Bookkeeper salary in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA
No other area in Oregon pays bookkeepers more than Portland-Vancouver: the median is $57,040 a year1. That is 5.5% above the Oregon statewide median of $54,060, and 12.6% above the US median of $50,670. Nationally that is #34 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. With about 12,170 bookkeepers, no area in Oregon employs more.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Portland-Vancouver against Oregon and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | $40,260 | $57,040 | $75,490 | |
| Oregon | $37,750 | $54,060 | $74,600 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Portland-Vancouver earns $48,360–$64,620. The top tenth earns $75,490 or more, 1.9 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 $16,260 wide, against $17,200 across Oregon and $17,950 nationally: employers in Portland-Vancouver 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 | $40,260 | $3,355 | $19.36 | $51,948 |
| 25th percentile | $48,360 | $4,030 | $23.25 | $62,400 |
| Median | $57,040 | $4,753 | $27.42 | $73,600 |
| 75th percentile | $64,620 | $5,385 | $31.07 | $83,381 |
| 90th percentile | $75,490 | $6,291 | $36.29 | $97,406 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,680 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,580, or about $9,781 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 Portland-Vancouver, and the Oregon statewide median of $54,060 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Portland-Vancouver
At the $57,040 median, a local hire costs about $73,600 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,560 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 Portland-Vancouver
Of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($64,170) and administrative assistants ($55,360). Project Coordinator is the highest at $108,340.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +31.3% | 7,530 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +12.5% | 1,850 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 12,170 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -2.9% | 13,510 | |
| HR Assistant | -3.2% | 640 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Portland-Vancouver (+12.6%), between e-commerce order specialists (+13.8%) and accountants (+10.2%). The typical role here is at +9.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 10.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Portland-Vancouver, 11.4% across Oregon and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Oregon
Across the 11 areas of Oregon with data for this job, the median runs from $46,660 in the Central Oregon nonmetro area to $57,040 in Portland-Vancouver, a gap of $10,380 a year. No other area in Oregon has as many bookkeepers, and all 10 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 12,170 | |
| Bend, OR | -3.8% | 1,420 | |
| Salem, OR | -4.6% | 2,230 | |
| Corvallis, OR | -10.8% | 370 | |
| Albany, OR | -10.9% | 540 | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -12.9% | 1,780 | |
| Grants Pass, OR | -13.6% | 370 |
Portland-Vancouver against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Portland-Vancouver is #21 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Oregon, Kennewick-Richland and Boulder pay just above Portland-Vancouver and Bellingham and Sacramento-Roseville just below. All four are within $290 a year of the median in Portland-Vancouver. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Portland-Vancouver | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | +0.5% | 1,440 | pay | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +0.4% | 1,070 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | this area | 12,170 | ||
| Bellingham, WA | -0.1% | 1,140 | pay | |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | -0.4% | 8,680 | pay | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -2.5% | 12,710 | jobs | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -4.8% | 11,900 | jobs | |
| Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | -10.9% | 11,740 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA?
About $73,600 a year at the median, or $6,133 a month: $57,040 in pay plus about $16,560 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Portland-Vancouver?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $57,040 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $40,260, the 90th $75,490, and the middle half earned $48,360 to $64,620.
Is Portland-Vancouver the most expensive area in Oregon for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $57,040 is the highest of 11 areas in Oregon. Bend comes next at $54,900.
How many bookkeepers work in Portland-Vancouver?
BLS counts about 12,170 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Oregon has as many.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Portland-Vancouver?
Yes: $1,680 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,040 and $55,360.
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.