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Chief accountant salary
Average chief accountant salary
$61,481
Understanding Chief Accountant Salaries
The average salary for a Chief Accountant in the United States is approximately $61,481 annually, translating to about $30 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, industry, and years of experience. For instance, Chief Accountants in high-demand states like California and New York tend to earn more, often exceeding the national average.
Salary by State
In states like Texas and Florida, salaries may be lower due to differences in cost of living and market demand. Understanding these regional variations can help job seekers target their job searches effectively. Additionally, pursuing further education and certifications can enhance earning potential and open doors to senior roles in finance.
Career Opportunities
Chief Accountants can pursue various paths, including management-level positions or specialized roles in financial analysis and compliance. This career is not only lucrative but also offers stability and growth opportunities in the financial sector.
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Where can a Chief Accountant earn more?
Chief accountant salary estimates from across the web
Average chief accountant salary by state
The highest-paying states for chief accountants are New York, New Jersey, and California. The lowest average chief accountant salary states are Wyoming, Maine, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for chief accountants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $80,586 | $38.74 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $75,461 | $36.28 |
| 3 | California | $72,092 | $34.66 |
| 4 | Delaware | $64,203 | $30.87 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $68,783 | $33.07 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $72,963 | $35.08 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $65,410 | $31.45 |
| 8 | Washington | $71,439 | $34.35 |
| 9 | Arizona | $62,426 | $30.01 |
| 10 | Virginia | $63,481 | $30.52 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $60,363 | $29.02 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $62,882 | $30.23 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $59,149 | $28.44 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $57,473 | $27.63 |
| 16 | Ohio | $56,734 | $27.28 |
| 17 | Colorado | $58,151 | $27.96 |
| 18 | Alaska | $60,637 | $29.15 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $58,697 | $28.22 |
| 20 | Texas | $55,303 | $26.59 |
| 21 | Indiana | $57,500 | $27.64 |
| 22 | Illinois | $54,956 | $26.42 |
| 23 | Georgia | $55,748 | $26.80 |
| 24 | Florida | $56,069 | $26.96 |
| 25 | Michigan | $54,899 | $26.39 |
| 26 | Maryland | $56,434 | $27.13 |
| 27 | Missouri | $56,149 | $26.99 |
| 28 | Oregon | $54,941 | $26.41 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $56,347 | $27.09 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $54,986 | $26.44 |
| 31 | Nevada | $51,194 | $24.61 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $51,452 | $24.74 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $54,559 | $26.23 |
| 34 | Alabama | $53,275 | $25.61 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $53,161 | $25.56 |
| 36 | Utah | $49,251 | $23.68 |
| 37 | Idaho | $52,932 | $25.45 |
| 38 | Iowa | $49,548 | $23.82 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $49,756 | $23.92 |
| 40 | Montana | $43,844 | $21.08 |
| 41 | Kansas | $49,341 | $23.72 |
| 42 | Vermont | $50,868 | $24.46 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $48,122 | $23.14 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $47,630 | $22.90 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $48,767 | $23.45 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $46,341 | $22.28 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $47,719 | $22.94 |
| 48 | Maine | $47,438 | $22.81 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $48,245 | $23.19 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $45,316 | $21.79 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $43,812 | $21.06 |
Highest paying cities for chief accountants
The highest-paying cities for chief accountants are New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Santa Clarita, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $80,940 | $38.91 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $75,487 | $36.29 |
| 3 | Santa Clarita, CA | $71,547 | $34.40 |
| 4 | Reston, VA | $64,175 | $30.85 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $60,243 | $28.96 |
| 6 | Raleigh, NC | $59,851 | $28.77 |
| 7 | Hilliard, OH | $56,650 | $27.24 |
| 8 | Miami, FL | $56,166 | $27.00 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $55,301 | $26.59 |
| 10 | Houston, TX | $55,131 | $26.51 |
| 11 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $54,885 | $26.39 |
| 12 | Las Vegas, NV | $51,029 | $24.53 |
| 13 | Salt Lake City, UT | $49,139 | $23.62 |
Chief accountant salary details
A chief accountant's salary ranges from $43,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $87,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a chief accountant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| 75th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| Average | $61,481 | $5,123 | $30 |
| 25th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
Highest paying chief accountant jobs
The highest paying types of chief accountants are accounting director, senior tax accountant, and certified public accountant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Director | $132,126 | $11,011 | $63.52 | 56,323 |
| Accountant/Consultant | $64,298 | $5,358 | $30.91 | 38,916 |
| General Ledger Accountant | $60,034 | $5,003 | $28.86 | 81,408 |
| Finance Analyst/Accountant | $62,975 | $5,248 | $30.28 | 118,043 |
| Certified Public Accountant | $76,693 | $6,391 | $36.87 | 78,792 |
| Fixed Asset Accountant | $59,691 | $4,974 | $28.70 | 42,860 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for chief accountants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Alyson Ma Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, University of San Diego
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.
Top companies hiring chief accountants now:
Which companies pay chief accountants the most?
Chief accountant salaries at IBM and pSemi are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average chief accountant salary at companies like Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc and EPAM Systems are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IBM | $94,283 | $45.33 |
| 2 | pSemi | $82,487 | $39.66 |
| 3 | Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc | $71,589 | $34.42 |
| 4 | EPAM Systems | $71,129 | $34.20 |
| 5 | Visual Citi | $68,728 | $33.04 |
| 6 | Cardinal Intellectual Property | $68,265 | $32.82 |
| 7 | International Plant Nutrition | $67,255 | $32.33 |
| 8 | Hyatt Hotels | $67,161 | $32.29 |
| 9 | HAKS | $65,715 | $31.59 |
| 10 | Tso3 | $65,308 | $31.40 |
| 11 | Marco Polo International | $64,310 | $30.92 |
| 12 | University of Rhode Island | $62,505 | $30.05 |
| 13 | Coast Hotels and Casinos Inc | $62,275 | $29.94 |
| 14 | Interpacific Group Inc | $62,083 | $29.85 |
| 15 | Ihms, LLC | $62,083 | $29.85 |
| 16 | KONE | $58,909 | $28.32 |
| 17 | Well Care Health | $55,799 | $26.83 |
| 18 | Atlantic Union College | $53,153 | $25.55 |
| 19 | Weimar University | $48,503 | $23.32 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Chief accountant salary trends
The average chief accountant salary has risen by $8,951 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average chief accountant earned $52,530 annually, but today, they earn $61,481 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for chief accountants over the last decade.
Compare chief accountant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average chief accountant salary over time
Compare chief accountant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Chief accountant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $61,500 | $29.56 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $59,800 | $28.75 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $58,900 | $28.33 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $58,000 | $27.87 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $57,000 | $27.38 | +1.4% |
Recently added chief accountant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Illinois University | Assistant Chief Accountant | Carbondale, IL | 06/26/2025 | $51,780 |
| County of Madera | Chief Accountant-Auditor | Madera, CA | 06/26/2025 | $95,472 |
| Alief Independent School District | Re-Post Secretary, Chief of Accountability @ Instruction Department | Houston, TX | 06/20/2025 | $40,094 |
| Community College of Rhode Island | Chief Accountant | Rhode Island | 05/31/2025 | $68,000 |
| Skagit County | Chief Accountant-Auditor's Office | Mount Vernon, WA | 05/24/2025 | $114,768 |
| Community Unit School District No | Chief Accountant/Comptroller | Kane, IL | 05/17/2025 | $115,000 |
| Skagit County | Chief Accountant | Mount Vernon, WA | 04/01/2025 | $152,719 |
| Erie Community College | Chief Accountant | Buffalo, NY | 03/22/2025 | $57,216 |
| State of Illinois | Chief Accountant | Springfield, MO | 03/22/2025 | $68,436 |
| State of Illinois | Chief Accountant | Springfield, IL | 03/21/2025 | $68,436 |
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