Bookkeeper salary in Salem, OR
Salem pays bookkeepers close to the Oregon norm. The median is $54,420 a year1, about level with the Oregon statewide median of $54,060 and 7.4% above the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#59 of 521). About 2,230 bookkeepers work here, 10% of the Oregon total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Salem, OR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Salem against Oregon and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | $38,560 | $54,420 | $77,870 | |
| Oregon | $37,750 | $54,060 | $74,600 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $77,870, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Salem earns $45,460–$65,050. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $19,590 wide, wider than in Oregon as a whole ($17,200) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in Salem depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,560 | $3,213 | $18.54 | $49,755 |
| 25th percentile | $45,460 | $3,788 | $21.86 | $58,658 |
| Median | $54,420 | $4,535 | $26.16 | $70,219 |
| 75th percentile | $65,050 | $5,421 | $31.27 | $83,935 |
| 90th percentile | $77,870 | $6,489 | $37.44 | $100,477 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,960 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $10,630, or about $13,716 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 25th percentile and the median in Salem, and the Oregon statewide median of $54,060 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Salem
At the $54,420 median, a local hire costs about $70,219 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $15,799 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 Salem
Of the 17 roles we track in Salem, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($55,660) and HR assistants ($54,040). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,730.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +5.2% | 480 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +2.3% | 3,220 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,230 | |
| HR Assistant | -0.7% | 150 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -10.1% | 1,440 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in Salem (+7.4%), between office managers (+9.3%) and HR assistants (+6.8%). The typical role here is at +5.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 11.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Salem, 11.4% across Oregon and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Oregon
Across the 11 areas of Oregon with data for this job, the median runs from $46,660 in the Central Oregon nonmetro area to $57,040 in Portland-Vancouver, a gap of $10,380 a year. The one area in Oregon with more bookkeepers, Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA ($57,040), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Salem | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | +4.8% | 12,170 | |
| Bend, OR | +0.9% | 1,420 | |
| Salem, OR | this area | 2,230 | |
| Corvallis, OR | -6.5% | 370 | |
| Albany, OR | -6.6% | 540 | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -8.7% | 1,780 | |
| Grants Pass, OR | -9.5% | 370 |
Salem against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Salem is #105 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 Oregon, Kingston and Portland-South Portland pay just above Salem and Austin-Round Rock and Fresno just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in Salem. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Salem | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +0.3% | 2,670 | pay | |
| Kingston, NY | +0.2% | 670 | pay | |
| Salem, OR | this area | 2,230 | ||
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -0.2% | 11,900 | pay | |
| Fresno, CA | -0.5% | 4,310 | pay | |
| Asheville, NC | -10.2% | 2,200 | jobs | |
| Toledo, OH | -12.1% | 2,200 | jobs | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | -13.9% | 2,220 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Salem, OR?
About $70,219 a year at the median, or $5,852 a month: $54,420 in pay plus about $15,799 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Salem?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $54,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,560, the 90th $77,870, and the middle half earned $45,460 to $65,050.
Is Salem cheaper than the rest of Oregon for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $54,420 against $54,060 statewide. The next area up in Oregon is Bend at $54,900, the next down Corvallis at $50,870.
How many bookkeepers work in Salem?
BLS counts about 2,230 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the Oregon total of 21,710. Only Portland-Vancouver has more in Oregon.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Salem?
Yes: $380 a year more at the median. The medians are $54,420 and $54,040.
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.