Bookkeeper salary in Wausau, WI
Hiring a bookkeeper costs less in Wausau than in Wisconsin or the country as a whole. The median is $48,880 a year1: 2.9% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $50,340 and 3.5% below the US median of $50,670. Nationally it ranks #189 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 600 people in this job here, 2% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Wausau, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Wausau against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | $35,440 | $48,880 | $68,550 | |
| Wisconsin | $36,350 | $50,340 | $65,460 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Wausau earns $43,470–$58,140. The top tenth earns $68,550 or more, 1.9 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 $14,670 wide, against $14,800 across Wisconsin and $17,950 nationally: employers in Wausau 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 | $35,440 | $2,953 | $17.04 | $45,729 |
| 25th percentile | $43,470 | $3,622 | $20.90 | $56,090 |
| Median | $48,880 | $4,073 | $23.50 | $63,071 |
| 75th percentile | $58,140 | $4,845 | $27.95 | $75,019 |
| 90th percentile | $68,550 | $5,712 | $32.96 | $88,452 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $9,260 over the median, the 25th only $5,410 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,948 a year in employer cost. 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 Wausau, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $50,340 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Wausau
At the $48,880 median, a local hire costs about $63,071 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,191 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 Wausau
Of the 15 roles we track in Wausau, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($59,450) and administrative assistants ($47,000). Project Coordinator is the highest at $88,940.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +22.0% | 60 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +21.6% | 350 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 600 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.8% | 590 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -4.7% | 220 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #6 of the 15 roles we track in Wausau (-3.5%), between administrative assistants (-1.1%) and office managers (-6.1%). The typical role here is at -7.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Wausau than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.2% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Wausau, 9.4% across Wisconsin and 8.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $47,540 in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area to $53,240 in Madison, a gap of $5,700 a year. Of the 10 areas in Wisconsin with more bookkeepers than Wausau, 1 pays less: the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($48,570).
| Area | Median | vs Wausau | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | +0.3% | 1,780 | |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | +0.2% | 600 | |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | +0.2% | 580 | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | +0.2% | 720 | |
| Wausau, WI | this area | 600 | |
| Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 1,780 | |
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -2.7% | 550 |
Wausau against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Wausau is #379 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Columbia and Odessa pay just above Wausau and Asheville and Cleveland just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Wausau. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Wausau | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa, TX | +0.1% | 880 | pay | |
| Columbia, MO | +0.1% | 880 | pay | |
| Wausau, WI | this area | 600 | ||
| Asheville, NC | -0.0% | 2,200 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | -0.0% | 8,660 | pay | |
| Grand Junction, CO | -2.2% | 610 | jobs | |
| Burlington, NC | -2.9% | 600 | jobs | |
| Dover, DE | -6.9% | 600 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Wausau, WI?
About $63,071 a year at the median, or $5,256 a month: $48,880 in pay plus about $14,191 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Wausau?
The median was $48,880 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,440, the 90th $68,550, and the middle half earned $43,470 to $58,140.
Is Wausau cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $48,880 against $50,340 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is La Crosse-Onalaska at $48,970, the next down the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area at $48,570.
How many bookkeepers work in Wausau?
BLS counts about 600 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Wisconsin total of 25,960. 11 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Janesville-Beloit, with about 600.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Wausau?
Yes: $1,880 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,880 and $47,000.
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.