Bookkeeper salary in Richmond, VA
Richmond pays bookkeepers close to the Virginia norm. The median is $51,400 a year1, about level with the Virginia statewide median of $51,620 and 1.4% above the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#95 of 521). About 4,890 bookkeepers work here, 15% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Richmond, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Richmond against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | $37,360 | $51,400 | $70,160 | |
| Virginia | $36,610 | $51,620 | $72,860 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Richmond earns $45,010–$60,920. The top tenth earns $70,160 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 $15,910 wide, against $17,810 across Virginia and $17,950 nationally: employers in Richmond 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 | $37,360 | $3,113 | $17.96 | $48,206 |
| 25th percentile | $45,010 | $3,751 | $21.64 | $58,077 |
| Median | $51,400 | $4,283 | $24.71 | $66,323 |
| 75th percentile | $60,920 | $5,077 | $29.29 | $78,606 |
| 90th percentile | $70,160 | $5,847 | $33.73 | $90,529 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,520 a year in pay and about $12,284 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,390 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 Richmond, and the Virginia statewide median of $51,620 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Richmond
At the $51,400 median, a local hire costs about $66,323 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,923 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 Richmond
Of the 17 roles we track in Richmond, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($52,730) and administrative assistants ($47,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,170.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +16.8% | 630 | |
| HR Assistant | +2.6% | 470 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 4,890 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.9% | 4,940 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -13.8% | 4,140 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Richmond (+1.4%), between payroll specialists (+3.0%) and executive assistants (+1.2%). The typical role here is at +0.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 7.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Richmond, 7.5% across Virginia and 8.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $45,270 in the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area to $52,680 in Charlottesville, a gap of $7,410 a year. The one area in Virginia with more bookkeepers, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($48,690), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | +2.5% | 870 | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | +0.4% | 720 | |
| Richmond, VA | this area | 4,890 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -5.3% | 5,880 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -5.6% | 550 | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | -5.6% | 400 | |
| Harrisonburg, VA | -8.4% | 500 |
Richmond against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Richmond is #49 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 Virginia, Walla Walla and Chicago-Naperville pay just above Richmond and Salt Lake City-Murray and Visalia just below. All four are within $200 a year of the median in Richmond. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +15.7% | 4,660 | jobs | |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +0.1% | 35,660 | pay | |
| Walla Walla, WA | +0.0% | 250 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | this area | 4,890 | ||
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | -0.2% | 6,310 | pay | |
| Visalia, CA | -0.4% | 1,390 | pay | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -5.5% | 5,070 | jobs | |
| Knoxville, TN | -7.9% | 4,510 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Richmond, VA?
About $66,323 a year at the median, or $5,527 a month: $51,400 in pay plus about $14,923 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Richmond?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $51,400 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,360, the 90th $70,160, and the middle half earned $45,010 to $60,920.
Is Richmond cheaper than the rest of Virginia for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $51,400 against $51,620 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Blacksburg-Christiansburg at $51,620, the next down Virginia Beach-Chesapeake at $48,690.
How many bookkeepers work in Richmond?
BLS counts about 4,890 in the May 2025 survey. That is 15% of the Virginia total of 31,990. Only Virginia Beach-Chesapeake has more in Virginia.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Richmond?
Yes: $3,560 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,400 and $47,840.
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.