Bookkeeper salary in Santa Fe, NM
No other area in New Mexico pays bookkeepers more than Santa Fe: the median is $50,890 a year1. That is 5.8% above the New Mexico statewide median of $48,080, and about level with the US median of $50,670. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#106 of 521). BLS counts about 560 people in this job here, 7% of the New Mexico total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Santa Fe, NM. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Santa Fe against New Mexico and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | $36,460 | $50,890 | $76,220 | |
| New Mexico | $35,660 | $48,080 | $70,890 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $76,220, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Santa Fe earns $42,340–$61,940. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $19,600 wide, wider than in New Mexico as a whole ($18,110) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in Santa Fe 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 | $36,460 | $3,038 | $17.53 | $47,045 |
| 25th percentile | $42,340 | $3,528 | $20.36 | $54,632 |
| Median | $50,890 | $4,241 | $24.47 | $65,665 |
| 75th percentile | $61,940 | $5,162 | $29.78 | $79,923 |
| 90th percentile | $76,220 | $6,352 | $36.64 | $98,348 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,550 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $11,050, or about $14,258 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 Santa Fe, and the New Mexico statewide median of $48,080 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Santa Fe
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 $14,775 to the $50,890 median and brings it to $65,665 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 Santa Fe
Of the 13 roles we track in Santa Fe, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($58,700) and administrative assistants ($50,170). Project Coordinator is the highest at $89,380.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +18.5% | 280 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +15.3% | 260 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 560 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -1.4% | 2,410 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.6% | 320 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 13 roles we track in Santa Fe (+0.4%), between medical administrative assistants (+2.4%) and virtual receptionists (-2.6%). The typical role here is at -5.4%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Santa Fe than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 7.4% of the jobs in these 13 roles in Santa Fe, 8.3% across New Mexico and 8.9% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New Mexico
Across the 6 areas of New Mexico with data for this job, the median runs from $44,460 in Las Cruces to $50,890 in Santa Fe, a gap of $6,430 a year. All 4 areas in New Mexico with more bookkeepers than Santa Fe pay less, among them Albuquerque, NM ($49,660) and the Eastern New Mexico nonmetro area ($46,010).
| Area | Median | vs Santa Fe | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe, NM | this area | 560 | |
| Albuquerque, NM | -2.4% | 3,440 | |
| Northern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | -7.5% | 740 | |
| Farmington, NM | -9.6% | 560 | |
| Eastern New Mexico (Nonmetro) | -9.6% | 1,540 | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -12.6% | 580 |
Santa Fe against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Santa Fe is #402 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, but its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside New Mexico, Milwaukee-Waukesha and Kansas City pay just above Santa Fe and Corvallis and Rochester just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Santa Fe. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Santa Fe | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +0.1% | 8,780 | pay | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | +0.1% | 6,750 | pay | |
| Santa Fe, NM | this area | 560 | ||
| Corvallis, OR | -0.0% | 370 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | -0.0% | 4,380 | pay | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -13.0% | 560 | jobs | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | -13.9% | 560 | jobs | |
| Dothan, AL | -18.8% | 560 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Santa Fe, NM?
About $65,665 a year at the median, or $5,472 a month: $50,890 in pay plus about $14,775 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Santa Fe?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,890 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,460, the 90th $76,220, and the middle half earned $42,340 to $61,940.
Is Santa Fe the most expensive area in New Mexico for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $50,890 is the highest of 6 areas in New Mexico. Albuquerque comes next at $49,660.
How many bookkeepers work in Santa Fe?
BLS counts about 560 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the New Mexico total of 7,780. 5 areas in New Mexico have more; the closest in size is Farmington, with about 560.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Santa Fe?
Yes: $720 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,890 and $50,170.
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.