Bookkeeper salary in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area
Of the 13 areas in Virginia with BLS pay data for this job, the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area has the lowest median: $45,270 a year1. That is 12.3% below the Virginia statewide median of $51,620, and 10.7% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#401 of 521). About 490 bookkeepers work here, 2% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | $32,770 | $45,270 | $64,900 | |
| Virginia | $36,610 | $51,620 | $72,860 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area earns $38,230–$54,700. The top tenth earns $64,900 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 $16,470 wide, against $17,810 across Virginia and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Northeast Virginia 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 | $32,770 | $2,731 | $15.75 | $42,284 |
| 25th percentile | $38,230 | $3,186 | $18.38 | $49,329 |
| Median | $45,270 | $3,772 | $21.76 | $58,413 |
| 75th percentile | $54,700 | $4,558 | $26.30 | $70,581 |
| 90th percentile | $64,900 | $5,408 | $31.20 | $83,742 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,040 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,430, or about $12,168 once benefits are added. 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 Virginia nonmetro area, and the Virginia statewide median of $51,620 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area
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 $13,143 to the $45,270 median and brings it to $58,413 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 the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area
Of the 14 roles we track in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($45,880) and medical administrative assistants ($44,710). Project Coordinator is the highest at $116,090.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +32.1% | 50 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +1.3% | 540 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 490 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -1.2% | 180 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -20.8% | 470 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #10 of the 14 roles we track in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area (-10.7%), between executive assistants (-10.4%) and sales development representatives (-11.4%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost less in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 12.8% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area, 7.6% across Virginia and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $45,270 in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area to $52,680 in Charlottesville, a gap of $7,410 a year. All 11 areas in Virginia with more bookkeepers than the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area also pay more, among them Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($48,690) and Richmond, VA ($51,400).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | +4.0% | 500 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +4.0% | 890 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +3.2% | 540 | |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +2.9% | 1,010 | |
| Roanoke, VA | +2.5% | 1,230 | |
| Southside Virginia (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 820 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 490 |
the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area is #438 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Virginia, Florence and Erie pay just above the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area and Brunswick-St. Simons and Jackson just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longview-Kelso, WA | +25.1% | 490 | jobs | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +24.7% | 490 | jobs | |
| Ithaca, NY | +14.0% | 490 | jobs | |
| Erie, PA | +0.1% | 920 | pay | |
| Florence, SC | +0.1% | 730 | pay | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 490 | ||
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | -0.1% | 360 | pay | |
| Jackson, TN | -0.1% | 800 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro)?
About $58,413 a year at the median, or $4,868 a month: $45,270 in pay plus about $13,143 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,270 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,770, the 90th $64,900, and the middle half earned $38,230 to $54,700.
Is the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area the cheapest area in Virginia for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $45,270 is the lowest of 13 areas in Virginia. The Southside Virginia nonmetro area is next at $45,810.
How many bookkeepers work in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 490 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Virginia total of 31,990. 11 areas in Virginia have more; the closest in size is Harrisonburg, with about 500.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area?
Yes: $560 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,270 and $44,710.
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.