Bookkeeper salary in Worcester, MA
The median bookkeeper in Worcester earned $56,350 a year in May 20251. That is 11.2% above the US median of $50,670, even though it is 5.8% below the Massachusetts statewide median of $59,830. Nationally that is #40 of 521 areas, in the top tenth. About 2,780 bookkeepers work here, 10% of the Massachusetts total.
BLS occupation 43-3031, area Worcester, MA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Worcester against Massachusetts and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | $39,500 | $56,350 | $74,870 | |
| Massachusetts | $40,760 | $59,830 | $81,080 | |
| United States | $36,000 | $50,670 | $74,550 |
Bookkeepers at the 90th percentile earn $74,870, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.1. The middle half of bookkeepers in Worcester earns $48,210–$62,780. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $14,570 wide, against $19,950 across Massachusetts and $17,950 nationally: employers in Worcester 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 | $39,500 | $3,292 | $18.99 | $50,968 |
| 25th percentile | $48,210 | $4,018 | $23.18 | $62,206 |
| Median | $56,350 | $4,696 | $27.09 | $72,710 |
| 75th percentile | $62,780 | $5,232 | $30.18 | $81,006 |
| 90th percentile | $74,870 | $6,239 | $36.00 | $96,606 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,430 a year in pay and about $8,297 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $8,140 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 25th percentile and the median in Worcester, and the Massachusetts statewide median of $59,830 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Worcester
At the $56,350 median, a local hire costs about $72,710 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,360 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 Worcester
Of the 17 roles we track in Worcester, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($60,080) and administrative assistants ($52,450). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,290.
| Role | Median | vs bookkeeper | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +26.0% | 480 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +6.6% | 260 | |
| Bookkeeper | this role | 2,780 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.9% | 3,550 | |
| HR Assistant | -11.5% | 120 |
Measured against the US median, bookkeepers rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Worcester (+11.2%), between data entry specialists (+11.4%) and sales development representatives (+10.6%). The typical role here is at +6.2%, so, measured against the US, bookkeepers cost more in Worcester than the area's general pay level would suggest. Bookkeepers hold 8.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Worcester, 7.5% across Massachusetts and 8.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Massachusetts
Across the 7 areas of Massachusetts with data for this job, the median runs from $54,170 in Springfield to $61,770 in the Massachusetts nonmetro area, a gap of $7,600 a year. The one area in Massachusetts with more bookkeepers, Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH ($60,960), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Worcester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts (Nonmetro) | +9.6% | 450 | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +8.2% | 21,170 | |
| Barnstable Town, MA | +7.7% | 990 | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +0.1% | 490 | |
| Worcester, MA | this area | 2,780 | |
| Pittsfield, MA | -1.8% | 530 | |
| Springfield, MA | -3.9% | 1,430 |
Worcester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Worcester is #85 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Massachusetts, Longview-Kelso and Burlington-South Burlington pay just above Worcester and Stockton-Lodi and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie just below. All four are within $340 a year of the median in Worcester. Of the three markets with about as many bookkeepers, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Worcester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +0.6% | 1,020 | pay | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | +0.5% | 490 | pay | |
| Worcester, MA | this area | 2,780 | ||
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.2% | 2,080 | pay | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | -0.4% | 2,530 | pay | |
| Akron, OH | -12.7% | 2,730 | jobs | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | -14.2% | 2,880 | jobs | |
| El Paso, TX | -26.3% | 2,790 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a bookkeeper in Worcester, MA?
About $72,710 a year at the median, or $6,059 a month: $56,350 in pay plus about $16,360 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Worcester?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $56,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,500, the 90th $74,870, and the middle half earned $48,210 to $62,780.
Is Worcester cheaper than the rest of Massachusetts for bookkeepers?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $56,350 against $59,830 statewide. The next area up in Massachusetts is Amherst Town-Northampton at $56,430, the next down Pittsfield at $55,320.
How many bookkeepers work in Worcester?
BLS counts about 2,780 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the Massachusetts total of 29,110. Only Boston-Cambridge has more in Massachusetts.
Does a bookkeeper cost more than an administrative assistant in Worcester?
Yes: $3,900 a year more at the median. The medians are $56,350 and $52,450.
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.