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Senior staff accountant salary
Average senior staff accountant salary
$65,019
Understanding Senior Staff Accountant Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Senior Staff Accountant is approximately $65,019 annually. This salary can vary significantly based on geographic location, industry, and years of experience. For instance, Senior Staff Accountants in high-demand areas such as California and New York often earn more due to the cost of living and competitive job market.
Salary by State
In states like California, the average salary can exceed $80,000, while in areas with a lower cost of living, salaries may be around $50,000. Factors such as industry also play a crucial role; for example, those working in finance or tech generally command higher salaries compared to other sectors.
Job Opportunities
Senior Staff Accountants can find positions in various industries, with top employers offering competitive salaries. High-paying opportunities often arise in financial services, healthcare, and technology. Additionally, acquiring relevant certifications such as CPA can enhance earning potential and open doors to advanced roles.
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Where can a Senior Staff Accountant earn more?
Senior staff accountant salary estimates from across the web
Average senior staff accountant salary by state
The average senior staff accountant salary in New York, New Jersey, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior staff accountant salary states are South Dakota, Iowa, and Idaho.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior staff accountants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $81,268 | $39.07 |
| 2 | New York | $76,412 | $36.74 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $75,366 | $36.23 |
| 4 | Texas | $63,716 | $30.63 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $63,487 | $30.52 |
| 6 | Washington | $64,006 | $30.77 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $61,441 | $29.54 |
| 8 | Georgia | $62,987 | $30.28 |
| 9 | Maryland | $64,989 | $31.24 |
| 10 | Delaware | $63,292 | $30.43 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $58,832 | $28.28 |
| 12 | Illinois | $59,943 | $28.82 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $61,608 | $29.62 |
| 14 | Nevada | $57,890 | $27.83 |
| 15 | Michigan | $59,763 | $28.73 |
| 16 | Virginia | $64,212 | $30.87 |
| 17 | Colorado | $58,870 | $28.30 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $60,258 | $28.97 |
| 19 | Ohio | $58,768 | $28.25 |
| 20 | California | $70,393 | $33.84 |
| 21 | Alabama | $57,317 | $27.56 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $58,816 | $28.28 |
| 23 | Arizona | $56,916 | $27.36 |
| 24 | Indiana | $57,862 | $27.82 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $56,763 | $27.29 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $56,325 | $27.08 |
| 27 | Florida | $57,060 | $27.43 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $54,675 | $26.29 |
| 29 | Oregon | $55,908 | $26.88 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $55,771 | $26.81 |
| 31 | Alaska | $61,402 | $29.52 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $54,319 | $26.11 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $54,021 | $25.97 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $55,737 | $26.80 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $51,930 | $24.97 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $55,167 | $26.52 |
| 37 | Kansas | $53,370 | $25.66 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $54,486 | $26.20 |
| 39 | Montana | $50,276 | $24.17 |
| 40 | Missouri | $50,511 | $24.28 |
| 41 | Utah | $50,004 | $24.04 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $50,933 | $24.49 |
| 43 | Iowa | $48,548 | $23.34 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $53,129 | $25.54 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $51,088 | $24.56 |
| 46 | Vermont | $49,897 | $23.99 |
| 47 | Maine | $40,553 | $19.50 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $49,020 | $23.57 |
| 49 | Idaho | $45,732 | $21.99 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $44,869 | $21.57 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $45,396 | $21.82 |
Highest paying cities for senior staff accountants
The highest-paying cities for senior staff accountants are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $81,295 | $39.08 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $76,850 | $36.95 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $74,810 | $35.97 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $65,030 | $31.26 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $64,448 | $30.98 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $64,278 | $30.90 |
| 7 | Reston, VA | $64,207 | $30.87 |
| 8 | Savannah, GA | $63,662 | $30.61 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $63,326 | $30.45 |
| 10 | Wilmington, DE | $63,208 | $30.39 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $60,253 | $28.97 |
| 12 | Wilmington, NC | $59,496 | $28.60 |
| 13 | Colorado Springs, CO | $59,304 | $28.51 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $59,252 | $28.49 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $57,798 | $27.79 |
| 16 | Las Vegas, NV | $57,581 | $27.68 |
| 17 | Miami, FL | $57,232 | $27.52 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $57,004 | $27.41 |
| 19 | Oklahoma City, OK | $55,736 | $26.80 |
| 20 | Minneapolis, MN | $54,094 | $26.01 |
Senior staff accountant salary details
A senior staff accountant's salary ranges from $48,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $86,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior staff accountant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
| 75th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| Average | $65,019 | $5,418 | $31 |
| 25th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
| 10th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
Highest paying senior staff accountant jobs
The highest paying types of senior staff accountants are senior tax accountant, certified public accountant, and senior accountant analyst.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Supervisor | $68,923 | $5,744 | $33.14 | 56,377 |
| Accountant/Consultant | $64,298 | $5,358 | $30.91 | 38,916 |
| Accounting Consultant | $62,830 | $5,236 | $30.21 | 74,894 |
| Finance Analyst/Accountant | $62,975 | $5,248 | $30.28 | 118,043 |
| Certified Public Accountant | $76,693 | $6,391 | $36.87 | 78,792 |
| Accountant | $54,890 | $4,574 | $26.39 | 60,073 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior staff 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 senior staff accountants now:
Which companies pay senior staff accountants the most?
Senior staff accountant salaries at Calumet Specialty Products Partners and Crown Castle International are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior staff accountant salary at companies like AMETEK and FCP Building are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calumet Specialty Products Partners | $76,574 | $36.81 |
| 2 | Crown Castle International | $74,761 | $35.94 |
| 3 | AMETEK | $74,726 | $35.93 |
| 4 | FCP Building | $74,677 | $35.90 |
| 5 | Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt LLP | $74,437 | $35.79 |
| 6 | Asbury Automotive Group | $74,225 | $35.69 |
| 7 | Ascensus | $73,740 | $35.45 |
| 8 | Bipartisan Policy Center | $73,580 | $35.38 |
| 9 | Arrowhead Products | $71,958 | $34.60 |
| 10 | Suburban Propane | $71,790 | $34.51 |
| 11 | Something Digital | $71,532 | $34.39 |
| 12 | Genesee & Wyoming | $71,418 | $34.34 |
| 13 | Community Health Systems | $71,163 | $34.21 |
| 14 | Energy Inc. | $70,729 | $34.00 |
| 15 | Sulzer US Holding Inc | $70,171 | $33.74 |
| 16 | Ulta Beauty | $70,115 | $33.71 |
| 17 | Crowe | $69,723 | $33.52 |
| 18 | Child Trends | $69,476 | $33.40 |
| 19 | The Marketing Arm | $69,315 | $33.32 |
| 20 | National Railroad Passenger Corporation | $69,286 | $33.31 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Staff Accountant salary by industry
The average senior staff accountant salary varies across industries:
- The average senior staff accountant salary in the professional industry is $67,353, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior staff accountant salary in the finance industry is $66,410.
- Senior staff accountants in the health care industry earn an average salary of $62,590, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior staff accountants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $67,353 | $32.38 |
| 2 | Retail | $66,410 | $31.93 |
| 3 | Technology | $66,273 | $31.86 |
| 4 | Construction | $65,400 | $31.44 |
| 5 | Finance | $65,361 | $31.42 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $64,324 | $30.93 |
| 7 | Hospitality | $63,925 | $30.73 |
| 8 | Health Care | $62,590 | $30.09 |
High paying senior staff accountant jobs
Senior staff accountant salary trends
The average senior staff accountant salary has risen by $9,466 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior staff accountant earned $55,553 annually, but today, they earn $65,019 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for senior staff accountants over the last decade.
Compare senior staff accountant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior staff accountant salary over time
Compare senior staff accountant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior staff accountant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $65,000 | $31.26 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $63,200 | $30.41 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $62,300 | $29.96 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $61,300 | $29.47 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $60,200 | $28.96 | +1.4% |
Recently added senior staff accountant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storck Group | Senior Staff Accountant | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $75,000 |
| Food for Thought | Senior Staff Accountant | Lincolnwood, IL | 06/29/2025 | $85,000 |
| Get It-Finance | Senior Staff Accountant-Remote | WFH | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $75,000 |
| Get It-Finance | SR. Staff Accountant-(Hybrid)-Remote | WFH | New Orleans, LA | 06/29/2025 | $58,436 |
| Get It-Real Estate | Senior Staff Accountant-Remote | WFH | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $75,000 |
| Staffmark Group | Senior Staff Accountant | Georgetown, TX | 06/28/2025 | $80,000 |
| Lee County Port Authority | Senior Staff Accountant | Fort Myers, FL | 06/28/2025 | $61,382 |
| Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory | Senior Staff Accountant | Durango, CO | 06/27/2025 | $58,000 |
| Energy Talent Search | Senior Staff Accountant | Dallas, TX | 06/27/2025 | $80,000 |
| Monarch Investment | Senior Staff Accountant (Multifamily Housing) | Boone, CO | 06/26/2025 | $65,000 |
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