Bookkeeper salary in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
BLS publishes pay for this job in only one area of Rhode Island, and it is Providence-Warwick. The median is $54,630 a year1, 2.5% above the Rhode Island statewide median of $53,280 and 7.8% above the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#55 of 521). About 6,400 bookkeepers work here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Providence-Warwick, RI-MA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Providence-Warwick against Rhode Island and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $38,970 | $54,630 | $75,990 | |
| Rhode Island | $39,880 | $53,280 | $76,210 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $75,990, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Providence-Warwick earns $46,630–$63,160. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $16,530 wide, between the figure for Rhode Island ($16,360) 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 | $38,970 | $3,248 | $18.74 | $50,284 |
| 25th percentile | $46,630 | $3,886 | $22.42 | $60,168 |
| Median | $54,630 | $4,552 | $26.26 | $70,490 |
| 75th percentile | $63,160 | $5,263 | $30.37 | $81,497 |
| 90th percentile | $75,990 | $6,332 | $36.53 | $98,052 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,530 a year in pay and about $11,006 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,000 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 25th percentile and the median in Providence-Warwick, and the Rhode Island statewide median of $53,280 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Providence-Warwick
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 $15,860 to the $54,630 median and brings it to $70,490 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 Providence-Warwick
Of the 17 roles we track in Providence-Warwick, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($57,100) and HR assistants ($53,580). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,510.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +9.3% | 620 | |
| Paralegal | +4.5% | 2,420 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 6,400 | |
| HR Assistant | -1.9% | 220 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.2% | 7,020 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Providence-Warwick (+7.8%), between administrative assistants (+9.0%) and office managers (+7.2%). The typical role here is at +5.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 9.7% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Providence-Warwick, 9.1% across Rhode Island and 9.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Providence-Warwick against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Providence-Warwick is #42 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 Rhode Island, Kahului-Wailuku and Bend pay just above Providence-Warwick and Portland-South Portland and Kingston just below. All four are within $270 a year of the median in Providence-Warwick. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Providence-Warwick | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bend, OR | +0.5% | 1,420 | pay | |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | +0.5% | 660 | pay | |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | this area | 6,400 | ||
| Portland-South Portland, ME | -0.0% | 2,670 | pay | |
| Kingston, NY | -0.2% | 670 | pay | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | -6.1% | 6,310 | jobs | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -11.4% | 6,320 | jobs | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | -13.7% | 6,470 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA?
About $70,490 a year at the median, or $5,874 a month: $54,630 in pay plus about $15,860 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Providence-Warwick?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $54,630 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,970, the 90th $75,990, and the middle half earned $46,630 to $63,160.
How many bookkeepers work in Providence-Warwick?
BLS counts about 6,400 in the May 2025 survey.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Providence-Warwick?
Yes: $1,050 a year more at the median. The medians are $54,630 and $53,580.
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.