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Principal accountant salary
Average principal accountant salary
$94,808
Understanding Principal Accountant Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Principal Accountant in the United States stands at $94,808, equating to approximately $46 per hour. This figure is influenced by various factors such as location, years of experience, and industry sector.
Salary by Location
Principal Accountants in states like California and New York tend to earn higher salaries compared to those in other regions. For instance, some of the highest paying states include:
- California: $105,000
- New York: $100,000
- Texas: $95,000
Experience also plays a critical role in determining salary. Entry-level positions may start around $70,000, while seasoned professionals can command salaries exceeding $120,000. Additionally, specialized sectors such as financial services and technology often offer enhanced salary packages. As the demand for skilled accountants continues to grow, taking advantage of professional development opportunities can lead to increased earning potential.
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Where can a Principal Accountant earn more?
Principal accountant salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level principal accountant | $62,600 | $30.12 |
| Mid-level principal accountant | $90,200 | $43.39 |
| Senior-level principal accountant | $153,000 | $73.39 |
Principal accountant salary estimates from across the web
Average principal accountant salary by state
The average principal accountant salary in New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average principal accountant salary states are Utah, Minnesota, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for principal accountants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $106,624 | $51.26 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $117,637 | $56.56 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $106,451 | $51.18 |
| 4 | New York | $114,737 | $55.16 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $97,023 | $46.65 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $114,877 | $55.23 |
| 7 | Maryland | $98,214 | $47.22 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $93,353 | $44.88 |
| 9 | Delaware | $98,266 | $47.24 |
| 10 | Virginia | $91,189 | $43.84 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $91,824 | $44.15 |
| 12 | California | $103,794 | $49.90 |
| 13 | Texas | $84,784 | $40.76 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $84,013 | $40.39 |
| 15 | Nevada | $82,411 | $39.62 |
| 16 | Illinois | $82,854 | $39.83 |
| 17 | Ohio | $83,256 | $40.03 |
| 18 | Vermont | $77,361 | $37.19 |
| 19 | Georgia | $85,236 | $40.98 |
| 20 | Michigan | $86,149 | $41.42 |
| 21 | Oregon | $79,986 | $38.45 |
| 22 | Florida | $78,879 | $37.92 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $75,149 | $36.13 |
| 24 | Washington | $71,259 | $34.26 |
| 25 | Arizona | $71,417 | $34.34 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $80,991 | $38.94 |
| 27 | Colorado | $68,861 | $33.11 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $73,001 | $35.10 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $73,099 | $35.14 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $71,287 | $34.27 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $69,679 | $33.50 |
| 32 | Montana | $62,610 | $30.10 |
| 33 | Maine | $73,193 | $35.19 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $71,017 | $34.14 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $65,337 | $31.41 |
| 36 | Idaho | $63,349 | $30.46 |
| 37 | Indiana | $69,824 | $33.57 |
| 38 | Alabama | $68,367 | $32.87 |
| 39 | Minnesota | $55,958 | $26.90 |
| 40 | Alaska | $62,947 | $30.26 |
| 41 | Missouri | $61,393 | $29.52 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $68,512 | $32.94 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $60,786 | $29.22 |
| 44 | Iowa | $58,230 | $28.00 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $64,699 | $31.11 |
| 46 | Kansas | $57,323 | $27.56 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $51,501 | $24.76 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $48,475 | $23.31 |
| 49 | Utah | $56,674 | $27.25 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $48,678 | $23.40 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $47,963 | $23.06 |
Highest paying cities for principal accountants
The highest-paying cities for principal accountants are Trenton, NJ, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trenton, NJ | $117,913 | $56.69 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $115,313 | $55.44 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $114,949 | $55.26 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $112,619 | $54.14 |
| 5 | Providence, RI | $106,557 | $51.23 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $106,306 | $51.11 |
| 7 | Annapolis, MD | $98,414 | $47.31 |
| 8 | Dover, DE | $98,352 | $47.28 |
| 9 | Concord, NH | $95,893 | $46.10 |
| 10 | Harrisburg, PA | $93,189 | $44.80 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $92,207 | $44.33 |
| 12 | Carson City, NV | $88,165 | $42.39 |
| 13 | Houston, TX | $87,378 | $42.01 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $84,313 | $40.54 |
| 15 | Lansing, MI | $83,917 | $40.34 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $83,334 | $40.06 |
| 17 | Schaumburg, IL | $82,935 | $39.87 |
| 18 | Baton Rouge, LA | $82,020 | $39.43 |
| 19 | Clearwater, FL | $80,009 | $38.47 |
| 20 | Olympia, WA | $73,753 | $35.46 |
Principal accountant salary details
A principal accountant's salary ranges from $66,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $134,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a principal accountant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $64 |
| 75th Percentile | $113,000 | $9,417 | $54 |
| Average | $94,808 | $7,901 | $46 |
| 25th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
Highest paying principal accountant jobs
The highest paying types of principal accountants are senior tax accountant, certified public accountant, and senior accountant analyst.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Analyst | $58,399 | $4,867 | $28.08 | 81,097 |
| Accountant/Consultant | $64,298 | $5,358 | $30.91 | 38,916 |
| Fixed Asset Accountant | $59,691 | $4,974 | $28.70 | 42,860 |
| Certified Public Accountant | $76,693 | $6,391 | $36.87 | 78,792 |
| General Ledger Accountant | $60,034 | $5,003 | $28.86 | 81,408 |
| Cost Accountant | $60,528 | $5,044 | $29.10 | 39,925 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for principal 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 principal accountants now:
Which companies pay principal accountants the most?
Principal accountant salaries at Google and Intuit are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average principal accountant salary at companies like Bristol-Myers Squibb and Amazon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $129,736 | $62.37 | |
| 2 | Intuit | $118,643 | $57.04 |
| 3 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $116,073 | $55.80 |
| 4 | Amazon | $114,198 | $54.90 |
| 5 | BNY Mellon | $113,968 | $54.79 |
| 6 | Florida Power and Light | $107,020 | $51.45 |
| 7 | BMC Software | $106,763 | $51.33 |
| 8 | NJ Transit | $106,708 | $51.30 |
| 9 | Medtronic | $105,075 | $50.52 |
| 10 | Abt Associates | $103,697 | $49.85 |
| 11 | Cadence Design Systems | $102,962 | $49.50 |
| 12 | Halliburton | $101,802 | $48.94 |
| 13 | The Bonadio Group | $101,577 | $48.84 |
| 14 | Pegasystems | $101,236 | $48.67 |
| 15 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $99,664 | $47.92 |
| 16 | TalentBurst | $98,884 | $47.54 |
| 17 | The Coca-Cola Company | $98,525 | $47.37 |
| 18 | Oxford Solutions | $98,255 | $47.24 |
| 19 | Sabre | $94,642 | $45.50 |
| 20 | American Family Insurance | $94,069 | $45.23 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Principal accountant salary trends
The average principal accountant salary has risen by $13,804 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average principal accountant earned $81,004 annually, but today, they earn $94,808 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for principal accountants over the last decade.
Compare principal accountant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average principal accountant salary over time
Compare principal accountant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Principal accountant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $94,800 | $45.58 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $92,200 | $44.34 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $90,900 | $43.68 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $89,400 | $42.97 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $87,800 | $42.23 | +1.4% |
Recently added principal accountant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ameriprise Financial | Principal Accountant-Financial Reporting | Charlotte, NC | 06/26/2025 | $85,700 |
| Ameriprise Financial | Principal Accountant-Financial Reporting | Minneapolis, MN | 06/25/2025 | $85,700 |
| Cloud Software | Principal Account Executive-Federal Civilian | Washington, DC | 06/24/2025 | $167,029 |
| Washington County | Accountant, Principal | Stillwater, MN | 06/22/2025 | $87,277 |
| Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corp | Principal Property Accountant | Centennial, CO | 06/16/2025 | $88,219 |
| University of North Dakota | Principal Accountant | Grand Forks, ND | 06/12/2025 | $75,000 |
| Amazon | Principal Account Manager, Strategic ISV Sales | San Francisco, CA | 06/11/2025 | $153,000 |
| The Bonadio Group | Principal Accountant, Small Business Advisory | Rochester, NY | 06/09/2025 | $100,000 |
| Foursquare | Principal Account Manager | San Francisco, CA | 06/09/2025 | $140,000 |
| Ventura County | Senior/Principal Accountant-Mb | Ione, CA | 06/08/2025 | $93,132 |
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