Bookkeeper salary in Owensboro, KY
For this job Owensboro sits right at the Kentucky figure, with a median of $46,430 a year1. That is about level with the Kentucky statewide median of $46,550, and 8.4% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #334 of 521 areas. About 560 bookkeepers work here, 2% of the Kentucky total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Owensboro, KY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Owensboro against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owensboro, KY | $31,200 | $46,430 | $67,220 | |
| Kentucky | $30,090 | $46,550 | $66,930 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $67,220, 2.2 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Owensboro earns $38,090–$57,100. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $19,010 wide, between the figure for Kentucky ($19,160) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 | $40,258 |
| 25th percentile | $38,090 | $3,174 | $18.31 | $49,148 |
| Median | $46,430 | $3,869 | $22.32 | $59,910 |
| 75th percentile | $57,100 | $4,758 | $27.45 | $73,677 |
| 90th percentile | $67,220 | $5,602 | $32.32 | $86,735 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $10,670 a year in pay and about $13,768 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,340 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 Owensboro, and the Kentucky statewide median of $46,550 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Owensboro
At the $46,430 median, a local hire costs about $59,910 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,480 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 Owensboro
Of the 14 roles we track in Owensboro, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($47,590) and customer support specialists ($45,260). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,320.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +14.8% | 60 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +2.5% | 220 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 560 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -2.5% | 920 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -15.2% | 470 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 14 roles we track in Owensboro (-8.4%), between accountants (-7.0%) and office managers (-10.3%). The typical role here is at -17.4%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Owensboro than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 13.2% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Owensboro, 12.0% across Kentucky and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 10 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $41,360 in the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area to $48,000 in Lexington-Fayette, a gap of $6,640 a year. Of the 8 areas in Kentucky with more bookkeepers than Owensboro, 6 pay less, the largest of them the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area ($41,360), the Central Kentucky nonmetro area ($43,740) and the West Kentucky nonmetro area ($44,090).
| Area | Median | vs Owensboro | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | +3.4% | 3,120 | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | +3.4% | 7,730 | |
| Owensboro, KY | this area | 560 | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | -0.3% | 610 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -4.9% | 900 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -5.0% | 1,690 | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | -5.6% | 560 |
Owensboro against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Owensboro is #401 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Kentucky, Augusta-Richmond County and Chambersburg pay just above Owensboro and Roanoke and Ocala just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Owensboro. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Owensboro | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg, PA | +0.1% | 420 | pay | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | +0.0% | 1,640 | pay | |
| Owensboro, KY | this area | 560 | ||
| Roanoke, VA | -0.0% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Ocala, FL | -0.1% | 1,130 | pay | |
| Farmington, NM | -0.9% | 560 | jobs | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -4.7% | 560 | jobs | |
| Dothan, AL | -11.0% | 560 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Owensboro, KY?
About $59,910 a year at the median, or $4,992 a month: $46,430 in pay plus about $13,480 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Owensboro?
The median was $46,430 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,200, the 90th $67,220, and the middle half earned $38,090 to $57,100.
Is Owensboro cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $46,430 against $46,550 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is Louisville at $47,990, the next down Paducah at $46,310.
How many bookkeepers work in Owensboro?
BLS counts about 560 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Kentucky total of 23,480. 9 areas in Kentucky have more; the closest in size is Elizabethtown, with about 560.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a customer support specialist in Owensboro?
Yes: $1,170 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,430 and $45,260.
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.