Bookkeeper salary in Ocala, FL
Ocala is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $46,380 a year1 is 6.0% below the Florida statewide median of $49,330, and 8.5% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #337 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 1,130 people in this job here, 1% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Ocala, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Ocala against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocala, FL | $33,870 | $46,380 | $68,340 | |
| Florida | $36,680 | $49,330 | $72,260 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Ocala earns $39,520–$56,480. The top tenth earns $68,340 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 $16,960 wide, against $17,070 across Florida and $17,950 nationally: employers in Ocala 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 | $33,870 | $2,822 | $16.28 | $43,703 |
| 25th percentile | $39,520 | $3,293 | $19.00 | $50,994 |
| Median | $46,380 | $3,865 | $22.30 | $59,845 |
| 75th percentile | $56,480 | $4,707 | $27.15 | $72,877 |
| 90th percentile | $68,340 | $5,695 | $32.86 | $88,181 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $10,100 a year in pay and about $13,032 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,860 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 Ocala, and the Florida statewide median of $49,330 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Ocala
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 $13,465 to the $46,380 median and brings it to $59,845 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 Ocala
Of the 17 roles we track in Ocala, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($46,590) and HR assistants ($44,050). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,580.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +6.2% | 80 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +0.5% | 30 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,130 | |
| HR Assistant | -5.0% | 30 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -13.0% | 1,270 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Ocala (-8.5%), between e-commerce order specialists (+0.9%) and virtual receptionists (-9.6%). The typical role here is at -15.1%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Ocala than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Ocala, 7.7% across Florida and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $44,360 in Homosassa Springs to $51,000 in Naples-Marco Island, a gap of $6,640 a year. All 12 areas in Florida with more bookkeepers than Ocala also pay more, among them Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ($50,300) and Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL ($50,090).
| Area | Median | vs Ocala | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | +1.3% | 2,050 | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | +1.0% | 2,220 | |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | +0.3% | 290 | |
| Ocala, FL | this area | 1,130 | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | -0.3% | 760 | |
| Tallahassee, FL | -1.0% | 1,130 | |
| Sebring, FL | -2.7% | 260 |
Ocala against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Ocala is #239 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Florida, Roanoke and Owensboro pay just above Ocala and State College and Traverse City just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Ocala. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Ocala | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | +22.9% | 1,140 | jobs | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +5.0% | 1,120 | jobs | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | +0.3% | 1,130 | jobs | |
| Owensboro, KY | +0.1% | 560 | pay | |
| Roanoke, VA | +0.1% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Ocala, FL | this area | 1,130 | ||
| State College, PA | -0.0% | 490 | pay | |
| Traverse City, MI | -0.1% | 890 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Ocala, FL?
About $59,845 a year at the median, or $4,987 a month: $46,380 in pay plus about $13,465 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Ocala?
The median was $46,380 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,870, the 90th $68,340, and the middle half earned $39,520 to $56,480.
Is Ocala cheaper than the rest of Florida for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,380 against $49,330 statewide. The next area up in Florida is Wildwood-The Villages at $46,500, the next down Panama City-Panama City Beach at $46,240.
How many bookkeepers work in Ocala?
BLS counts about 1,130 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Florida total of 88,670. 12 areas in Florida have more; the closest in size is Port St. Lucie, with about 1,450.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Ocala?
Yes: $2,330 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,380 and $44,050.
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.