Bookkeeper salary in Sioux City, IA-NE
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Sioux City than in Iowa or the country as a whole. The median is $47,390 a year1: 1.6% below the Iowa statewide median of $48,180 and 6.5% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #269 of 521. BLS counts about 690 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Sioux City, IA-NE-SD. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Sioux City against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City, IA-NE | $34,630 | $47,390 | $61,450 | |
| Iowa | $33,240 | $48,180 | $66,490 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Sioux City earns $39,990–$53,540. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $61,450, 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 $13,550 wide, against $16,400 across Iowa and $17,950 nationally: employers in Sioux City 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 | $34,630 | $2,886 | $16.65 | $44,684 |
| 25th percentile | $39,990 | $3,332 | $19.23 | $51,600 |
| Median | $47,390 | $3,949 | $22.78 | $61,148 |
| 75th percentile | $53,540 | $4,462 | $25.74 | $69,084 |
| 90th percentile | $61,450 | $5,121 | $29.54 | $79,290 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,150 a year in pay and about $7,935 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,400 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 Sioux City, and the Iowa statewide median of $48,180 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Sioux City
At the $47,390 median, a local hire costs about $61,148 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,758 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 Sioux City
Of the 15 roles we track in Sioux City, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($54,930) and administrative assistants ($45,950). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,130.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +18.0% | 50 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +15.9% | 240 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 690 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.0% | 640 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -6.0% | 40 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 15 roles we track in Sioux City (-6.5%), between accountants (-6.0%) and customer support specialists (-8.4%). The typical role here is at -8.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.9% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Sioux City, 10.4% across Iowa and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $46,600 in the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area to $50,610 in Des Moines-West Des Moines, a gap of $4,010 a year. Of the 7 areas in Iowa with more bookkeepers than Sioux City, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($46,640), the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area ($46,870) and the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area ($46,680).
| Area | Median | vs Sioux City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +0.9% | 1,360 | |
| Dubuque, IA | +0.5% | 520 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | +0.3% | 580 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | this area | 690 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,620 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -1.5% | 1,130 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 1,790 |
Sioux City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Sioux City is #354 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Missoula and Burlington pay just above Sioux City and Athens-Clarke County and Birmingham just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Sioux City. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Sioux City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | +30.2% | 700 | jobs | |
| Merced, CA | +9.2% | 680 | jobs | |
| Bismarck, ND | +4.1% | 690 | jobs | |
| Burlington, NC | +0.1% | 600 | pay | |
| Missoula, MT | +0.1% | 760 | pay | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | this area | 690 | ||
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | -0.1% | 820 | pay | |
| Birmingham, AL | -0.1% | 5,430 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Sioux City, IA-NE?
About $61,148 a year at the median, or $5,096 a month: $47,390 in pay plus about $13,758 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Sioux City?
The median was $47,390 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,630, the 90th $61,450, and the middle half earned $39,990 to $53,540.
Is Sioux City cheaper than the rest of Iowa for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $47,390 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Waterloo-Cedar Falls at $47,540, the next down the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area at $46,870.
How many bookkeepers work in Sioux City?
BLS counts about 690 in the May 2025 survey. 7 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area, with about 800.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Sioux City?
Yes: $1,440 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,390 and $45,950.
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.