Bookkeeper salary in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area than in Iowa or the country as a whole. The median is $46,640 a year1: 3.2% below the Iowa statewide median of $48,180 and 8.0% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #318 of 521. About 1,790 bookkeepers work here, 13% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | $31,200 | $46,640 | $62,240 | |
| Iowa | $33,240 | $48,180 | $66,490 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area earns $37,620–$54,490. The top tenth earns $62,240 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 $16,870 wide, between the figure for Iowa ($16,400) 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 | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 | $40,258 |
| 25th percentile | $37,620 | $3,135 | $18.09 | $48,542 |
| Median | $46,640 | $3,887 | $22.42 | $60,181 |
| 75th percentile | $54,490 | $4,541 | $26.20 | $70,310 |
| 90th percentile | $62,240 | $5,187 | $29.92 | $80,310 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,850 a year in pay and about $10,129 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $9,020 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 the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, and the Iowa statewide median of $48,180 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southeast Iowa 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 $13,541 to the $46,640 median and brings it to $60,181 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 Southeast Iowa nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between paralegals ($48,840) and administrative assistants ($42,640). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,430.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +8.3% | 100 | |
| Paralegal | +4.7% | 210 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,790 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -8.6% | 1,650 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -12.5% | 2,180 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area (-8.0%), between virtual receptionists (-4.4%) and payroll specialists (-8.3%). The typical role here is at -10.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 13.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area, 10.3% 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. The one area in Iowa with more bookkeepers, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($50,610), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IA | +2.1% | 520 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | +1.9% | 580 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | +1.6% | 690 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | +0.5% | 1,620 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +0.1% | 1,130 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,790 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.1% | 800 |
the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area is #137 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Michigan City-La Porte and Columbus pay just above the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area and Amarillo and Grand Island just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | +6.5% | 1,780 | jobs | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | +5.7% | 1,770 | jobs | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | +1.9% | 1,810 | jobs | |
| Columbus, IN | +0.0% | 360 | pay | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | +0.0% | 340 | pay | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,790 | ||
| Amarillo, TX | -0.0% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Grand Island, NE | -0.1% | 440 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro)?
About $60,181 a year at the median, or $5,015 a month: $46,640 in pay plus about $13,541 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
The median was $46,640 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,200, the 90th $62,240, and the middle half earned $37,620 to $54,490.
Is the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Iowa for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,640 against $48,180 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area at $46,680, the next down the Southwest Iowa nonmetro area at $46,600.
How many bookkeepers work in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,790 in the May 2025 survey. That is 13% of the Iowa total of 14,020. Only Des Moines-West Des Moines has more in Iowa.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,000 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,640 and $42,640.
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.