Updated April 6, 2023

Accountant Salary Estimate

$54,890

$26.39 hourly

Entry level Salary
$41,000 yearly

How much does an Accountant make?

The average salary for an accountant in the United States is $54,890. Accountant salaries typically range between $41,000 and $72,000 a year. The average hourly rate for accountants is $26.39 per hour.

Location, education, and experience impacts how much an accountant can expect to make. Accountants make the most in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Research Summary.
  • The average salary for an accountant is $54,890 in the US.
  • The average accountant salary ranges between $41,000 and $72,000 in the US.
  • Hourly rates for accountants in the US typically range between $19 and $34 an hour.
  • The average accountant salary is $68,366 in New York, $67,833 in New Jersey, and $62,743 in Massachusetts. These are the three highest-paying states for accountants in the US.
  • Meta has the highest average salary for accountants.
  • Technology is the highest-paying industry for accountants in the US.

Highest Paying States For Accountants

If both location and money are important to you, then you might want to check out moving to New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, as these three states offer the highest salaries throughout the U.S. for accountants. Quite opposite of that list is the lowest paying states, which are Arkansas, Louisiana, and Wyoming.
  • State View
  • County View
Average Salary:

Accountant average salary by State

RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1District of Columbia$71,993$34.61317
2New York$68,366$32.871,468
3Connecticut$62,386$29.99392
4Delaware$59,242$28.48158
5Massachusetts$62,743$30.16941
6Rhode Island$60,990$29.32114
7New Jersey$67,833$32.61686
8Virginia$60,099$28.89924
9Pennsylvania$54,607$26.251,074
10Maryland$58,489$28.12700
11Washington$56,929$27.37657
12Colorado$52,649$25.31742
13Oregon$52,823$25.40458
14California$55,339$26.613,532
15New Hampshire$54,960$26.42138
16Michigan$51,209$24.62675
17Minnesota$50,767$24.41725
18Texas$49,856$23.972,234
19Illinois$50,229$24.151,472
20North Carolina$51,783$24.90758
21Wisconsin$49,883$23.98494
22Ohio$49,196$23.65927
23Vermont$52,073$25.0461
24Alaska$55,612$26.74
25Georgia$49,935$24.01919
26Iowa$46,149$22.19419
27Nevada$46,895$22.55232
28Maine$50,399$24.2390
29Tennessee$44,616$21.45624
30Indiana$47,841$23.00476
31Utah$45,148$21.71345
32South Dakota$46,027$22.1373
33Nebraska$44,642$21.46215
34Kentucky$45,426$21.84284
35Oklahoma$45,280$21.77255
36Missouri$44,893$21.58630
37Arizona$47,972$23.06
38New Mexico$45,154$21.71162
39Florida$45,139$21.701,640
40Montana$43,390$20.86182
41Idaho$45,231$21.75138
42Alabama$44,027$21.17377
43South Carolina$45,123$21.69335
44Hawaii$38,954$18.7394
45Kansas$44,835$21.56204
46West Virginia$43,817$21.0781
47Wyoming$42,614$20.4949
48Arkansas$42,844$20.60202
49Louisiana$42,765$20.56253
50Mississippi$40,889$19.66170
51North Dakota$39,626$19.0552

Highest Paying Cities For Accountants

RankCityAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1Washington, DC$71,991$34.6147
2New York, NY$68,492$32.9394
3Fort Lee, NJ$67,932$32.662
4Boston, MA$62,769$30.1842
5Arlington, VA$61,511$29.579
6San Francisco, CA$58,980$28.3624
7Baltimore, MD$58,761$28.2524
8Seattle, WA$57,336$27.5715
9Philadelphia, PA$55,064$26.4734
10Denver, CO$52,610$25.2945
11Washington, MI$52,023$25.0147
12Duluth, MN$51,899$24.954
13Charlotte, NC$50,764$24.4144
14Chicago, IL$50,446$24.2562
15Duluth, GA$50,014$24.054

Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:

  1. Washington, DC
  2. New York, NY
  3. Fort Lee, NJ
  4. Boston, MA
  5. Arlington, VA

Accountant Salary by Years of Experience

The salary for an accountant can vary depending on the years of experience that a person has, from entry level to senior level. An accountant with 0-2 years of experience earns an average salary of $36,271, a mid-career professional with 3-6 years of experience makes $54,890 a year on average, and a senior level accountant with 7-12 years of experience enjoys an average annual salary of $88,377. Data on how experience level affects total compensation is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as part of their National Compensation Survey, which is based on factors such as knowledge, complexity, contacts, and environment.

Accountant Salary By Experience Level

Experience LevelAvg. SalaryHourly Rate
Entry Level$36,300$17.44
Mid Level$52,200$25.12
Senior Level$88,400$42.49

Accountants Salary Details

Average Accountant Salary Graph
Average Accountant Salary Graph, Trends, and Summary

What is an Accountant's Salary?

PercentileAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly Rate
90th Percentile$72,000$6,000$35
75th Percentile$63,000$5,250$30
Average$54,890$4,574$26
25th Percentile$47,000$3,917$23
10th Percentile$41,000$3,417$20

Highest Paying Types of Accountants

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
Accountant And Office Manager$51,217$4,268$24.62107,701
Certified Public Accountant$76,693$6,391$36.8778,792
Finance Analyst/Accountant$62,975$5,248$30.28118,043
General Ledger Accountant$60,034$5,003$28.8681,408
Fixed Asset Accountant$59,691$4,974$28.7042,860
Accountant/Consultant$64,298$5,358$30.9138,916

How Would You Rate The Starting Salaries For Accountants, As Well As The Prospects For Salary Advancement?

Alyson Ma Ph.D.

Chair and Professor, University of San Diego

Economics is a combination of critical thinking, problem-solving, and quantitatively analyzing relationships using data. Students studying Economics are trained to interpret the big picture and present complex information about how an economy functions. Given the analytical and quantitative skills, it is not surprising that Economics majors earn higher than average starting salaries. The preliminary 2020 data shows an average salary of $63k for Economics and Business Economics Majors at USD.

Coupled with work experience, students trained in Economics also outpace their peers to advance in their careers. According to Monster.com, a major in Economics ranks third on the fast track to $100K. Additionally, the Wall Street Journal shows that Economics has the highest Mid-Career 90th Percentile Salary for those with a bachelor's degree at $210,000.

A cautionary note is that Economics is not for everyone. Students who gravitate toward Economics tend to be fascinated by the world around them. They are the analytical type and appreciate the logical beauty of math. If you asked many 'why' questions when you were little, then Economics might be for you.
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Here are the five companies hiring the most now:

  1. Google Jobs (201)
  2. Ernst & Young Jobs (120)
  3. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Jobs (68)
  4. IBM Jobs (73)
  5. Citi Jobs (66)

Which Companies Pay Accountants The Most?

The highest paying companies for accountants are Meta and PayPal according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, companies like The Carlyle Group and Apple report highly competitive wages for accountants.
RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Meta$100,015$48.081
2PayPal$99,145$47.67
3The Carlyle Group$96,880$46.587
4Apple$96,163$46.233
5Google$91,469$43.9824
6Jordan Company$91,459$43.97
7Microsoft$90,104$43.322
8Cisco$89,933$43.242
9Oracle$84,756$40.757
10Pacific Investment Management Company LLC$83,766$40.274
11Adobe$83,384$40.091
12McKinsey & Company Inc$82,880$39.85
13Ernst & Young$82,205$39.52190
14PBF Energy$82,166$39.509
15Atlassian$81,373$39.122
16Novartis$79,911$38.42
17American Century Investments$79,738$38.342
18Nabors Holding Company$79,544$38.243
19JPMorgan Chase & Co.$78,973$37.9726
20FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies$78,550$37.761

How Much Do Accountants Make In Different Industries?

Here are some examples of how much an accountant salaries can based on different industries:

  1. The technology industry pays accountants an average salary of $60,365

  2. The finance industry pay $59,666

  3. The lowest paying industry for accountants is the government industry. Accountants in this industry earn an average salary of $55,133

Highest Paying Industries For Accountants

RankIndustryAverage SalaryHourly Rate
1Technology$60,365$29.02
2Finance$59,666$28.69
3Manufacturing$58,822$28.28
4Professional$58,017$27.89
5Health Care$56,686$27.25
6Hospitality$56,335$27.08
7Government$55,133$26.51

High Paying Accountant Jobs

Accountant Pay Trends

Average Accountant Salary Over Time

Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

    Accountant Salary By Year

    YearAvg. SalaryHourly Rate% Change
    2023$54,900$26.39+2.7%
    2022$53,400$25.67+1.5%
    2021$52,600$25.29+1.6%
    2020$51,700$24.88+1.7%
    2019$50,900$24.45+1.4%

    Recently Added Accountant Salaries

    CompanyJobLocationDate AddedSalary
    State of OhioIntermittent Accountant/Examiner 2 (P.N)Columbus, OH05/04/2023$42,387
    The University of Oklahoma Human Resources*Accountant, Operations Finance TeamNorman, OK05/04/2023$40,000
    TCW GlobalAccountantSan Diego, CA05/04/2023$73,045
    CappsTahc-Accountant IVAustin, TX05/04/2023$48,000
    Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance CompanyReinsurance Accountant-Mastery (Hybrid/Remote-US)Springfield, MA05/03/2023$104,900
    Murray ResourcesAccountantHouston, TX05/03/2023$70,000
    Pulse StaffingProperty AccountantNew York, NY05/03/2023$80,000
    TMD StaffingAccountant (IN Office)/Great Benefits and PAY!Round Rock, TX05/03/2023$58,436
    Nuwest Group-Tech Jobs BoardAccountant-Mid LevelBothell, WA05/03/2023$80,000
    A-1 Personnel of HoustonAccountantHouston, TX05/03/2023$48,001

    Accountant Salaries FAQs

    What State Pays Accountants The Most?

    New York pays Accountants the most in the United States, with an average salary of $71,993 per year, or $34.61 per hour.

    How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As An Accountant?

    You know if you are being paid fairly as an Accountant if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in New York you should be paid close to $68,366 per year.

    What Is A Good Starting Salary For An Accountant?

    A good starting salary for an accountant is $40,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for an accountant in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for accountants is $52,965, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for an accountant can vary by state.

    Fiscal Year Vs. Calendar Year

    A fiscal year is a 12-month cycle used by companies and governments for accounting and budgeting purposes that does not necessarily start and end when the calendar year does, while a calendar year is a 12-month cycle that always begins on January 1st and ends on December 31st of that same year.

    How Much Do Accountants Make Right Out Of College?

    Right out of college, accountants can make between $35,000 per year and $55,000 per year. This estimate, though, refers to a starting salary in a completely entry-level accounting position. Accountants with additional qualifications may earn much higher starting salaries.

    How Much Does A Cpa Make A Year?

    A CPA makes between $55,000 per year and $100,000 per year. Most CPAs, or "certified public accountants," make around $70,000 per year.

    The annual salary of a certified public accountant can fall anywhere in this range, and some outliers may even earn salaries that fall outside of this range.

    What Is The Starting Salary For Accountants?

    The starting salary for accountants is usually somewhere between $35,000 per year and $55,000 per year. This estimate, though, refers to a starting salary in a completely entry-level accounting position. Accountants with additional qualifications may earn much higher starting salaries.

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