Bookkeeper salary in Wheeling, WV-OH
Wheeling pays bookkeepers more than West Virginia as a whole but less than the country. The median is $44,650 a year1: 4.1% above the West Virginia statewide median of $42,890 and 11.9% below the US median of $50,670. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#430 of 521). About 520 bookkeepers work here.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Wheeling, WV-OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Wheeling against West Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $31,750 | $44,650 | $59,690 | |
| West Virginia | $30,890 | $42,890 | $58,560 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
The middle half of bookkeepers in Wheeling earns $37,270–$51,680. The top tenth earns $59,690 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 $14,410 wide, between the figure for West Virginia ($13,070) 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 | $31,750 | $2,646 | $15.26 | $40,968 |
| 25th percentile | $37,270 | $3,106 | $17.92 | $48,090 |
| Median | $44,650 | $3,721 | $21.47 | $57,613 |
| 75th percentile | $51,680 | $4,307 | $24.85 | $66,684 |
| 90th percentile | $59,690 | $4,974 | $28.70 | $77,019 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,030 a year in pay and about $9,071 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,380 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 Wheeling, and the West Virginia statewide median of $42,890 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Wheeling
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 $12,963 to the $44,650 median and brings it to $57,613 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 Wheeling
Of the 16 roles we track in Wheeling, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($46,980) and sales development representatives ($44,230). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,070.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +14.6% | 110 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +5.2% | 40 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 520 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -0.9% | 160 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -5.5% | 770 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in Wheeling (-11.9%), between administrative assistants (-11.2%) and executive assistants (-12.6%). The typical role here is at -15.6%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Wheeling than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 10.8% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Wheeling, 13.0% across West Virginia and 8.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in West Virginia
Across the 9 areas of West Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $38,450 in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area to $45,140 in Weirton-Steubenville, a gap of $6,690 a year. All 5 areas in West Virginia with more bookkeepers than Wheeling pay less, among them the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area ($41,390) and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY ($42,720).
| Area | Median | vs Wheeling | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | +1.1% | 300 | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | +0.7% | 400 | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | this area | 520 | |
| Charleston, WV | -2.9% | 1,050 | |
| Morgantown, WV | -4.1% | 630 | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -4.3% | 1,550 | |
| Beckley, WV | -4.7% | 450 |
Wheeling against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Wheeling is #421 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside West Virginia, Muncie and Jonesboro pay just above Wheeling and Lake Charles and Valdosta just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Wheeling. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Wheeling | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punta Gorda, FL | +7.2% | 520 | jobs | |
| Dubuque, IA | +6.7% | 520 | jobs | |
| Springfield, OH | +2.5% | 520 | jobs | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +0.0% | 470 | pay | |
| Muncie, IN | +0.0% | 450 | pay | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | this area | 520 | ||
| Lake Charles, LA | -0.2% | 830 | pay | |
| Valdosta, GA | -0.2% | 450 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Wheeling, WV-OH?
About $57,613 a year at the median, or $4,801 a month: $44,650 in pay plus about $12,963 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Wheeling?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $44,650 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,750, the 90th $59,690, and the middle half earned $37,270 to $51,680.
Is Wheeling cheaper than the rest of West Virginia for bookkeepers?
No, it costs more: a median of $44,650 against $42,890 statewide. The next area up in West Virginia is Parkersburg-Vienna at $44,980, the next down Charleston at $43,350.
How many bookkeepers work in Wheeling?
BLS counts about 520 in the May 2025 survey. 5 areas in West Virginia have more; the closest in size is Morgantown, with about 630.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than a sales development representative in Wheeling?
Yes: $420 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,650 and $44,230.
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.