Bookkeeper salary in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area
The Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $42,030 a year1 is 6.4% below the Louisiana statewide median of $44,890, and 17.1% below the US median of $50,670. Only 36 of 521 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 640 people in this job here, 3% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | $28,270 | $42,030 | $64,200 | |
| Louisiana | $28,760 | $44,890 | $65,220 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area earns $34,890–$51,790. The top tenth earns $64,200 or more, 2.3 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 $16,900 wide, against $18,180 across Louisiana and $17,950 nationally: employers in the Southwest Louisiana 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 | $28,270 | $2,356 | $13.59 | $36,477 |
| 25th percentile | $34,890 | $2,908 | $16.77 | $45,019 |
| Median | $42,030 | $3,502 | $20.21 | $54,232 |
| 75th percentile | $51,790 | $4,316 | $24.90 | $66,826 |
| 90th percentile | $64,200 | $5,350 | $30.87 | $82,839 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,140 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,760, or about $12,594 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 Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area, and the Louisiana statewide median of $44,890 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southwest Louisiana 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 $12,202 to the $42,030 median and brings it to $54,232 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 Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area
Of the 14 roles we track in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($44,740) and customer support specialists ($37,850). Project Coordinator is the highest at $88,130.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +7.2% | 80 | |
| Paralegal | +6.4% | 80 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 640 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -9.9% | 1,350 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -13.4% | 1,600 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 14 roles we track in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area (-17.1%), between sales development representatives (-16.5%) and medical administrative assistants (-20.8%). The typical role here is at -22.6%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.9% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area, 11.3% across Louisiana and 8.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 13 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $38,910 in Lafayette to $46,980 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $8,070 a year. Of the 8 areas in Louisiana with more bookkeepers than the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area, 2 pay less: Lafayette, LA ($38,910) and Monroe, LA ($41,970).
| Area | Median | vs the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | +4.1% | 770 | |
| Hammond, LA | +3.9% | 380 | |
| Alexandria, LA | +3.0% | 590 | |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 640 | |
| Monroe, LA | -0.1% | 1,020 | |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -5.2% | 550 | |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -6.9% | 600 |
the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area is #367 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 Louisiana, Beckley and Altoona pay just above the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area and McAllen-Edinburg and Anniston-Oxford just below. All four are within $630 a year of the median in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena, MT | +9.1% | 650 | jobs | |
| Abilene, TX | +8.5% | 650 | jobs | |
| Altoona, PA | +1.5% | 470 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | +1.3% | 450 | pay | |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 640 | ||
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -0.2% | 2,070 | pay | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -0.7% | 330 | pay | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -4.3% | 630 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro)?
About $54,232 a year at the median, or $4,519 a month: $42,030 in pay plus about $12,202 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $42,030 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,270, the 90th $64,200, and the middle half earned $34,890 to $51,790.
Is the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $42,030 against $44,890 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is Alexandria at $43,270, the next down Monroe at $41,970.
How many bookkeepers work in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 640 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Louisiana total of 18,980. 8 areas in Louisiana have more; the closest in size is Houma-Bayou Cane, with about 770.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a customer support specialist in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,180 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,030 and $37,850.
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.