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Accountant-contractor salary
Average accountant-contractor salary
$56,906
Understanding Accountant-Contractor Salaries
The average salary for an accountant-contractor currently stands at $56,906 per year, translating to about $27 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Salary by State
Accountant-contractors in states like California and New York typically see higher compensation, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in urban areas. For instance, in California, the average salary may exceed $70,000. In contrast, regions with a lower cost of living often offer salaries closer to the national average.
Experience Matters
Experience also plays a crucial role in salary determination. Entry-level accountant-contractors may earn around $45,000, while those with several years in the field can command upwards of $75,000, especially in specialized roles.
Opportunities in Different Cities
Major metropolitan areas such as San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago offer the highest salaries for accountant-contractors, driven by a strong job market and demand for financial expertise. Understanding these dynamics is essential for anyone considering a career in this field.
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Where can an Accountant-Contractor earn more?
Accountant-contractor salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level accountant-contractor | $37,600 | $18.08 |
| Mid-level accountant-contractor | $54,200 | $26.04 |
| Senior-level accountant-contractor | $91,600 | $44.05 |
Average accountant-contractor salary by state
The average accountant-contractor salary in New Jersey, New York, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average accountant-contractor salary states are Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for accountant-contractors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $70,614 | $33.95 |
| 2 | New York | $67,630 | $32.51 |
| 3 | Delaware | $59,174 | $28.45 |
| 4 | California | $65,051 | $31.27 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $60,314 | $29.00 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $74,545 | $35.84 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $62,258 | $29.93 |
| 8 | Washington | $66,131 | $31.79 |
| 9 | Virginia | $62,161 | $29.89 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $61,392 | $29.52 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $60,513 | $29.09 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $58,328 | $28.04 |
| 13 | Ohio | $55,164 | $26.52 |
| 14 | Texas | $53,366 | $25.66 |
| 15 | Michigan | $54,076 | $26.00 |
| 16 | Georgia | $56,018 | $26.93 |
| 17 | Oregon | $53,789 | $25.86 |
| 18 | Illinois | $51,777 | $24.89 |
| 19 | Maryland | $56,973 | $27.39 |
| 20 | Missouri | $52,158 | $25.08 |
| 21 | Colorado | $52,965 | $25.46 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $50,365 | $24.21 |
| 23 | Arizona | $51,941 | $24.97 |
| 24 | Nevada | $49,536 | $23.82 |
| 25 | Alaska | $55,217 | $26.55 |
| 26 | Florida | $50,696 | $24.37 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $51,447 | $24.73 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $51,816 | $24.91 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $51,490 | $24.75 |
| 30 | Alabama | $50,116 | $24.09 |
| 31 | Vermont | $50,435 | $24.25 |
| 32 | Idaho | $51,268 | $24.65 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $50,568 | $24.31 |
| 34 | Iowa | $46,248 | $22.23 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $48,983 | $23.55 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $48,493 | $23.31 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $48,218 | $23.18 |
| 38 | Utah | $46,858 | $22.53 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $46,683 | $22.44 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $46,472 | $22.34 |
| 41 | Montana | $42,062 | $20.22 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $41,491 | $19.95 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $45,222 | $21.74 |
| 44 | Maine | $47,050 | $22.62 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $45,224 | $21.74 |
| 46 | Kansas | $46,285 | $22.25 |
| 47 | Indiana | $45,817 | $22.03 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $45,628 | $21.94 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $44,957 | $21.61 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $41,276 | $19.84 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $42,536 | $20.45 |
Highest paying cities for accountant-contractors
The highest-paying cities for accountant-contractors are Newark, NJ, San Francisco, CA, and Brentwood, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newark, NJ | $74,632 | $35.88 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $67,914 | $32.65 |
| 3 | Brentwood, NY | $67,852 | $32.62 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $62,703 | $30.15 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $60,411 | $29.04 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $55,958 | $26.90 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $53,584 | $25.76 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $53,391 | $25.67 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $52,901 | $25.43 |
| 10 | Surprise, AZ | $52,296 | $25.14 |
| 11 | Kansas City, MO | $52,224 | $25.11 |
| 12 | Columbia, SC | $51,830 | $24.92 |
| 13 | Norman, OK | $51,421 | $24.72 |
| 14 | Sunrise, FL | $51,033 | $24.54 |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | $49,681 | $23.89 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $48,538 | $23.34 |
| 17 | Overland Park, KS | $46,262 | $22.24 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $45,619 | $21.93 |
Accountant-contractor salary details
An accountant-contractor's salary ranges from $44,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an accountant-contractor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| Average | $56,906 | $4,742 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
Highest paying accountant-contractor jobs
The highest paying types of accountant-contractors are senior tax accountant, certified public accountant, and senior accountant analyst.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Public Accountant | $76,693 | $6,391 | $36.87 | 78,792 |
| Finance Analyst/Accountant | $62,975 | $5,248 | $30.28 | 118,043 |
| General Ledger Accountant | $60,034 | $5,003 | $28.86 | 81,408 |
| Accounting Analyst | $58,399 | $4,867 | $28.08 | 81,097 |
| Fixed Asset Accountant | $59,691 | $4,974 | $28.70 | 42,860 |
| Accounting Consultant | $62,830 | $5,236 | $30.21 | 74,894 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for accountant-contractors, 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 accountant-contractors now:
Which companies pay accountant-contractors the most?
Accountant-contractor salaries at Broadridge and Proofpoint are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average accountant-contractor salary at companies like Shiseido and University of California are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broadridge | $68,182 | $32.78 |
| 2 | Proofpoint | $64,954 | $31.23 |
| 3 | Shiseido | $64,016 | $30.78 |
| 4 | University of California | $63,085 | $30.33 |
| 5 | Kiewit | $60,197 | $28.94 |
| 6 | Mettler-Toledo International | $58,100 | $27.93 |
| 7 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $57,113 | $27.46 |
| 8 | Kelly Services | $56,699 | $27.26 |
| 9 | Cigna | $56,661 | $27.24 |
| 10 | Bumble | $56,195 | $27.02 |
| 11 | Robert Half | $56,066 | $26.95 |
| 12 | Northpoint | $55,478 | $26.67 |
| 13 | Jostens | $51,396 | $24.71 |
| 14 | University of Oklahoma | $47,330 | $22.75 |
| 15 | Portland Community College | $46,697 | $22.45 |
| 16 | CAMBA | $46,077 | $22.15 |
| 17 | Morehouse School of Medicine | $45,732 | $21.99 |
| 18 | Texas Department of Transportation | $42,653 | $20.51 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Accountant-Contractor salary by industry
The average accountant-contractor salary varies across industries:
- The average accountant-contractor salary in the energy industry is $66,522, the highest of any industry.
- The average accountant-contractor salary in the finance industry is $62,174.
- Accountant-contractors in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $51,871, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for accountant-contractors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $66,522 | $31.98 |
| 2 | Finance | $62,174 | $29.89 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $60,465 | $29.07 |
| 4 | Technology | $59,533 | $28.62 |
| 5 | Health Care | $58,895 | $28.31 |
| 6 | Professional | $57,491 | $27.64 |
| 7 | Hospitality | $51,871 | $24.94 |
High paying accountant-contractor jobs
Accountant-contractor salary trends
The average accountant-contractor salary has risen by $8,285 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average accountant-contractor earned $48,621 annually, but today, they earn $56,906 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for accountant-contractors over the last decade.
Compare accountant-contractor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average accountant-contractor salary over time
Compare accountant-contractor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Accountant-contractor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $56,900 | $27.36 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $55,400 | $26.61 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $54,500 | $26.22 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $53,600 | $25.79 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $52,700 | $25.35 | +1.4% |
Recently added accountant-contractor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azul | Revenue Enablement Contractor | Seattle, WA | 06/26/2025 | $52,175 |
| Hoxton Circle | Contract To Accountant In Monterey CA | Monterey, CA | 06/19/2025 | $62,610 |
| The University of Oklahoma | Usps Contract Accountant-Job Number: 242679 | Norman, OK | 06/10/2025 | $55,400 |
| AHU Technologies | Accountant I-Long-Term Contract (Government) Position | Washington, DC | 05/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| Job Listingsitt Inc. | Temp Accountant-Contract | Seneca Falls, NY | 05/14/2025 | $83,480 |
| ITT | Temp Accountant-Contract | Seneca Falls, NY | 05/13/2025 | $83,480 |
| The University of Oklahoma | Usps Contract Accountant-Job Number: 242679 | Norman, OK | 05/13/2025 | $55,400 |
| Hoxton Circle | Contract Accountant | King City, CA | 05/10/2025 | $70,000 |
| Mixpanel | Accountant-Contract | New York, NY | 04/28/2025 | $107,591 |
| The University of Oklahoma | Usps Contract Accountant-Job Number: 242679 | Norman, OK | 04/27/2025 | $55,400 |
Accountant-contractor salary FAQs
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