Bookkeeper salary in Valdosta, GA
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Valdosta than in Georgia or the country as a whole. The median is $44,540 a year1: 9.7% below the Georgia statewide median of $49,350 and 12.1% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#434 of 521). About 450 bookkeepers work here, 1% of the Georgia total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Valdosta, GA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Valdosta against Georgia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valdosta, GA | $28,580 | $44,540 | $61,010 | |
| Georgia (US state) | $32,810 | $49,350 | $71,810 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Valdosta earns $35,690–$50,860. The top tenth earns $61,010 or more, 2.1 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 $15,170 wide, against $19,600 across Georgia and $17,950 nationally: employers in Valdosta 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 | $28,580 | $2,382 | $13.74 | $36,877 |
| 25th percentile | $35,690 | $2,974 | $17.16 | $46,052 |
| Median | $44,540 | $3,712 | $21.41 | $57,471 |
| 75th percentile | $50,860 | $4,238 | $24.45 | $65,626 |
| 90th percentile | $61,010 | $5,084 | $29.33 | $78,723 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,320 a year in pay and about $8,155 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,850 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 Valdosta, and the Georgia statewide median of $49,350 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Valdosta
At the $44,540 median, a local hire costs about $57,471 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,931 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 Valdosta
Of the 15 roles we track in Valdosta, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between paralegals ($48,150) and HR assistants ($39,060). Project Coordinator is the highest at $77,730.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +11.7% | 60 | |
| Paralegal | +8.1% | 140 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 450 | |
| HR Assistant | -12.3% | 30 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -18.6% | 540 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 15 roles we track in Valdosta (-12.1%); recruiters come last (-27.2%). The typical role here is at -22.8%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Valdosta than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.2% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Valdosta, 7.6% across Georgia and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Georgia
Across the 18 areas of Georgia with data for this job, the median runs from $42,800 in Columbus to $51,170 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, a gap of $8,370 a year. Of the 12 areas in Georgia with more bookkeepers than Valdosta, 4 pay less, the largest of them the South Georgia nonmetro area ($44,210), the Middle Georgia nonmetro area ($44,290) and Columbus, GA-AL ($42,800).
| Area | Median | vs Valdosta | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome, GA | +2.3% | 300 | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | +1.6% | 360 | |
| North Georgia (Nonmetro) | +1.5% | 1,460 | |
| Valdosta, GA | this area | 450 | |
| Middle Georgia (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 1,060 | |
| South Georgia (Nonmetro) | -0.7% | 1,560 | |
| East Georgia (Nonmetro) | -2.2% | 710 |
Valdosta against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Valdosta is #455 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Georgia, Lake Charles and Wheeling pay just above Valdosta and Slidell-Mandeville and Little Rock-North Little Rock just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Valdosta. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Valdosta | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salisbury, MD | +11.2% | 450 | jobs | |
| Muncie, IN | +0.2% | 450 | jobs | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | +0.2% | 520 | pay | |
| Lake Charles, LA | +0.0% | 830 | pay | |
| Valdosta, GA | this area | 450 | ||
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -0.0% | 1,180 | pay | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -0.2% | 3,480 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | -4.4% | 450 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Valdosta, GA?
About $57,471 a year at the median, or $4,789 a month: $44,540 in pay plus about $12,931 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Valdosta?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,540 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,580, the 90th $61,010, and the middle half earned $35,690 to $50,860.
Is Valdosta cheaper than the rest of Georgia for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,540 against $49,350 statewide. The next area up in Georgia is the North Georgia nonmetro area at $45,210, the next down the Middle Georgia nonmetro area at $44,290.
How many bookkeepers work in Valdosta?
BLS counts about 450 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Georgia total of 38,700. 12 areas in Georgia have more; the closest in size is Dalton, with about 530.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an HR assistant in Valdosta?
Yes: $5,480 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,540 and $39,060.
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.