Bookkeeper salary in St. Louis, MO-IL
St. Louis pays bookkeepers more than Missouri as a whole but less than the country. The median is $49,970 a year1: 4.1% above the Missouri statewide median of $47,990 and 1.4% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #138 of 521. It is the largest market for the job in Missouri: about 9,950 people.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area St. Louis, MO-IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in St. Louis against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $37,680 | $49,970 | $74,090 | |
| Missouri | $34,570 | $47,990 | $68,180 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in St. Louis earns $45,360–$60,600. The top tenth earns $74,090 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 $15,240 wide, against $17,920 across Missouri and $17,950 nationally: employers in St. Louis 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 | $37,680 | $3,140 | $18.12 | $48,619 |
| 25th percentile | $45,360 | $3,780 | $21.81 | $58,529 |
| Median | $49,970 | $4,164 | $24.02 | $64,477 |
| 75th percentile | $60,600 | $5,050 | $29.13 | $78,194 |
| 90th percentile | $74,090 | $6,174 | $35.62 | $95,600 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,630 over the median, the 25th only $4,610 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,716 a year in employer cost. 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. Louis, and the Missouri statewide median of $47,990 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in St. Louis
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 $14,507 to the $49,970 median and brings it to $64,477 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 St. Louis
Of the 17 roles we track in St. Louis, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($59,190) and HR assistants ($47,960). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,510.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +21.8% | 7,750 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +18.5% | 1,530 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 9,950 | |
| HR Assistant | -4.0% | 490 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -7.5% | 15,000 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in St. Louis (-1.4%), between office managers (-1.3%) and paralegals (-1.5%). The typical role here is at -2.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 7.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in St. Louis, 7.7% across Missouri and 8.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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. No other area in Missouri has as many bookkeepers, and 10 of the other 11 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs St. Louis | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +1.9% | 8,780 | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | this area | 9,950 | |
| Columbia, MO | -2.1% | 880 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | -6.5% | 310 | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -8.3% | 310 | |
| Springfield, MO | -9.3% | 1,440 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -9.6% | 590 |
St. Louis against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, St. Louis is #27 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Missouri, Tampa-St. Petersburg and Sheboygan pay just above St. Louis and Las Vegas-Henderson and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach just below. All four are within $200 a year of the median in St. Louis. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs St. Louis | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheboygan, WI | +0.4% | 410 | pay | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | +0.2% | 12,750 | pay | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | this area | 9,950 | ||
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -0.0% | 10,320 | pay | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL | -0.1% | 1,050 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -0.8% | 9,050 | jobs | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -2.4% | 10,000 | jobs | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -5.4% | 9,250 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in St. Louis, MO-IL?
About $64,477 a year at the median, or $5,373 a month: $49,970 in pay plus about $14,507 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in St. Louis?
The median was $49,970 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,680, the 90th $74,090, and the middle half earned $45,360 to $60,600.
Is St. Louis cheaper than the rest of Missouri for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $49,970 against $47,990 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Kansas City at $50,940, the next down Columbia at $48,920.
How many bookkeepers work in St. Louis?
BLS counts about 9,950 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Missouri has as many.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in St. Louis?
Yes: $2,010 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,970 and $47,960.
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.