Bookkeeper salary in the South Nebraska nonmetro area
The South Nebraska nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $44,200 a year1 is 6.2% below the Nebraska statewide median of $47,110, and 12.8% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#447 of 521). BLS counts about 1,990 people in this job here, 20% of the Nebraska total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the South Nebraska nonmetro area against Nebraska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | $31,200 | $44,200 | $59,420 | |
| Nebraska | $33,060 | $47,110 | $62,460 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $59,420, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in the South Nebraska nonmetro area earns $36,460–$51,630. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,170 wide, against $15,900 across Nebraska and $17,950 nationally: employers in the South Nebraska 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 | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 | $40,258 |
| 25th percentile | $36,460 | $3,038 | $17.53 | $47,045 |
| Median | $44,200 | $3,683 | $21.25 | $57,032 |
| 75th percentile | $51,630 | $4,302 | $24.82 | $66,619 |
| 90th percentile | $59,420 | $4,952 | $28.57 | $76,671 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,740 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,430, or about $9,587 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 Nebraska nonmetro area, and the Nebraska statewide median of $47,110 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the South Nebraska nonmetro area
At the $44,200 median, a local hire costs about $57,032 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,832 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 the South Nebraska nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the South Nebraska nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between HR assistants ($44,500) and administrative assistants ($43,900). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,700.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +0.9% | 50 | |
| HR Assistant | +0.7% | 50 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,990 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -0.7% | 2,720 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -5.8% | 120 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in the South Nebraska nonmetro area (-12.8%), between HR assistants (-12.1%) and payroll specialists (-14.8%). The typical role here is at -14.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 16.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the South Nebraska nonmetro area, 10.1% across Nebraska and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Nebraska
Across the 6 areas of Nebraska with data for this job, the median runs from $42,180 in the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area to $49,230 in Omaha, a gap of $7,050 a year. The one area in Nebraska with more bookkeepers, Omaha, NE-IA ($49,230), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the South Nebraska nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | +11.4% | 4,110 | |
| Lincoln, NE | +8.4% | 1,660 | |
| Grand Island, NE | +5.5% | 440 | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 1,050 | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,990 | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -4.6% | 500 |
the South Nebraska nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the South Nebraska nonmetro area is #124 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Nebraska, Auburn-Opelika and San Angelo pay just above the South Nebraska nonmetro area and Bowling Green and Morristown just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in the South Nebraska nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the South Nebraska nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | +38.3% | 2,040 | jobs | |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | +18.9% | 1,990 | jobs | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | +8.1% | 1,970 | jobs | |
| San Angelo, TX | +0.2% | 490 | pay | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +0.2% | 560 | pay | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,990 | ||
| Bowling Green, KY | -0.1% | 900 | pay | |
| Morristown, TN | -0.4% | 420 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in South Nebraska (Nonmetro)?
About $57,032 a year at the median, or $4,753 a month: $44,200 in pay plus about $12,832 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the South Nebraska nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,200 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,200, the 90th $59,420, and the middle half earned $36,460 to $51,630.
Is the South Nebraska nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Nebraska for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,200 against $47,110 statewide. The next area up in Nebraska is the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area at $44,360, the next down the Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area at $42,180.
How many bookkeepers work in the South Nebraska nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,990 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the Nebraska total of 10,050. Only Omaha has more in Nebraska.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in the South Nebraska nonmetro area?
Yes: $300 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,200 and $43,900.
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.