Bookkeeper salary in Tucson, AZ
Tucson is a lower-cost market for bookkeepers: the median of $47,150 a year1 is 6.8% below the Arizona statewide median of $50,590, and 6.9% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #281 of 521. About 2,640 bookkeepers work here, 12% of the Arizona total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Tucson, AZ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tucson against Arizona and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, AZ | $35,310 | $47,150 | $62,980 | |
| Arizona | $37,440 | $50,590 | $68,170 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Tucson earns $40,230–$55,830. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $62,980, 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 $15,600 wide, between the figure for Arizona ($14,570) and the US figure ($17,950).
What to budget for a bookkeeper here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,310 | $2,942 | $16.98 | $45,561 |
| 25th percentile | $40,230 | $3,352 | $19.34 | $51,910 |
| Median | $47,150 | $3,929 | $22.67 | $60,839 |
| 75th percentile | $55,830 | $4,652 | $26.84 | $72,039 |
| 90th percentile | $62,980 | $5,248 | $30.28 | $81,265 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,680 a year in pay and about $11,200 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $6,920 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 Tucson, and the Arizona statewide median of $50,590 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tucson
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 $13,689 to the $47,150 median and brings it to $60,839 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 Tucson
Of the 17 roles we track in Tucson, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($49,090) and e-commerce order specialists ($46,330). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,500.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +11.2% | 980 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +4.1% | 330 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,640 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -1.7% | 80 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.8% | 180 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Tucson (-6.9%), between administrative assistants (-5.3%) and accountants (-8.8%). The typical role here is at -10.1%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Tucson than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 7.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Tucson, 6.5% across Arizona and 8.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Arizona
Across the 8 areas of Arizona with data for this job, the median runs from $43,610 in Sierra Vista-Douglas to $51,980 in Phoenix-Mesa, a gap of $8,370 a year. The one area in Arizona with more bookkeepers, Phoenix-Mesa, AZ ($51,980), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Tucson | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | +10.2% | 16,280 | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | +5.3% | 460 | |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | +2.5% | 540 | |
| Tucson, AZ | this area | 2,640 | |
| Arizona (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 760 | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | -1.8% | 380 | |
| Yuma, AZ | -4.6% | 460 |
Tucson against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tucson is #89 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 Arizona, Oklahoma City and Pensacola-Ferry Pass pay just above Tucson and Huntsville and St. George just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Tucson. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tucson | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +15.8% | 2,670 | jobs | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | +3.9% | 2,600 | jobs | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | +0.2% | 1,660 | pay | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | +0.0% | 6,470 | pay | |
| Tucson, AZ | this area | 2,640 | ||
| Huntsville, AL | -0.0% | 1,830 | pay | |
| St. George, UT | -0.0% | 620 | pay | |
| Jackson, MS | -6.9% | 2,610 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Tucson, AZ?
About $60,839 a year at the median, or $5,070 a month: $47,150 in pay plus about $13,689 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Tucson?
The median was $47,150 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,310, the 90th $62,980, and the middle half earned $40,230 to $55,830.
Is Tucson cheaper than the rest of Arizona for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $47,150 against $50,590 statewide. The next area up in Arizona is Prescott Valley-Prescott at $48,310, the next down the Arizona nonmetro area at $46,530.
How many bookkeepers work in Tucson?
BLS counts about 2,640 in the May 2025 survey. That is 12% of the Arizona total of 22,690. Only Phoenix-Mesa has more in Arizona.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Tucson?
Yes: $820 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,150 and $46,330.
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.