Source: https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/united-states/ Title: Bookkeeper hourly rate in the United States | Deftridge Summary: Bookkeeper pay in the United States: median wage $24 an hour, contractor rate at the country floor of $35. The rate is on every task, before you apply. United States · **Updated November 3, 2026** # Bookkeeper hourly rate in United States The market median wage for a Bookkeeper in the United States is **$23.89 an hour**. A senior part-time contractor typically receives **$35 an hour** on Deftridge. **$35/hr** typical contractor rate, senior **$23.89/hr** median wage **$21-29** middle half of wages **$760** a month at 5 hours a week ## Bookkeeper wage percentiles in United States Employee wages for the role. The yellow row is the median. | Percentile | Per hour | 5 h a week, per month | Full time, per year | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 10th | $16.98 | $370 | $35,300 | | 25th | $20.52 | $440 | $42,700 | | Median | $23.89 | $520 | $49,700 | | 75th | $28.98 | $630 | $60,300 | | 90th | $35.15 | $760 | $73,100 | Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025; aged to October 2026; about 1,455,770 people employed in the role. [How rates are built](https://deftridge.com/rates/methodology/). ## United States in numbers What sets the United States apart for a Bookkeeper, from the same sources as the table above. - **$32.42** highest median wage, California - **$20.03** lowest median wage, Mississippi - **1,455,770** people employed in the role - **$36.37** median wage in the San Francisco metro area, the highest in the country - **$35** country floor: no United States rate is published below it, and this role is at the floor - Self-employment tax is 15.3%: 12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare; the employer-equivalent half is deductible in working out adjusted gross income. [Source](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes) - For 2026 the first $184,500 of combined wages, tips and net self-employment earnings is subject to the Social Security part. [Source](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes) ## What contractors receive The Deftridge rate for a Bookkeeper in the United States by level and by format. The company adds 15% on top; you keep all of the rate shown. | Level | Per hour | Per month at 5 h/week | | --- | --- | --- | | Specialist (country floor) | $35 | $760 | | Senior (country floor) | $35 | $760 | - Regular role (floor) **$35** - One-off task **$40** - Task bundle (floor) **$35** Rows marked country floor would come out lower by the formula; the United States floor of $35 applies instead. ## Bookkeeper pay by region in United States Typical contractor rate for a senior Bookkeeper, highest first; 9 of 51 places shown. | Place | Median wage | Contractor rate | | --- | --- | --- | | California | $32.42 | $45 | | District of Columbia | $31.24 | $45 | | New York | $28.15 | $40 | | Alaska | $27.26 | $40 | | Massachusetts | $27.13 | $40 | | Washington | $27.10 | $40 | | Rhode Island | $26.87 | $40 | | Connecticut | $25.89 | $40 | | Delaware | $25.81 | $35 | ## Highest-paying metro areas Median employee wage for the role in the metro area (BLS OEWS). - [San Francisco $36.37/hr median wage · range $32-44](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) - [San Jose $36.29/hr median wage · range $32-44](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) - [Napa $34.25/hr median wage · range $29-41](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) - [Santa Cruz $33.97/hr median wage · range $27-40](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) - [Santa Rosa $33.81/hr median wage · range $28-41](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) - [Vallejo $33.53/hr median wage · range $27-39](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) - [Santa Maria $33.09/hr median wage · range $27-40](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) - [Salinas $32.95/hr median wage · range $27-38](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) - [San Luis Obispo $32.48/hr median wage · range $27-36](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) - [Sacramento $32.31/hr median wage · range $27-36](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/california/) ## Questions about pay, fees and privacy The same rules apply to every task, so they live on two pages: [Pricing](https://deftridge.com/pricing/) explains the 15% fee, prepayment and when you are paid; [How it works](https://deftridge.com/how-it-works/) covers matching, what a company sees and side work next to a job. [Bookkeeper rates in every country](https://deftridge.com/rates/bookkeeper/) · [Bookkeeper jobs in United States](https://deftridge.com/jobs/bookkeeper/united-states/) · [Methodology](https://deftridge.com/rates/methodology/)