Bookkeeper salary in St. Joseph, MO-KS
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in St. Joseph than in Missouri or the country as a whole. The median is $46,730 a year1: 2.6% below the Missouri statewide median of $47,990 and 7.8% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #309 of 521. BLS counts about 310 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area St. Joseph, MO-KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in St. Joseph against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $35,480 | $46,730 | $64,160 | |
| Missouri | $34,570 | $47,990 | $68,180 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in St. Joseph earns $40,200–$55,360. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $64,160, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.1 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $15,160 wide, against $17,920 across Missouri and $17,950 nationally: employers in St. Joseph 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 | $35,480 | $2,957 | $17.06 | $45,781 |
| 25th percentile | $40,200 | $3,350 | $19.33 | $51,871 |
| Median | $46,730 | $3,894 | $22.47 | $60,297 |
| 75th percentile | $55,360 | $4,613 | $26.62 | $71,432 |
| 90th percentile | $64,160 | $5,347 | $30.85 | $82,787 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,530 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,630, or about $11,135 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 St. Joseph, and the Missouri statewide median of $47,990 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in St. Joseph
At the $46,730 median, a local hire costs about $60,297 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,567 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 St. Joseph
Of the 15 roles we track in St. Joseph, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($47,210) and customer support specialists ($42,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $89,670.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +6.5% | 50 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +1.0% | 120 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 310 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.3% | 780 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -9.7% | 630 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 15 roles we track in St. Joseph (-7.8%), between virtual receptionists (-7.4%) and administrative assistants (-11.2%). The typical role here is at -15.1%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in St. Joseph than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 7.9% of the jobs in these 15 roles in St. Joseph, 7.7% across Missouri and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $41,150 in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area to $50,940 in Kansas City, a gap of $9,790 a year. Of the 10 areas in Missouri with more bookkeepers than St. Joseph, 7 pay less, the largest of them Springfield, MO ($45,330), the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area ($41,790) and the Central Missouri nonmetro area ($42,820).
| Area | Median | vs St. Joseph | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +9.0% | 8,780 | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | +6.9% | 9,950 | |
| Columbia, MO | +4.7% | 880 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | this area | 310 | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -2.0% | 310 | |
| Springfield, MO | -3.0% | 1,440 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -3.3% | 590 |
St. Joseph against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, St. Joseph is #506 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Missouri, Baton Rouge and Rockford pay just above St. Joseph and Columbia and Evansville just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in St. Joseph. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs St. Joseph | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | +0.1% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | +0.0% | 4,060 | pay | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | this area | 310 | ||
| Columbia, SC | -0.1% | 3,260 | pay | |
| Evansville, IN | -0.1% | 1,320 | pay | |
| Rome, GA | -2.5% | 300 | jobs | |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | -3.4% | 300 | jobs | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -5.1% | 310 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in St. Joseph, MO-KS?
About $60,297 a year at the median, or $5,025 a month: $46,730 in pay plus about $13,567 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in St. Joseph?
The median was $46,730 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,480, the 90th $64,160, and the middle half earned $40,200 to $55,360.
Is St. Joseph cheaper than the rest of Missouri for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,730 against $47,990 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Columbia at $48,920, the next down Cape Girardeau at $45,810.
How many bookkeepers work in St. Joseph?
BLS counts about 310 in the May 2025 survey. 11 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is Cape Girardeau, with about 310.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a customer support specialist in St. Joseph?
Yes: $3,890 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,730 and $42,840.
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.