Bookkeeper salary in Saginaw, MI
Saginaw is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $46,480 a year1 is 5.1% below the Michigan statewide median of $48,980, and 8.3% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #330 of 521 areas. About 670 bookkeepers work here, 2% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Saginaw, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Saginaw against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw, MI | $35,140 | $46,480 | $64,190 | |
| Michigan | $36,250 | $48,980 | $67,480 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Saginaw earns $39,520–$54,080. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $64,190, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,560 wide, against $15,790 across Michigan and $17,950 nationally: employers in Saginaw 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 | $35,140 | $2,928 | $16.89 | $45,342 |
| 25th percentile | $39,520 | $3,293 | $19.00 | $50,994 |
| Median | $46,480 | $3,873 | $22.35 | $59,974 |
| 75th percentile | $54,080 | $4,507 | $26.00 | $69,781 |
| 90th percentile | $64,190 | $5,349 | $30.86 | $82,826 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,960 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,600, or about $9,806 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 median and the 75th percentile in Saginaw, and the Michigan statewide median of $48,980 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Saginaw
At the $46,480 median, a local hire costs about $59,974 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,494 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 Saginaw
Of the 17 roles we track in Saginaw, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($48,740) and HR assistants ($45,930). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,960.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +23.7% | 410 | |
| Paralegal | +4.9% | 110 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 670 | |
| HR Assistant | -1.2% | 40 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.1% | 740 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Saginaw (-8.3%), between e-commerce order specialists (-7.8%) and accountants (-8.8%). 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 Saginaw, 9.3% across Michigan and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $45,230 in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area to $51,480 in Detroit-Warren, a gap of $6,250 a year. Of the 11 areas in Michigan with more bookkeepers than Saginaw, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Mid Michigan nonmetro area ($46,440), the Northern Michigan nonmetro area ($45,230) and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetro area ($45,750).
| Area | Median | vs Saginaw | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Michigan (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 1,200 | |
| Flint, MI | +1.1% | 990 | |
| Midland, MI | +0.0% | 370 | |
| Saginaw, MI | this area | 670 | |
| Mid Michigan (Nonmetro) | -0.1% | 1,410 | |
| Traverse City, MI | -0.3% | 890 | |
| Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 1,170 |
Saginaw against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Saginaw is #358 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Michigan, Hagerstown-Martinsburg and Wildwood-The Villages pay just above Saginaw and Chambersburg and Augusta-Richmond County just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in Saginaw. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Saginaw | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, NY | +17.3% | 670 | jobs | |
| Merced, CA | +11.3% | 680 | jobs | |
| Iowa City, IA | +5.9% | 660 | jobs | |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | +0.0% | 290 | pay | |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | +0.0% | 760 | pay | |
| Saginaw, MI | this area | 670 | ||
| Chambersburg, PA | -0.0% | 420 | pay | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | -0.1% | 1,640 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Saginaw, MI?
About $59,974 a year at the median, or $4,998 a month: $46,480 in pay plus about $13,494 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Saginaw?
The median was $46,480 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,140, the 90th $64,190, and the middle half earned $39,520 to $54,080.
Is Saginaw cheaper than the rest of Michigan for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,480 against $48,980 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Midland at $46,500, the next down the Mid Michigan nonmetro area at $46,440.
How many bookkeepers work in Saginaw?
BLS counts about 670 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Michigan total of 37,550. 11 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is Traverse City, with about 890.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Saginaw?
Yes: $550 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,480 and $45,930.
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.