Bookkeeper salary in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area
No other area in Maine pays bookkeepers less than the Northeast Maine nonmetro area. The median is $47,050 a year1, 6.9% below the Maine statewide median of $50,510 and 7.1% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #289 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 1,240 people in this job here, 17% of the Maine total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area against Maine and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | $38,360 | $47,050 | $65,230 | |
| Maine | $40,000 | $50,510 | $69,990 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area earns $42,750–$56,930. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $65,230, only 1.7 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 $14,180 wide, against $15,110 across Maine and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Northeast Maine 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 | $38,360 | $3,197 | $18.44 | $49,497 |
| 25th percentile | $42,750 | $3,562 | $20.55 | $55,161 |
| Median | $47,050 | $3,921 | $22.62 | $60,710 |
| 75th percentile | $56,930 | $4,744 | $27.37 | $73,458 |
| 90th percentile | $65,230 | $5,436 | $31.36 | $84,168 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $9,880 over the median, the 25th only $4,300 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $12,748 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area, and the Maine statewide median of $50,510 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area
At the $47,050 median, a local hire costs about $60,710 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,660 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 Northeast Maine nonmetro area
Of the 14 roles we track in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($47,220) and medical administrative assistants ($44,080). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,060.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +18.8% | 110 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.4% | 560 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,240 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.3% | 390 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -10.1% | 440 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #9 of the 14 roles we track in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area (-7.1%), between customer support specialists (-5.5%) and marketing specialists (-7.2%). The typical role here is at -5.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 25.7% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area, 13.7% across Maine and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Maine
Across the 5 areas of Maine with data for this job, the median runs from $47,050 in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area to $54,610 in Portland-South Portland, a gap of $7,560 a year. All 2 areas in Maine with more bookkeepers than the Northeast Maine nonmetro area also pay more, among them Portland-South Portland, ME ($54,610) and the Southwest Maine nonmetro area ($48,360).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Maine nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +16.1% | 2,670 | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | +6.8% | 540 | |
| Bangor, ME | +4.1% | 780 | |
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | +2.8% | 1,690 | |
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,240 |
the Northeast Maine nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Maine nonmetro area is #213 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Maine, Lynchburg and Harrisonburg pay just above the Northeast Maine nonmetro area and Greensboro-High Point and New Orleans-Metairie just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Maine nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, PA | +3.5% | 1,260 | jobs | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | +0.1% | 500 | pay | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +0.0% | 890 | pay | |
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,240 | ||
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -0.1% | 3,440 | pay | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | -0.1% | 3,840 | pay | |
| Amarillo, TX | -0.9% | 1,230 | jobs | |
| Roanoke, VA | -1.3% | 1,230 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Northeast Maine (Nonmetro)?
About $60,710 a year at the median, or $5,059 a month: $47,050 in pay plus about $13,660 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area?
The median was $47,050 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,360, the 90th $65,230, and the middle half earned $42,750 to $56,930.
Is the Northeast Maine nonmetro area the cheapest area in Maine for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $47,050 is the lowest of 5 areas in Maine. The Southwest Maine nonmetro area is next at $48,360.
How many bookkeepers work in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,240 in the May 2025 survey. That is 17% of the Maine total of 7,390. Only Portland-South Portland and the Southwest Maine nonmetro area have more in Maine.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,970 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,050 and $44,080.
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.