Bookkeeper salary in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Of the 16 areas in New York with BLS pay data for this job, Watertown-Fort Drum has the lowest median: $47,100 a year1. That is 19.0% below the New York statewide median of $58,160, and 7.0% below the US median of $50,670. Among US areas it comes in at #285 of 521. About 390 bookkeepers work here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Watertown-Fort Drum, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Watertown-Fort Drum against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $35,120 | $47,100 | $64,950 | |
| New York | $39,880 | $58,160 | $81,990 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Watertown-Fort Drum earns $39,360–$56,160. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $64,950, 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 only $16,800 wide, against $21,930 across New York and $17,950 nationally: employers in Watertown-Fort Drum 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 | $35,120 | $2,927 | $16.88 | $45,316 |
| 25th percentile | $39,360 | $3,280 | $18.92 | $50,787 |
| Median | $47,100 | $3,925 | $22.64 | $60,774 |
| 75th percentile | $56,160 | $4,680 | $27.00 | $72,465 |
| 90th percentile | $64,950 | $5,412 | $31.23 | $83,806 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,060 a year in pay and about $11,690 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,740 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 Watertown-Fort Drum, and the New York statewide median of $58,160 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Watertown-Fort Drum
At the $47,100 median, a local hire costs about $60,774 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,674 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 Watertown-Fort Drum
Of the 15 roles we track in Watertown-Fort Drum, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between HR assistants ($50,940) and administrative assistants ($46,120). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,110.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +9.6% | 40 | |
| HR Assistant | +8.2% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 390 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -2.1% | 500 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -15.4% | 420 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #7 of the 15 roles we track in Watertown-Fort Drum (-7.0%), between virtual receptionists (-4.9%) and accountants (-7.4%). The typical role here is at -7.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Bookkeepers hold 12.2% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Watertown-Fort Drum, 7.8% across New York and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $47,100 in Watertown-Fort Drum to $60,640 in New York-Newark, a gap of $13,540 a year. All 14 areas in New York with more bookkeepers than Watertown-Fort Drum also pay more, among them New York-Newark, NY-NJ ($60,640) and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($51,610).
| Area | Median | vs Watertown-Fort Drum | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central East New York (Nonmetro) | +4.8% | 1,810 | |
| Glens Falls, NY | +4.7% | 500 | |
| Southwest New York (Nonmetro) | +4.7% | 2,060 | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | +4.6% | 1,770 | |
| Binghamton, NY | +3.7% | 950 | |
| Elmira, NY | +2.6% | 350 | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | this area | 390 |
Watertown-Fort Drum against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Watertown-Fort Drum is #477 of 521 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside New York, St. George and Huntsville pay just above Watertown-Fort Drum and Harrisonburg and Lynchburg just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Watertown-Fort Drum. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Watertown-Fort Drum | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kankakee, IL | +0.3% | 400 | jobs | |
| Huntsville, AL | +0.1% | 1,830 | pay | |
| St. George, UT | +0.1% | 620 | pay | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | this area | 390 | ||
| Harrisonburg, VA | -0.0% | 500 | pay | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -0.1% | 890 | pay | |
| Sandusky, OH | -2.1% | 390 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, TN | -7.3% | 400 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
About $60,774 a year at the median, or $5,065 a month: $47,100 in pay plus about $13,674 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do bookkeepers earn in Watertown-Fort Drum?
The median was $47,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,120, the 90th $64,950, and the middle half earned $39,360 to $56,160.
Is Watertown-Fort Drum the cheapest area in New York for bookkeepers?
Yes. Its median of $47,100 is the lowest of 16 areas in New York. Elmira is next at $48,330.
How many bookkeepers work in Watertown-Fort Drum?
BLS counts about 390 in the May 2025 survey. 14 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Ithaca, with about 490.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Yes: $980 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,100 and $46,120.
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.