Bookkeeper salary in Topeka, KS
Topeka is the most expensive place in Kansas to hire a bookkeeper. The median is $48,350 a year1, 2.2% above the Kansas statewide median of $47,290 and 4.6% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #217 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 1,260 people in this job here, 8% of the Kansas total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Topeka, KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Topeka against Kansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | $32,940 | $48,350 | $66,210 | |
| Kansas | $32,130 | $47,290 | $64,130 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Topeka earns $38,680–$58,090. The top tenth earns $66,210 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 $19,410 wide, wider than in Kansas as a whole ($17,170) and the US ($17,950), so what a bookkeeper earns in Topeka depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,940 | $2,745 | $15.84 | $42,503 |
| 25th percentile | $38,680 | $3,223 | $18.60 | $49,910 |
| Median | $48,350 | $4,029 | $23.25 | $62,387 |
| 75th percentile | $58,090 | $4,841 | $27.93 | $74,955 |
| 90th percentile | $66,210 | $5,518 | $31.83 | $85,432 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $9,670 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $9,740, or about $12,568 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 Topeka, and the Kansas statewide median of $47,290 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Topeka
At the $48,350 median, a local hire costs about $62,387 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,037 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 Topeka
Of the 17 roles we track in Topeka, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between paralegals ($50,350) and medical administrative assistants ($44,820). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,000.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +11.5% | 90 | |
| Paralegal | +4.1% | 350 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 1,260 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.3% | 510 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -10.7% | 2,340 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Topeka (-4.6%), between customer support specialists (-3.6%) and virtual receptionists (-5.9%). The typical role here is at -8.8%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Topeka than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Topeka, 9.7% across Kansas and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Kansas
Across the 5 areas of Kansas with data for this job, the median runs from $44,660 in the Kansas nonmetro area to $48,350 in Topeka, a gap of $3,690 a year. All 2 areas in Kansas with more bookkeepers than Topeka pay less, among them the Kansas nonmetro area ($44,660) and Wichita, KS ($46,500).
| Area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | this area | 1,260 | |
| Lawrence, KS | -0.1% | 630 | |
| Wichita, KS | -3.8% | 3,070 | |
| Manhattan, KS | -5.7% | 560 | |
| Kansas (Nonmetro) | -7.6% | 4,420 |
Topeka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Topeka is #210 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Kansas, Winston-Salem and Memphis pay just above Topeka and Elmira and Prescott Valley-Prescott just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Topeka. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | +22.4% | 1,270 | jobs | |
| Reading, PA | +0.8% | 1,260 | jobs | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | +0.1% | 6,320 | pay | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | +0.0% | 2,880 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | this area | 1,260 | ||
| Elmira, NY | -0.0% | 350 | pay | |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | -0.1% | 540 | pay | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -1.6% | 1,270 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Topeka, KS?
About $62,387 a year at the median, or $5,199 a month: $48,350 in pay plus about $14,037 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Topeka?
The median was $48,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,940, the 90th $66,210, and the middle half earned $38,680 to $58,090.
Is Topeka the most expensive area in Kansas for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $48,350 is the highest of 5 areas in Kansas. Lawrence comes next at $48,290.
How many bookkeepers work in Topeka?
BLS counts about 1,260 in the May 2025 survey. That is 8% of the Kansas total of 15,380. Only the Kansas nonmetro area and Wichita have more in Kansas.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a medical administrative assistant in Topeka?
Yes: $3,530 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,350 and $44,820.
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.