Bookkeeper salary in Rocky Mount, NC
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Rocky Mount than in North Carolina or the country as a whole. The median is $44,320 a year1: 7.5% below the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 and 12.5% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#442 of 521). About 590 bookkeepers work here, 1% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Rocky Mount, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Rocky Mount against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mount, NC | $31,600 | $44,320 | $61,620 | |
| North Carolina | $33,710 | $47,930 | $67,290 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Rocky Mount earns $37,750–$51,950. The top tenth earns $61,620 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 $14,200 wide, against $18,190 across North Carolina and $17,950 nationally: employers in Rocky Mount 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 | $31,600 | $2,633 | $15.19 | $40,774 |
| 25th percentile | $37,750 | $3,146 | $18.15 | $48,710 |
| Median | $44,320 | $3,693 | $21.31 | $57,187 |
| 75th percentile | $51,950 | $4,329 | $24.98 | $67,032 |
| 90th percentile | $61,620 | $5,135 | $29.62 | $79,510 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,630 a year in pay and about $9,845 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,570 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 Rocky Mount, and the North Carolina statewide median of $47,930 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Rocky Mount
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 $12,867 to the $44,320 median and brings it to $57,187 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 Rocky Mount
Of the 17 roles we track in Rocky Mount, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between paralegals ($49,140) and administrative assistants ($42,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,010.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +11.4% | 50 | |
| Paralegal | +10.9% | 120 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 590 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.3% | 510 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -6.4% | 420 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Rocky Mount (-12.5%), between project coordinators (-11.1%) and marketing specialists (-12.7%). The typical role here is at -12.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 13.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Rocky Mount, 9.3% across North Carolina and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $42,910 in Jacksonville to $50,800 in Charlotte-Concord, a gap of $7,890 a year. Of the 14 areas in North Carolina with more bookkeepers than Rocky Mount, 1 pays less: the Central North Carolina nonmetro area ($44,060).
| Area | Median | vs Rocky Mount | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | +2.3% | 1,020 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +1.8% | 1,570 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +1.4% | 2,710 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +0.8% | 2,990 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | this area | 590 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 2,250 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -3.2% | 500 |
Rocky Mount against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rocky Mount is #385 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Homosassa Springs and Las Cruces pay just above Rocky Mount and San Angelo and Auburn-Opelika just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Rocky Mount. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rocky Mount | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | +2.0% | 590 | jobs | |
| Jefferson City, MO | +1.9% | 590 | jobs | |
| Las Cruces, NM | +0.3% | 580 | pay | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | +0.1% | 310 | pay | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | this area | 590 | ||
| San Angelo, TX | -0.1% | 490 | pay | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -0.1% | 560 | pay | |
| Alexandria, LA | -2.4% | 590 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Rocky Mount, NC?
About $57,187 a year at the median, or $4,766 a month: $44,320 in pay plus about $12,867 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Rocky Mount?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,320 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,600, the 90th $61,620, and the middle half earned $37,750 to $51,950.
Is Rocky Mount cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,320 against $47,930 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area at $44,690, the next down the Central North Carolina nonmetro area at $44,060.
How many bookkeepers work in Rocky Mount?
BLS counts about 590 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the North Carolina total of 48,760. 14 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Burlington, with about 600.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Rocky Mount?
Yes: $1,480 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,320 and $42,840.
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.