Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a bookkeeper make in Washington-Arlington, DC?

In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, bookkeepers earned a median of $59,290 a year ($28.51 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 18,550 of these jobs there. That is 17% below the $71,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $41,520 and $79,390; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and District of Columbia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $47,341 in take-home pay.

Bookkeeper pay in Washington-Arlington, DC at a glance

Median salary

$59,290$28.51 per hour · $4,941 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$41,520$19.96/hr
25th percentile$49,210$23.66/hr
75th percentile$66,580$32.01/hr
90th percentile$79,390$38.17/hr
Jobs in this metro18,550Location quotient 0.67 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here17% belowAll-jobs median $71,060
Against District of Columbia9% belowStatewide median $65,180
Against the U.S.17% aboveNational median $50,670

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Bookkeeper salary in Washington-Arlington, DC after taxes

$59,290
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$59,290
Net 80%
Fed 8%
DC 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$47,341After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,945Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,821Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,935 / yr
District of Columbia state income tax$2,479 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,536 / yr

Bookkeepers pay range in Washington-Arlington, DC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What bookkeepers earned in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (DC)
10th percentile$19.96/hr$3,460$41,520$34,150
25th percentile$23.66/hr$4,101$49,210$39,868
MedianMedian$28.51/hr$4,941$59,290$47,341
75th percentile$32.01/hr$5,548$66,580$52,716
90th percentile$38.17/hr$6,616$79,390$60,808

Is $59,290 a good salary in Washington-Arlington, DC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for bookkeepers next to both.

Median household income$126,684Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)108.98.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.8%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Bookkeeper pay in Washington-Arlington, DC: common questions

What is the median salary for bookkeepers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The BLS median annual wage for bookkeepers in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area was $59,290 in May 2025, about $4,941 a month or $28.51 an hour. Statewide, the District of Columbia median for this job is $65,180, so the metro pays 9% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for bookkeepers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The median hourly wage for bookkeepers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV was $28.51 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $19.96 an hour and one in ten earned more than $38.17.

How many bookkeepers work in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

BLS estimated 18,550 jobs for bookkeepers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.67 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for bookkeepers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

BLS wage estimates for bookkeepers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV run from $41,520 at the 10th percentile to $49,210 at the 25th, $66,580 at the 75th, and $79,390 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do bookkeepers take home after taxes in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

On a median gross salary of $59,290, an estimated $47,341 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,821 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in District of Columbia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,949 (an effective rate of 20.2%).

How much do bookkeepers make per month in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

On the median annual salary of $59,290, gross monthly income is $4,941. After federal, FICA, and District of Columbia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,945 per month (or $1,821 every two weeks).

Is $59,290 a good salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

At $59,290, the median salary for bookkeepers is 46.8% of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median household income ($126,684). It is 17% below the $71,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 108.9, so prices here run 8.9% above the U.S. average.