Bookkeeper salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
South Bend-Mishawaka pays bookkeepers close to the Indiana norm. The median is $47,940 a year1, about level with the Indiana statewide median of $47,820 and 5.4% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #240 of 521 areas. About 1,110 bookkeepers work here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in South Bend-Mishawaka against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $32,310 | $47,940 | $64,370 | |
| Indiana | $33,010 | $47,820 | $66,960 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in South Bend-Mishawaka earns $39,310–$57,190. The top tenth earns $64,370 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.1 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,880 wide, between the figure for Indiana ($17,800) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,310 | $2,692 | $15.53 | $41,690 |
| 25th percentile | $39,310 | $3,276 | $18.90 | $50,723 |
| Median | $47,940 | $3,995 | $23.05 | $61,858 |
| 75th percentile | $57,190 | $4,766 | $27.50 | $73,794 |
| 90th percentile | $64,370 | $5,364 | $30.95 | $83,058 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,630 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,250, or about $11,935 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, and the Indiana statewide median of $47,820 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in South Bend-Mishawaka
At the $47,940 median, a local hire costs about $61,858 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,918 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 South Bend-Mishawaka
Of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($49,650) and HR assistants ($46,120). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,820.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +5.0% | 100 | |
| Paralegal | +3.6% | 210 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,110 | |
| HR Assistant | -3.8% | 80 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -11.2% | 870 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka (-5.4%), between virtual receptionists (-4.4%) and office managers (-5.6%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in South Bend-Mishawaka than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in South Bend-Mishawaka, 11.2% across Indiana and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $44,650 in Muncie to $49,190 in Elkhart-Goshen, a gap of $4,540 a year. Of the 7 areas in Indiana with more bookkeepers than South Bend-Mishawaka, 5 pay less, the largest of them Fort Wayne, IN ($47,770), the Northern Indiana nonmetro area ($46,700) and the Southern Indiana nonmetro area ($45,710).
| Area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +2.6% | 1,190 | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +1.7% | 10,000 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +1.0% | 930 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 1,110 | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | -0.4% | 1,970 | |
| Bloomington, IN | -2.4% | 710 | |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | -2.6% | 1,970 |
South Bend-Mishawaka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, South Bend-Mishawaka is #246 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Indiana, Muskegon-Norton Shores and El Centro pay just above South Bend-Mishawaka and Lincoln and Gainesville just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in South Bend-Mishawaka. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | +29.2% | 1,120 | jobs | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +1.6% | 1,120 | jobs | |
| El Centro, CA | +0.0% | 530 | pay | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | +0.0% | 440 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 1,110 | ||
| Lincoln, NE | -0.0% | 1,660 | pay | |
| Gainesville, FL | -0.1% | 1,090 | pay | |
| Ocala, FL | -3.3% | 1,130 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?
About $61,858 a year at the median, or $5,155 a month: $47,940 in pay plus about $13,918 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in South Bend-Mishawaka?
The median was $47,940 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,310, the 90th $64,370, and the middle half earned $39,310 to $57,190.
Is South Bend-Mishawaka cheaper than the rest of Indiana for bookkeepers?
About the same: a median of $47,940 against $47,820 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Lafayette-West Lafayette at $48,400, the next down Fort Wayne at $47,770.
How many bookkeepers work in South Bend-Mishawaka?
BLS counts about 1,110 in the May 2025 survey. 7 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is Elkhart-Goshen, with about 1,190.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Yes: $1,820 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,940 and $46,120.
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.