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Cost accountant salary
Average cost accountant salary
$60,528
Understanding Cost Accountant Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Cost Accountant in the United States is approximately $60,528 annually, translating to about $29 per hour. Salaries for Cost Accountants can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level Cost Accountants typically earn less than their more experienced counterparts. For instance, those with less than one year of experience may expect to earn around $50,000, while professionals with five to ten years in the field can earn upwards of $70,000.
Geographical Earnings
Cost Accountant salaries also differ by state. For example, states like California and New York are known for offering higher salaries, often due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. Additionally, industries such as finance and technology frequently provide more competitive compensation packages for Cost Accountants.
Career Opportunities
With a solid foundation in cost accounting, professionals can explore various career paths including management roles or specialized positions in finance. Understanding these salary dynamics can help job seekers make informed career decisions and negotiate better salaries.
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Where can a Cost Accountant earn more?
Cost accountant salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level cost accountant | $40,000 | $19.23 |
| Mid-level cost accountant | $57,600 | $27.70 |
| Senior-level cost accountant | $97,500 | $46.85 |
Cost accountant salary estimates from across the web
Average cost accountant salary by state
The average cost accountant salary in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average cost accountant salary states are New Mexico, Hawaii, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cost accountants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $89,977 | $43.26 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $67,989 | $32.69 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $63,183 | $30.38 |
| 4 | New York | $67,790 | $32.59 |
| 5 | Nevada | $59,792 | $28.75 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $68,831 | $33.09 |
| 7 | Colorado | $60,998 | $29.33 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $59,347 | $28.53 |
| 9 | Georgia | $60,301 | $28.99 |
| 10 | Washington | $65,944 | $31.70 |
| 11 | Delaware | $58,960 | $28.35 |
| 12 | Texas | $57,949 | $27.86 |
| 13 | Virginia | $61,310 | $29.48 |
| 14 | Illinois | $56,908 | $27.36 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $58,832 | $28.28 |
| 16 | California | $60,645 | $29.16 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $56,774 | $27.30 |
| 18 | Utah | $56,366 | $27.10 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $57,093 | $27.45 |
| 20 | Indiana | $57,732 | $27.76 |
| 21 | Ohio | $55,801 | $26.83 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $56,380 | $27.11 |
| 23 | Maryland | $57,752 | $27.77 |
| 24 | Michigan | $55,418 | $26.64 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $53,887 | $25.91 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $55,936 | $26.89 |
| 27 | Arizona | $55,205 | $26.54 |
| 28 | Iowa | $53,144 | $25.55 |
| 29 | Alaska | $59,856 | $28.78 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $54,104 | $26.01 |
| 31 | Oregon | $55,251 | $26.56 |
| 32 | Florida | $54,213 | $26.06 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $53,775 | $25.85 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $48,470 | $23.30 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $52,082 | $25.04 |
| 36 | Montana | $49,947 | $24.01 |
| 37 | Missouri | $50,749 | $24.40 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $52,514 | $25.25 |
| 39 | Alabama | $50,273 | $24.17 |
| 40 | Vermont | $53,110 | $25.53 |
| 41 | Kansas | $52,012 | $25.01 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $51,307 | $24.67 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $51,187 | $24.61 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $52,833 | $25.40 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $49,794 | $23.94 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $49,385 | $23.74 |
| 47 | Maine | $50,115 | $24.09 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $48,424 | $23.28 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $44,531 | $21.41 |
| 50 | Idaho | $45,296 | $21.78 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $44,558 | $21.42 |
Highest paying cities for cost accountants
The highest-paying cities for cost accountants are Edison, NJ, New York, NY, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edison, NJ | $68,886 | $33.12 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $67,998 | $32.69 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $64,822 | $31.16 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $60,958 | $29.31 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $60,299 | $28.99 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $59,841 | $28.77 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $58,326 | $28.04 |
| 9 | San Antonio, TX | $58,278 | $28.02 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $57,639 | $27.71 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $57,015 | $27.41 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $56,754 | $27.29 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $56,560 | $27.19 |
| 14 | Salt Lake City, UT | $56,163 | $27.00 |
| 15 | Portland, OR | $54,843 | $26.37 |
| 16 | Miami, FL | $54,429 | $26.17 |
| 17 | Omaha, NE | $54,147 | $26.03 |
| 18 | Chattanooga, TN | $54,118 | $26.02 |
| 19 | Milwaukee, WI | $52,234 | $25.11 |
| 20 | Kansas City, KS | $51,921 | $24.96 |
Cost accountant salary details
A cost accountant's salary ranges from $45,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $81,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cost accountant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| Average | $60,528 | $5,044 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
Highest paying cost accountant jobs
The highest paying types of cost accountants are cost accounting manager, senior tax accountant, and certified public accountant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Analyst | $58,399 | $4,867 | $28.08 | 81,097 |
| General Ledger Accountant | $60,034 | $5,003 | $28.86 | 81,408 |
| Finance Analyst/Accountant | $62,975 | $5,248 | $30.28 | 118,043 |
| Cost Analyst | $54,158 | $4,513 | $26.04 | 60,034 |
| Certified Public Accountant | $76,693 | $6,391 | $36.87 | 78,792 |
| General Accountant | $55,043 | $4,587 | $26.46 | 87,663 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for cost 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 cost accountants now:
Which companies pay cost accountants the most?
Cost accountant salaries at Google and Stepan are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cost accountant salary at companies like NuVasive and JK Realty are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $109,588 | $52.69 | |
| 2 | Stepan | $85,157 | $40.94 |
| 3 | NuVasive | $85,076 | $40.90 |
| 4 | JK Realty | $82,081 | $39.46 |
| 5 | Allison Transmission | $81,641 | $39.25 |
| 6 | Vertex Pharmaceuticals | $78,471 | $37.73 |
| 7 | Vishay | $77,622 | $37.32 |
| 8 | Solectron Corp | $77,533 | $37.28 |
| 9 | Citrix | $76,325 | $36.69 |
| 10 | Regeneron | $74,226 | $35.69 |
| 11 | Marzetti | $73,542 | $35.36 |
| 12 | Nestlé | $73,139 | $35.16 |
| 13 | FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies | $72,755 | $34.98 |
| 14 | Andersen | $72,648 | $34.93 |
| 15 | RGP | $72,488 | $34.85 |
| 16 | Spectrum Brands | $72,160 | $34.69 |
| 17 | Medtronic | $71,870 | $34.55 |
| 18 | Altra Industrial Motion | $71,729 | $34.49 |
| 19 | Fortune Brands Home & Security | $71,555 | $34.40 |
| 20 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | $71,188 | $34.23 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cost Accountant salary by industry
The average cost accountant salary varies across industries:
- The average cost accountant salary in the energy industry is $63,357, the highest of any industry.
- The average cost accountant salary in the finance industry is $62,950.
- Cost accountants in the finance industry earn an average salary of $62,209, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for cost accountants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $63,357 | $30.46 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $62,950 | $30.26 |
| 3 | Technology | $62,949 | $30.26 |
| 4 | Retail | $62,531 | $30.06 |
| 5 | Finance | $62,209 | $29.91 |
High paying cost accountant jobs
Cost accountant salary trends
The average cost accountant salary has risen by $8,812 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cost accountant earned $51,716 annually, but today, they earn $60,528 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for cost accountants over the last decade.
Compare cost accountant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cost accountant salary over time
Compare cost accountant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cost accountant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $60,500 | $29.10 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $58,900 | $28.31 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $58,000 | $27.89 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $57,100 | $27.43 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $56,100 | $26.96 | +1.4% |
Recently added cost accountant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Kinematics | Cost Accountant/Analyst | Crystal Lake, IL | 06/30/2025 | $75,000 |
| Get It-Finance | Bookkeeper/Cost Accountant | Imperial Beach, CA | 06/29/2025 | $40,000 |
| Get It-Real Estate | Senior Gas Plant Accountant-Remote | Houston, TX | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| Post Holdings | Plant Cost Accountant | Chaska, MN | 06/28/2025 | $59,423 |
| Aston Carter | Cost Accountant | San Dimas, CA | 06/28/2025 | $75,132 |
| Ajinomoto Frozen Foods | Cost Accountant | Portland, OR | 06/28/2025 | $90,000 |
| Silgan Containers | Plant Accountant | Savage, MN | 06/27/2025 | $77,500 |
| Aston Carter | Cost Accountant | Palmyra, WI | 06/27/2025 | $80,000 |
| Vast | Cost Accountant | Long Beach, CA | 06/27/2025 | $97,000 |
| Lsi Solutions Inc. | Cost Accountant (Days 8AM To 5PM) | Victor, NY | 06/27/2025 | $60,000 |
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