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Forensic accountant salary
Average forensic accountant salary
$66,833
Forensic Accountant Salary Overview
The role of a forensic accountant is vital in various industries, particularly in fraud investigation and litigation support. In October 2025, forensic accountants earn an average salary of $66,833 per year. The salary can vary based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific sector in which they work.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level forensic accountants typically start with lower salaries, around $50,000, while those with extensive experience or specialized skills can earn upwards of $90,000 or more. This profession values continuous learning and certification, which can enhance earning potential significantly.
Top States for Forensic Accountant Salaries
Location significantly influences salary levels. States like California, New York, and Texas often report higher salaries due to the demand for forensic accounting services. For instance, the average salary in California can exceed $75,000.
Career Opportunities
Forensic accountants can find roles in diverse settings, including government agencies, private firms, and nonprofit organizations. As businesses increasingly prioritize compliance and risk management, the demand for skilled forensic accountants continues to grow.
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Where can a Forensic Accountant earn more?
Forensic accountant salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level forensic accountant | $44,200 | $21.23 |
| Mid-level forensic accountant | $63,600 | $30.58 |
| Senior-level forensic accountant | $108,000 | $51.73 |
Forensic accountant salary estimates from across the web
Average forensic accountant salary by state
The highest-paying states for forensic accountants are Rhode Island, New Jersey, and New Hampshire. The lowest average forensic accountant salary states are South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for forensic accountants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $112,595 | $54.13 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $93,542 | $44.97 |
| 3 | New York | $85,318 | $41.02 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $86,024 | $41.36 |
| 5 | Delaware | $81,732 | $39.29 |
| 6 | Maryland | $81,228 | $39.05 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $90,631 | $43.57 |
| 8 | Illinois | $75,078 | $36.10 |
| 9 | Georgia | $80,342 | $38.63 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $87,716 | $42.17 |
| 11 | Oregon | $81,120 | $39.00 |
| 12 | Michigan | $77,237 | $37.13 |
| 13 | Virginia | $78,913 | $37.94 |
| 14 | Texas | $72,643 | $34.92 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $72,669 | $34.94 |
| 16 | Nevada | $69,808 | $33.56 |
| 17 | California | $75,351 | $36.23 |
| 18 | Ohio | $71,464 | $34.36 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $72,433 | $34.82 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $70,627 | $33.96 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $72,020 | $34.63 |
| 22 | Washington | $72,251 | $34.74 |
| 23 | Montana | $64,855 | $31.18 |
| 24 | Colorado | $64,363 | $30.94 |
| 25 | Indiana | $68,002 | $32.69 |
| 26 | Vermont | $71,796 | $34.52 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $66,893 | $32.16 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $64,719 | $31.11 |
| 29 | Florida | $64,851 | $31.18 |
| 30 | Maine | $67,561 | $32.48 |
| 31 | Idaho | $66,611 | $32.02 |
| 32 | Utah | $60,190 | $28.94 |
| 33 | Iowa | $59,276 | $28.50 |
| 34 | Missouri | $59,925 | $28.81 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $59,627 | $28.67 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $61,198 | $29.42 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $62,501 | $30.05 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $59,475 | $28.59 |
| 39 | Arizona | $59,869 | $28.78 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $62,223 | $29.91 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $60,524 | $29.10 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $59,213 | $28.47 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $44,781 | $21.53 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $52,758 | $25.36 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $54,997 | $26.44 |
| 46 | Alabama | $55,073 | $26.48 |
| 47 | Kansas | $56,872 | $27.34 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $53,504 | $25.72 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $53,100 | $25.53 |
| 50 | Alaska | $49,454 | $23.78 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $50,163 | $24.12 |
Highest paying cities for forensic accountants
The highest-paying cities for forensic accountants are Washington, DC, Providence, RI, and Concord, NH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $112,634 | $54.15 |
| 2 | Providence, RI | $93,542 | $44.97 |
| 3 | Concord, NH | $87,066 | $41.86 |
| 4 | Brockton, MA | $86,353 | $41.52 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $85,332 | $41.02 |
| 6 | Dover, DE | $81,285 | $39.08 |
| 7 | Annapolis, MD | $81,159 | $39.02 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $81,063 | $38.97 |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | $80,717 | $38.81 |
| 10 | Alpharetta, GA | $80,686 | $38.79 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $75,750 | $36.42 |
| 12 | El Paso, TX | $75,431 | $36.26 |
| 13 | Carson City, NV | $74,322 | $35.73 |
| 14 | Hartford, CT | $72,770 | $34.99 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $70,691 | $33.99 |
| 16 | Harrisburg, PA | $70,416 | $33.85 |
| 17 | Charlotte, NC | $69,534 | $33.43 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $67,659 | $32.53 |
| 19 | Jackson, MS | $67,571 | $32.49 |
| 20 | Helena, MT | $65,413 | $31.45 |
Forensic accountant salary details
A forensic accountant's salary ranges from $44,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $100,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a forensic accountant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $100,000 | $8,333 | $48 |
| 75th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| Average | $66,833 | $5,569 | $32 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
Highest paying forensic accountant jobs
The highest paying types of forensic accountants are senior tax accountant, certified public accountant, and senior accountant analyst.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant/Consultant | $64,298 | $5,358 | $30.91 | 38,916 |
| Accountant Internship | $33,484 | $2,790 | $16.10 | 82,924 |
| General Ledger Accountant | $60,034 | $5,003 | $28.86 | 81,408 |
| Finance Analyst/Accountant | $62,975 | $5,248 | $30.28 | 118,043 |
| Staff Accountant | $54,216 | $4,518 | $26.07 | 115,930 |
| Certified Public Accountant | $76,693 | $6,391 | $36.87 | 78,792 |
Top companies hiring forensic accountants now:
Which companies pay forensic accountants the most?
Forensic accountant salaries at Berkeley Research Group and Agilent Technologies are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average forensic accountant salary at companies like Meaden & Moore and SiloSmashers are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley Research Group | $90,047 | $43.29 |
| 2 | Agilent Technologies | $82,348 | $39.59 |
| 3 | Meaden & Moore | $80,646 | $38.77 |
| 4 | SiloSmashers | $78,120 | $37.56 |
| 5 | Deloitte | $78,041 | $37.52 |
| 6 | Cohen & Company | $77,159 | $37.10 |
| 7 | Delta Consulting Group | $75,796 | $36.44 |
| 8 | Sedgwick LLP | $73,295 | $35.24 |
| 9 | Federal Bureau of Investigation | $73,058 | $35.12 |
| 10 | Pacific Architects and Engineers | $69,519 | $33.42 |
| 11 | Marsh & McLennan Companies | $68,362 | $32.87 |
| 12 | Alan Gray | $68,309 | $32.84 |
| 13 | Compass Strategy | $68,309 | $32.84 |
| 14 | The Independent Traveler | $68,302 | $32.84 |
| 15 | Hagen, Streiff, Newton & Oshiro | $67,907 | $32.65 |
| 16 | J.S. Held | $67,464 | $32.43 |
| 17 | Aon | $66,617 | $32.03 |
| 18 | Brown & Brown | $66,513 | $31.98 |
| 19 | The Travelers Companies | $66,482 | $31.96 |
| 20 | Goodwin Recruiting | $66,188 | $31.82 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Forensic Accountant salary by industry
The average forensic accountant salary varies across industries:
- The average forensic accountant salary in the finance industry is $81,057, the highest of any industry.
- The average forensic accountant salary in the finance industry is $75,725.
- Forensic accountants in the automotive industry earn an average salary of $56,785, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for forensic accountants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $81,057 | $38.97 |
| 2 | Professional | $75,725 | $36.41 |
| 3 | Government | $73,976 | $35.57 |
| 4 | Insurance | $67,811 | $32.60 |
| 5 | Automotive | $56,785 | $27.30 |
High paying forensic accountant jobs
Forensic accountant salary trends
The average forensic accountant salary has risen by $9,730 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average forensic accountant earned $57,103 annually, but today, they earn $66,833 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for forensic accountants over the last decade.
Compare forensic accountant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average forensic accountant salary over time
Compare forensic accountant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Forensic accountant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $66,800 | $32.13 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $65,000 | $31.25 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $64,100 | $30.79 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $63,000 | $30.29 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $61,900 | $29.77 | +1.4% |
Recently added forensic accountant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | Providence, RI | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | Milwaukee, WI | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | Virginia Beach, VA | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | Baltimore, MD | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | Des Moines, IA | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | Wichita, KS | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | Boston, MA | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | Indianapolis, IN | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | Houston, TX | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Accountant | New York, NY | 06/28/2025 | $73,939 |
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