Bookkeeper salary in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area
The Northwest Colorado nonmetro area pays bookkeepers less than Colorado as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $52,540 a year1: 2.7% below the Colorado statewide median of $54,000 and 3.7% above the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#77 of 521). About 1,350 bookkeepers work here, 5% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | $35,380 | $52,540 | $74,990 | |
| Colorado | $37,250 | $54,000 | $77,540 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area earns $43,500–$63,540. The top tenth earns $74,990 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $20,040 wide, wider than in Colorado as a whole ($17,770) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,380 | $2,948 | $17.01 | $45,652 |
| 25th percentile | $43,500 | $3,625 | $20.91 | $56,129 |
| Median | $52,540 | $4,378 | $25.26 | $67,794 |
| 75th percentile | $63,540 | $5,295 | $30.55 | $81,987 |
| 90th percentile | $74,990 | $6,249 | $36.05 | $96,761 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $9,040 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $11,000, or about $14,194 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 25th percentile and the median in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area, and the Colorado statewide median of $54,000 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in the Northwest Colorado 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 $15,254 to the $52,540 median and brings it to $67,794 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 Northwest Colorado nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between HR assistants ($54,110) and administrative assistants ($49,260). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,970.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +26.0% | 310 | |
| HR Assistant | +3.0% | 60 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,350 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.2% | 1,600 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -8.7% | 430 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #8 of the 16 roles we track in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area (+3.7%), between medical administrative assistants (+4.5%) and administrative assistants (+3.6%). The typical role here is at +3.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 11.5% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area, 8.3% across Colorado and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Colorado
Across the 10 areas of Colorado with data for this job, the median runs from $46,840 in Colorado Springs to $57,510 in Denver-Aurora, a gap of $10,670 a year. Of the 4 areas in Colorado with more bookkeepers than the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area, 1 pays less: Colorado Springs, CO ($46,840).
| Area | Median | vs the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +9.5% | 14,100 | |
| Boulder, CO | +9.1% | 1,440 | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +1.5% | 1,760 | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,350 | |
| Greeley, CO | -3.5% | 1,020 | |
| Southwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -6.1% | 1,250 | |
| Pueblo, CO | -7.1% | 480 |
the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area is #196 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 Colorado, Manchester-Nashua and Charlottesville pay just above the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area and Midland and Reno just below. All four are within $540 a year of the median in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | +0.3% | 870 | pay | |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | +0.0% | 1,990 | pay | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,350 | ||
| Midland, TX | -0.6% | 1,440 | pay | |
| Reno, NV | -1.0% | 3,160 | pay | |
| Savannah, GA | -5.6% | 1,350 | jobs | |
| Medford, OR | -6.2% | 1,340 | jobs | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -8.9% | 1,360 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro)?
About $67,794 a year at the median, or $5,649 a month: $52,540 in pay plus about $15,254 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $52,540 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,380, the 90th $74,990, and the middle half earned $43,500 to $63,540.
Is the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Colorado for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $52,540 against $54,000 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is Fort Collins-Loveland at $53,310, the next down Greeley at $50,680.
How many bookkeepers work in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,350 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Colorado total of 26,140. 4 areas in Colorado have more; the closest in size is Boulder, with about 1,440.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area?
Yes: $3,280 a year more at the median. The medians are $52,540 and $49,260.
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.