Bookkeeper salary in Roanoke, VA
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Roanoke than in Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $46,420 a year1: 10.1% below the Virginia statewide median of $51,620 and 8.4% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #336 of 521. BLS counts about 1,230 people in this job here, 4% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Roanoke, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Roanoke against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke, VA | $34,250 | $46,420 | $64,180 | |
| Virginia | $36,610 | $51,620 | $72,860 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Roanoke earns $39,770–$55,790. The top tenth earns $64,180 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 $16,020 wide, against $17,810 across Virginia and $17,950 nationally: employers in Roanoke 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 | $34,250 | $2,854 | $16.47 | $44,194 |
| 25th percentile | $39,770 | $3,314 | $19.12 | $51,316 |
| Median | $46,420 | $3,868 | $22.32 | $59,897 |
| 75th percentile | $55,790 | $4,649 | $26.82 | $71,987 |
| 90th percentile | $64,180 | $5,348 | $30.86 | $82,813 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,370 a year in pay and about $12,090 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,650 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 Roanoke, and the Virginia statewide median of $51,620 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Roanoke
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 $13,477 to the $46,420 median and brings it to $59,897 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 Roanoke
Of the 17 roles we track in Roanoke, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($51,060) and HR assistants ($45,870). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,170.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +26.9% | 1,110 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +10.0% | 140 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,230 | |
| HR Assistant | -1.2% | 90 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -2.0% | 2,760 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Roanoke (-8.4%), between accountants (-7.7%) and HR assistants (-9.4%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 8.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Roanoke, 7.5% across Virginia and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. All 2 areas in Virginia with more bookkeepers than Roanoke also pay more, among them Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($48,690) and Richmond, VA ($51,400).
| Area | Median | vs Roanoke | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | +1.4% | 500 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +1.4% | 890 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +0.6% | 540 | |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 1,010 | |
| Roanoke, VA | this area | 1,230 | |
| Southside Virginia (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 820 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | -2.5% | 490 |
Roanoke against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Roanoke is #216 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Virginia, Owensboro and Augusta-Richmond County pay just above Roanoke and Ocala and State College just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Roanoke. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Roanoke | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo, TX | +0.4% | 1,230 | jobs | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | +0.1% | 1,640 | pay | |
| Owensboro, KY | +0.0% | 560 | pay | |
| Roanoke, VA | this area | 1,230 | ||
| Ocala, FL | -0.1% | 1,130 | pay | |
| State College, PA | -0.1% | 490 | pay | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -0.5% | 1,220 | jobs | |
| Longview, TX | -2.9% | 1,220 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Roanoke, VA?
About $59,897 a year at the median, or $4,991 a month: $46,420 in pay plus about $13,477 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Roanoke?
The median was $46,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,250, the 90th $64,180, and the middle half earned $39,770 to $55,790.
Is Roanoke cheaper than the rest of Virginia for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,420 against $51,620 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is the Southwest Virginia nonmetro area at $46,590, the next down the Southside Virginia nonmetro area at $45,810.
How many bookkeepers work in Roanoke?
BLS counts about 1,230 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Virginia total of 31,990. Only Virginia Beach-Chesapeake and Richmond have more in Virginia.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Roanoke?
Yes: $550 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,420 and $45,870.
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.