,160 people in this job here, 3% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | $31,410 | $44,610 | $60,890 | |
| Tennessee | $35,000 | $48,180 | $67,730 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $60,890, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area earns $36,630–$53,430. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $16,800 wide, against $18,130 across Tennessee and $17,950 nationally: employers in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area 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 | $31,410 | $2,618 | $15.10 | $40,529 |
| 25th percentile | $36,630 | $3,052 | $17.61 | $47,265 |
| Median | $44,610 | $3,718 | $21.45 | $57,561 |
| 75th percentile | $53,430 | $4,452 | $25.69 | $68,942 |
| 90th percentile | $60,890 | $5,074 | $29.27 | $78,568 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,820 a year in pay and about $11,381 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,980 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 median and the 75th percentile in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area, and the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area
At the $44,610 median, a local hire costs about $57,561 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,951 here. 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 the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($44,880) and administrative assistants ($39,270). Project Coordinator is the highest at $78,470.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +7.2% | 100 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +0.6% | 370 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,160 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -12.0% | 1,350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -13.1% | 1,510 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area (-12.0%), between accountants (-9.6%) and customer support specialists (-13.4%). The typical role here is at -18.9%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 11.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area, 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 7 areas in Tennessee with more bookkeepers than the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the West Tennessee nonmetro area ($43,600).
| Area | Median | vs the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +2.1% | 1,190 | |
| Jackson, TN | +1.4% | 800 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +0.3% | 1,110 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,160 | |
| Morristown, TN | -1.3% | 420 | |
| Cleveland, TN | -2.1% | 400 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 1,210 |
the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area is #235 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 Tennessee, Wheeling and Muncie pay just above the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area and Lake Charles and Valdosta just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, SC | +8.7% | 1,150 | jobs | |
| Billings, MT | +7.2% | 1,160 | jobs | |
| Muncie, IN | +0.1% | 450 | pay | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | +0.1% | 520 | pay | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,160 | ||
| Lake Charles, LA | -0.1% | 830 | pay | |
| Valdosta, GA | -0.2% | 450 | pay | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -0.2% | 1,180 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro)?
About $57,561 a year at the median, or $4,797 a month: $44,610 in pay plus about $12,951 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,610 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,410, the 90th $60,890, and the middle half earned $36,630 to $53,430.
Is the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,610 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area at $44,740, the next down Morristown at $44,040.
How many bookkeepers work in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,160 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Tennessee total of 37,680. 7 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Kingsport-Bristol, with about 1,170.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
Yes: $5,340 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,610 and $39,270.
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.