Bookkeeper salary in Tallahassee, FL
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Tallahassee than in Florida or the country as a whole. The median is $45,900 a year1: 7.0% below the Florida statewide median of $49,330 and 9.4% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #364 of 521. About 1,130 bookkeepers work here, 1% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Tallahassee, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tallahassee against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tallahassee, FL | $33,910 | $45,900 | $67,840 | |
| Florida | $36,680 | $49,330 | $72,260 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Tallahassee earns $39,060–$55,940. The top tenth earns $67,840 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 $16,880 wide, against $17,070 across Florida and $17,950 nationally: employers in Tallahassee 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 | $33,910 | $2,826 | $16.30 | $43,755 |
| 25th percentile | $39,060 | $3,255 | $18.78 | $50,400 |
| Median | $45,900 | $3,825 | $22.07 | $59,226 |
| 75th percentile | $55,940 | $4,662 | $26.89 | $72,181 |
| 90th percentile | $67,840 | $5,653 | $32.62 | $87,535 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $10,040 a year in pay and about $12,955 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,840 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 Tallahassee, and the Florida statewide median of $49,330 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tallahassee
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 $13,326 to the $45,900 median and brings it to $59,226 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 Tallahassee
Of the 16 roles we track in Tallahassee, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($49,820) and HR assistants ($44,980). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,740.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +23.4% | 780 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +8.5% | 130 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,130 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.0% | 60 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -13.2% | 2,620 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 16 roles we track in Tallahassee (-9.4%); accountants come last (-26.1%). The typical role here is at -15.4%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Tallahassee than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 5.5% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Tallahassee, 7.7% across Florida and 8.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $44,360 in Homosassa Springs to $51,000 in Naples-Marco Island, a gap of $6,640 a year. All 12 areas in Florida with more bookkeepers than Tallahassee also pay more, among them Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ($50,300) and Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL ($50,090).
| Area | Median | vs Tallahassee | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | +2.1% | 2,220 | |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | +1.3% | 290 | |
| Ocala, FL | +1.0% | 1,130 | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | +0.7% | 760 | |
| Tallahassee, FL | this area | 1,130 | |
| Sebring, FL | -1.7% | 260 | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -3.4% | 310 |
Tallahassee against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tallahassee is #240 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Florida, Corpus Christi and Kokomo pay just above Tallahassee and Great Falls and College Station-Bryan just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Tallahassee. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tallahassee | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | +24.2% | 1,140 | jobs | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +6.1% | 1,120 | jobs | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | +1.3% | 1,130 | jobs | |
| Kokomo, IN | +0.2% | 280 | pay | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | +0.1% | 1,570 | pay | |
| Tallahassee, FL | this area | 1,130 | ||
| Great Falls, MT | -0.0% | 440 | pay | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -0.1% | 950 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Tallahassee, FL?
About $59,226 a year at the median, or $4,935 a month: $45,900 in pay plus about $13,326 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Tallahassee?
The median was $45,900 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,910, the 90th $67,840, and the middle half earned $39,060 to $55,940.
Is Tallahassee cheaper than the rest of Florida for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,900 against $49,330 statewide. The next area up in Florida is Panama City-Panama City Beach at $46,240, the next down Sebring at $45,140.
How many bookkeepers work in Tallahassee?
BLS counts about 1,130 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Florida total of 88,670. 13 areas in Florida have more; the closest in size is Ocala, with about 1,130.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Tallahassee?
Yes: $920 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,900 and $44,980.
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.