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As of October 2025, the average salary for an Accounting Professor in the United States is approximately $84,237 per year, which translates to about $41 per hour. This figure is influenced by several factors, including geographic location, institution type, and the professor's level of experience.
Accounting professors in states like California and New York often earn higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for qualified educators. For instance, California ranks among the highest-paying states, with salaries exceeding $100,000 in some institutions.
Newly appointed professors can expect to earn less, while those with tenure and advanced degrees typically command higher salaries. Regularly updating skills and engaging in research can further enhance earning potential.
Many accounting professors also have opportunities to teach online, expanding their reach and potentially increasing their salary. With the rise of online education, this flexibility allows professors to balance teaching and research while maximizing income.
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The highest-paying states for accounting professors are California, Maryland, and Alaska. The lowest average accounting professor salary states are Nebraska, Idaho, and Arizona.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $87,092 | $41.87 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $84,158 | $40.46 |
| 3 | Alaska | $91,153 | $43.82 |
| 4 | California | $94,254 | $45.31 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $85,612 | $41.16 |
| 6 | Maryland | $93,042 | $44.73 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $78,164 | $37.58 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $81,376 | $39.12 |
| 9 | Virginia | $76,285 | $36.68 |
| 10 | Michigan | $72,594 | $34.90 |
| 11 | Oregon | $69,441 | $33.39 |
| 12 | Texas | $70,470 | $33.88 |
| 13 | Delaware | $74,427 | $35.78 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $77,382 | $37.20 |
| 15 | Ohio | $75,307 | $36.21 |
| 16 | Vermont | $67,929 | $32.66 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $70,080 | $33.69 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $75,371 | $36.24 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $65,784 | $31.63 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $73,865 | $35.51 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $68,437 | $32.90 |
| 22 | Utah | $65,717 | $31.59 |
| 23 | Illinois | $69,736 | $33.53 |
| 24 | Missouri | $68,794 | $33.07 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $59,822 | $28.76 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $68,368 | $32.87 |
| 27 | Nevada | $70,691 | $33.99 |
| 28 | Maine | $63,386 | $30.47 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $69,021 | $33.18 |
| 30 | Washington | $67,382 | $32.40 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $60,877 | $29.27 |
| 32 | Florida | $66,110 | $31.78 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $57,399 | $27.60 |
| 34 | Montana | $56,200 | $27.02 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $64,023 | $30.78 |
| 36 | Iowa | $55,653 | $26.76 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $53,263 | $25.61 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $54,000 | $25.96 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $60,407 | $29.04 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $59,055 | $28.39 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $54,046 | $25.98 |
| 42 | Alabama | $54,635 | $26.27 |
| 43 | Indiana | $59,075 | $28.40 |
| 44 | Georgia | $61,323 | $29.48 |
| 45 | Colorado | $48,431 | $23.28 |
| 46 | Kansas | $54,384 | $26.15 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $58,207 | $27.98 |
| 48 | Arizona | $50,618 | $24.34 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $48,818 | $23.47 |
| 50 | Idaho | $52,929 | $25.45 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $43,941 | $21.13 |
The highest-paying cities for accounting professors are Los Angeles, CA, New York, NY, and Dallas, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, CA | $93,612 | $45.01 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $87,239 | $41.94 |
| 3 | Dallas, TX | $68,505 | $32.94 |
| 4 | New Orleans, LA | $61,260 | $29.45 |
| 5 | Montgomery, AL | $54,846 | $26.37 |
| 6 | Oklahoma City, OK | $44,119 | $21.21 |
An accounting professor's salary ranges from $48,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $145,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $145,000 | $12,083 | $70 |
| 75th Percentile | $112,000 | $9,333 | $54 |
| Average | $84,237 | $7,020 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
The highest paying types of accounting professors are professor, associate professor, and adjunct professor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Instructor | $48,740 | $4,062 | $23.43 | 68,512 |
| Adjunct Business Instructor | $53,224 | $4,435 | $25.59 | 84,182 |
| Business Management Professor | $90,167 | $7,514 | $43.35 | 121,006 |
| Professor | $157,570 | $13,131 | $75.75 | 21,861 |
| Adjunct Professor | $98,821 | $8,235 | $47.51 | 22,488 |
Top companies hiring accounting professors now:
Accounting professor salaries at Pace University and Murray State University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average accounting professor salary at companies like Loyola Marymount University and La Sierra University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pace University | $137,191 | $65.96 |
| 2 | Murray State University | $126,190 | $60.67 |
| 3 | Loyola Marymount University | $91,517 | $44.00 |
| 4 | La Sierra University | $88,421 | $42.51 |
| 5 | UWorld | $77,635 | $37.32 |
| 6 | Hartwick College | $72,691 | $34.95 |
| 7 | Oklahoma City Community College | $43,157 | $20.75 |
The average accounting professor salary has risen by $12,673 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average accounting professor earned $71,564 annually, but today, they earn $84,237 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for accounting professors over the last decade.
Compare accounting professor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare accounting professor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,200 | $40.50 | +0.9% |
| 2025 | $83,500 | $40.13 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $80,400 | $38.63 | +4.4% |
| 2023 | $76,900 | $36.95 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $74,200 | $35.66 | +2.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W.M. Rice University | Professor of Accounting | Houston, TX | 01/23/2025 | $393,068 |
| Devry Educational Development Corp | Associate Accounting Professor | Iselin, NJ | 12/08/2024 | $100,000 |
| Devry University | Associate Accounting Professor | Woodbridge, NJ | 12/08/2024 | $100,000 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Accounting Professor--Remote | WFH | Newark, CA | 05/31/2024 | $37,566 |
| La Sierra University | Professor of Accounting | Riverside, CA | 05/08/2024 | $97,101 |
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