Rates, 2026
What should a bookkeeper charge in a smaller market?
About $425 a day for a bookkeeper who is working and booked in a smaller US market. $325 in the first years, $525 when senior.
Other markets: New York or LA · a major city · remote
First years
$325
a day · $40 an hour
Working, booked
$425
a day · $55 an hour
Senior, sought after
$525
a day · $65 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$425 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$55 per hour
- Monthly retainerthe books closed every month$1,050 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 smaller US market: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Monthly books, solo business$275 to $625 per month
- Monthly books, small team with payroll$625 to $1,750 per month
- Catch-up or cleanup$550 to $2,100 per project
- Year-end package for the accountant$350 to $1,050 per year
How the number is made
Bookkeepers at this level in this market day at about $425 ($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 smaller US market?
- About $425 a day for someone working and booked, $325 in the first years, $525 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a bookkeeper?
- Around $1,050 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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