Rates, 2026
What should a bookkeeper charge in a major city?
About $500 a day for a bookkeeper who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $400 in the first years, $625 when senior.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$400
a day · $50 an hour
Working, booked
$500
a day · $65 an hour
Senior, sought after
$625
a day · $80 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$500 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$65 per hour
- Monthly retainerthe books closed every month$1,275 per month
Sold by the hour, a monthly retainer. The day is the unit; half days run 60%.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Monthly books, solo business$350 to $775 per month
- Monthly books, small team with payroll$775 to $2,125 per month
- Catch-up or cleanup$675 to $2,550 per project
- Year-end package for the accountant$425 to $1,275 per year
How the number is made
Bookkeepers at this level in this market day at about $500 ($400 to $800 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A retainer is the month, not the hours: the books closed every month. It is priced about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, in exchange for the certainty; three months minimum, or it is not a retainer.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a bookkeeper in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $500 a day for someone working and booked, $400 in the first years, $625 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a bookkeeper?
- Around $1,275 a month: the books closed every month. About 20% under the same work bought one piece at a time, in exchange for certainty; three months minimum.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
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