Bookkeeper salary in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area
The South Central Tennessee nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $44,740 a year1 is 7.1% below the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180, and 11.7% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#424 of 521). About 1,110 bookkeepers work here, 3% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | $31,750 | $44,740 | $62,430 | |
| Tennessee | $35,000 | $48,180 | $67,730 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area earns $37,160–$51,440. The top tenth earns $62,430 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 only $14,280 wide, against $18,130 across Tennessee and $17,950 nationally: employers in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area 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 | $31,750 | $2,646 | $15.26 | $40,968 |
| 25th percentile | $37,160 | $3,097 | $17.87 | $47,948 |
| Median | $44,740 | $3,728 | $21.51 | $57,729 |
| 75th percentile | $51,440 | $4,287 | $24.73 | $66,374 |
| 90th percentile | $62,430 | $5,202 | $30.01 | $80,555 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,580 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,700, or about $8,645 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 the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area, and the Tennessee statewide median of $48,180 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area
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 $12,989 to the $44,740 median and brings it to $57,729 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 the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($45,060) and e-commerce order specialists ($40,660). Project Coordinator is the highest at $81,590.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +5.5% | 340 | |
| HR Assistant | +0.7% | 90 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,110 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -9.1% | 90 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -14.2% | 1,170 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area (-11.7%), between HR assistants (-11.0%) and e-commerce order specialists (-11.9%). The typical role here is at -14.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area, 10.4% across Tennessee and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $40,700 in Johnson City to $50,810 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $10,110 a year. Of the 8 areas in Tennessee with more bookkeepers than the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area, 2 pay less: the West Tennessee nonmetro area ($43,600) and the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area ($44,610).
| Area | Median | vs the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | +2.1% | 1,170 | |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +1.8% | 1,190 | |
| Jackson, TN | +1.1% | 800 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,110 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -0.3% | 1,160 | |
| Morristown, TN | -1.6% | 420 | |
| Cleveland, TN | -2.4% | 400 |
the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area is #247 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Tennessee, Yuma and Parkersburg-Vienna pay just above the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area and Jonesboro and Muncie just below. All four are within $240 a year of the median in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | +38.5% | 1,120 | jobs | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +8.8% | 1,120 | jobs | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | +7.2% | 1,110 | jobs | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | +0.5% | 400 | pay | |
| Yuma, AZ | +0.5% | 460 | pay | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,110 | ||
| Jonesboro, AR | -0.2% | 470 | pay | |
| Muncie, IN | -0.2% | 450 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro)?
About $57,729 a year at the median, or $4,811 a month: $44,740 in pay plus about $12,989 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,740 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,750, the 90th $62,430, and the middle half earned $37,160 to $51,440.
Is the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,740 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Jackson at $45,240, the next down the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area at $44,610.
How many bookkeepers work in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,110 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Tennessee total of 37,680. 8 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area, with about 1,160.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,080 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,740 and $40,660.
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.