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Grant accountant salary

Quoted expert
Alyson Ma Ph.D.

Average grant accountant salary

$59,472

$28.59 hourly rate

Entry-level grant accountant salary
$46,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Grant Accountant Salaries

As of October 2025, the average salary for a Grant Accountant in the United States stands at $59,472 per year. This figure equates to approximately $29 per hour. Salaries for grant accountants can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the sector of employment.

For example, grant accountants working in high-demand areas or for large non-profit organizations may command higher salaries. According to recent data, states like California, New York, and Massachusetts offer some of the highest annual salaries for this role. Entry-level positions typically start at a lower salary, while those with extensive experience can see significant increases in their earning potential.

Furthermore, educational background and specialized skills in grant management can also enhance salary prospects. Grant accountants with advanced degrees or certifications may find themselves in higher-paying positions or management roles. For those considering a career in this field, understanding the salary landscape is crucial for making informed decisions. The right combination of experience, education, and geographic location can greatly influence your earning potential as a grant accountant.

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Where can a Grant Accountant earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
83k
63k
43k
23k
Columbus, OH$70,600
Coral Gables, FL$52,828
Compare salary by company
Vs
91k
71k
51k
31k
Search for Common Ground$67,836
Instituto del Progreso Latino$60,625

Grant accountant salaries by experience level

Experience levelAvg. salaryHourly rate
Entry-level grant accountant$39,300$18.89
Mid-level grant accountant$56,600$27.21
Senior-level grant accountant$95,800$46.04

Grant accountant salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter and Comparably, the average salary for a grant accountant typically falls between $55,140 and $65,812.
zippia
$59,472yearly
glassdoor[1]
$63,980yearly
comparably[2]
$55,140yearly
ZipRecruiter[3]
$65,812yearly

Average grant accountant salary by state

The average grant accountant salary in New York, California, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average grant accountant salary states are Wyoming, South Dakota, and Mississippi.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for grant accountants

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New York$69,835$33.57
2California$68,988$33.17
3District of Columbia$69,853$33.58
4Rhode Island$65,202$31.35
5Connecticut$62,991$30.28
6Massachusetts$65,609$31.54
7Washington$67,440$32.42
8Illinois$60,126$28.91
9Virginia$63,488$30.52
10Delaware$59,302$28.51
11New Jersey$65,350$31.42
12Texas$56,072$26.96
13New Hampshire$60,530$29.10
14Oregon$59,832$28.77
15Colorado$58,579$28.16
16Georgia$58,950$28.34
17Pennsylvania$56,527$27.18
18Arizona$55,814$26.83
19Maryland$59,255$28.49
20Wisconsin$54,527$26.21
21Nevada$53,594$25.77
22Oklahoma$53,782$25.86
23Ohio$52,258$25.12
24Alaska$56,786$27.30
25Florida$52,393$25.19
26Michigan$52,030$25.01
27Minnesota$51,572$24.79
28North Carolina$53,053$25.51
29Tennessee$49,616$23.85
30Louisiana$52,609$25.29
31Idaho$53,636$25.79
32Missouri$49,531$23.81
33South Carolina$52,216$25.10
34Iowa$47,673$22.92
35Arkansas$49,738$23.91
36Utah$47,701$22.93
37New Mexico$50,588$24.32
38Vermont$49,961$24.02
39Kentucky$48,220$23.18
40Hawaii$46,339$22.28
41Alabama$46,616$22.41
42Montana$43,861$21.09
43Kansas$47,698$22.93
44Wyoming$45,654$21.95
45Indiana$46,926$22.56
46Nebraska$46,189$22.21
47Maine$46,578$22.39
48Mississippi$44,844$21.56
49South Dakota$45,369$21.81
50West Virginia$44,577$21.43
51North Dakota$43,911$21.11

Highest paying cities for grant accountants

The highest-paying cities for grant accountants are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1San Francisco, CA$70,600$33.94
2New York, NY$70,048$33.68
3Washington, DC$69,847$33.58
4Seattle, WA$67,659$32.53
5Boston, MA$65,526$31.50
6Arlington, VA$64,122$30.83
7New Haven, CT$63,125$30.35
8Chicago, IL$60,275$28.98
9Salem, OR$59,941$28.82
10Baltimore, MD$59,329$28.52
11Atlanta, GA$58,867$28.30
12Denver, CO$58,524$28.14
13Philadelphia, PA$56,875$27.34
14San Antonio, TX$56,741$27.28
15Phoenix, AZ$55,947$26.90
16Reno, NV$54,403$26.16
17Madison, WI$54,043$25.98
18Raleigh, NC$53,717$25.83
19Cleveland, OH$53,429$25.69
20Coral Gables, FL$52,828$25.40

Grant accountant salary details

A grant accountant's salary ranges from $46,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $76,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average grant accountant salary graph
Average grant accountant salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a grant accountant's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$76,000$6,333$37
75th Percentile$67,000$5,583$32
Average$59,472$4,956$29
25th Percentile$52,000$4,333$25
10th Percentile$46,000$3,833$22

Highest paying grant accountant jobs

The highest paying types of grant accountants are senior tax accountant, certified public accountant, and senior accountant analyst.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Accounting Analyst$58,399$4,867$28.0881,097
Accountant/Consultant$64,298$5,358$30.9138,916
Certified Public Accountant$76,693$6,391$36.8778,792
Finance Analyst/Accountant$62,975$5,248$30.28118,043
Fixed Asset Accountant$59,691$4,974$28.7042,860
General Ledger Accountant$60,034$5,003$28.8681,408

How would you rate the starting salaries for grant accountants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Alyson Ma Ph.D.

Chair and Professor, University of San Diego

Economics is a combination of critical thinking, problem-solving, and quantitatively analyzing relationships using data. Students studying Economics are trained to interpret the big picture and present complex information about how an economy functions. Given the analytical and quantitative skills, it is not surprising that Economics majors earn higher than average starting salaries. The preliminary 2020 data shows an average salary of $63k for Economics and Business Economics Majors at USD.

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.

Which companies pay grant accountants the most?

Grant accountant salaries at Search for Common Ground and University of California are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average grant accountant salary at companies like La Maestra Community Health Centers and Rogue Community Health are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Search for Common Ground$67,836$32.61
2University of California$65,929$31.70
3La Maestra Community Health Centers$64,697$31.10
4Rogue Community Health$64,591$31.05
5AltaMed Health Services$64,364$30.94
6Beacon Hill Staffing Group$63,454$30.51
7Yale University$63,229$30.40
8Rosecrance$62,586$30.09
9HRL Laboratories$62,508$30.05
10Rehmann$62,025$29.82
11Ethan Allen Workforce Solutions$61,353$29.50
12Boston Medical Center$61,263$29.45
13CRDF Global$61,048$29.35
14Starting Point$60,989$29.32
15Addison Group$60,874$29.27
16Colorado State Express$60,825$29.24
17National Restaurant Association$60,774$29.22
18Creative Financial Staffing$60,734$29.20
19Career Strategies$60,667$29.17
20Instituto del Progreso Latino$60,625$29.15

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$60,000$59,200$58,400$57,600$56,800$56,000
MaleFemale

Grant Accountant salary by industry

The average grant accountant salary varies across industries:

  • The average grant accountant salary in the professional industry is $57,999, the highest of any industry.
  • The average grant accountant salary in the finance industry is $57,857.
  • Grant accountants in the government industry earn an average salary of $52,494, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for grant accountants

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Professional$57,999$27.88
2Non Profits$57,857$27.82
3Health Care$56,871$27.34
4Education$53,243$25.60
5Government$52,494$25.24

High paying grant accountant jobs

Grant accountant salary trends

The average grant accountant salary has risen by $8,659 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average grant accountant earned $50,813 annually, but today, they earn $59,472 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for grant accountants over the last decade.

Compare grant accountant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average grant accountant salary over time

Compare grant accountant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Grant accountant salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2026$59,500$28.59+2.7%
2025$57,800$27.81+1.5%
2024$57,000$27.40+1.6%
2023$56,100$26.96+1.7%
2022$55,100$26.49+1.4%

Recently added grant accountant salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
University of Central FloridaContracts and Grants Accountant IOrlando, FL06/30/2025$48,722
Community Service Society of New YorkGrant AccountantNew York, NY06/29/2025$75,000
Confederated Tribes and Bands of The Yakama NationGrants & Contract Accountant (2) Positions-YkfpToppenish, WA06/28/2025$48,585
Minnesota StatePayroll and Grants AccountantBrooklyn Park, MN06/27/2025$49,316
University of Wisconsin Eau ClaireGrant AccountantEau Claire, WI06/27/2025$55,000
Yakama Nation Tribal SchoolGrants & Contract Accountant (2) Positions-YkfpToppenish, WA06/26/2025$48,585
TeamsharesGrant Accountant (Hybrid)San Antonio, TX06/25/2025$62,610
Society of St. Vincent de Paul South PinellasGrant Accountant III-Homeless ServicesFort Myers, FL06/24/2025$52,000
Fortune SocietyGrants AccountantIslandia, NY06/20/2025$65,000
The AgencySenior Grant AccountantSpringfield, MO06/20/2025$64,608

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