Bookkeeper salary in Traverse City, MI
Traverse City is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $46,350 a year1 is 5.4% below the Michigan statewide median of $48,980, and 8.5% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #339 of 521 areas. About 890 bookkeepers work here, 2% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Traverse City, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Traverse City against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MI | $36,550 | $46,350 | $60,960 | |
| Michigan | $36,250 | $48,980 | $67,480 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Traverse City earns $41,200–$53,300. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $60,960, only 1.7 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 $12,100 wide, against $15,790 across Michigan and $17,950 nationally: employers in Traverse City 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 | $36,550 | $3,046 | $17.57 | $47,161 |
| 25th percentile | $41,200 | $3,433 | $19.81 | $53,161 |
| Median | $46,350 | $3,862 | $22.28 | $59,806 |
| 75th percentile | $53,300 | $4,442 | $25.62 | $68,774 |
| 90th percentile | $60,960 | $5,080 | $29.31 | $78,658 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,150 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,950, or about $8,968 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 Traverse City, and the Michigan statewide median of $48,980 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Traverse City
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 $13,456 to the $46,350 median and brings it to $59,806 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 Traverse City
Of the 16 roles we track in Traverse City, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($53,550) and administrative assistants ($44,200). Project Coordinator is the highest at $83,720.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +21.4% | 120 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +15.5% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 890 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.6% | 640 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -9.0% | 530 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in Traverse City (-8.5%), between medical administrative assistants (-8.2%) and paralegals (-10.5%). The typical role here is at -10.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 14.0% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Traverse City, 9.3% across Michigan and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $45,230 in the Northern Michigan nonmetro area to $51,480 in Detroit-Warren, a gap of $6,250 a year. Of the 10 areas in Michigan with more bookkeepers than Traverse City, 2 pay less: the Northern Michigan nonmetro area ($45,230) and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetro area ($45,750).
| Area | Median | vs Traverse City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flint, MI | +1.3% | 990 | |
| Midland, MI | +0.3% | 370 | |
| Saginaw, MI | +0.3% | 670 | |
| Mid Michigan (Nonmetro) | +0.2% | 1,410 | |
| Traverse City, MI | this area | 890 | |
| Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 1,170 | |
| Northern Michigan (Nonmetro) | -2.4% | 1,190 |
Traverse City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Traverse City is #304 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Michigan, State College and Ocala pay just above Traverse City and Mansfield and Paducah just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Traverse City. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Traverse City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | +6.3% | 890 | jobs | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +1.5% | 890 | jobs | |
| Ocala, FL | +0.1% | 1,130 | pay | |
| State College, PA | +0.0% | 490 | pay | |
| Traverse City, MI | this area | 890 | ||
| Mansfield, OH | -0.1% | 330 | pay | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | -0.1% | 610 | pay | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -4.7% | 900 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Traverse City, MI?
About $59,806 a year at the median, or $4,984 a month: $46,350 in pay plus about $13,456 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Traverse City?
The median was $46,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,550, the 90th $60,960, and the middle half earned $41,200 to $53,300.
Is Traverse City cheaper than the rest of Michigan for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $46,350 against $48,980 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is the Mid Michigan nonmetro area at $46,440, the next down the Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetro area at $45,750.
How many bookkeepers work in Traverse City?
BLS counts about 890 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Michigan total of 37,550. 10 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is Flint, with about 990.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Traverse City?
Yes: $2,150 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,350 and $44,200.
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.