The short version

A bookkeeper in the US earns a median of $50,670 a year, or $24.36 an hour.
Even 10 hours a week of that time comes to about $12,670 a year in pay alone.
Kept costs $900 a year on Starter and $1,500 on Pro, and your accountant can still look in.

Why this matters

Most owners do their own books at night or pay someone to do them. Either way it costs something: your time or your money. Knowing the real number helps you pick.

What bookkeepers earnUS, 2025

Median payPer year, May 2025$50,670

Median payPer hour, May 2025$24.36

Lowest 10% earnedPer yearUnder $36,000

Highest 10% earnedPer yearOver $74,550

Bookkeeping jobsIn 20251,532,400

What that looks like for you

Pay is only part of it. Hiring someone also means payroll taxes, and their hours on your books add up every week.

Hiring vs Kept, per yearOur math

Full-time bookkeeperMedian pay, before taxes and benefits$50,670

Part-time, 10 hours a week$24.36 times 520 hoursAbout $12,670

Kept Pro$125 a month$1,500

Kept Starter$75 a month$900

What each one does

Kept connects to your bank, sorts every charge, matches your receipts, sends your invoices, keeps your reports current and estimates your quarterly tax. A person brings judgment for the messy cases. Many owners use Kept for the daily work and keep their accountant for tax time.

What to do now

1Count the hours you or someone else spends on your books each week.
2Multiply by $24.36 to see what that time is worth.
3Compare that number to $75 a month, and keep your accountant for the big questions.