Accountants and Auditors salary in the U.S.
Accountants and Auditors in the U.S. earn a median of $83,680 a year ($40.23 an hour), based on BLS data for 1,449,500 workers.
Pay ranges from $56,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $144,090 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $94,750, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for accountants and auditors in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $56,020 | $26.93 |
| 25th percentile | $67,020 | $32.22 |
| Median | $83,680 | $40.23 |
| 75th percentile | $109,810 | $52.80 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $144,090 | $69.27 |
| Average (mean) | $94,750 | $45.56 |
Half of accountants and auditors earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,973.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,486.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,218.46 |
| Weekly | $1,609.23 |
| Hourly | $40.23 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Accountants and Auditors salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111,530 | 9,810 |
| New York | $102,640 | 109,830 |
| New Jersey | $100,830 | 42,250 |
| Massachusetts | $99,460 | 46,230 |
| Connecticut | $97,550 | 16,770 |
| California | $97,050 | 175,360 |
| Colorado | $97,030 | 35,410 |
| Washington | $96,550 | 34,740 |
| Rhode Island | $95,820 | 6,570 |
| Delaware | $95,020 | 6,570 |
| Virginia | $93,290 | 47,100 |
| Maryland | $89,370 | 26,170 |
| Oregon | $85,800 | 14,920 |
| New Hampshire | $83,470 | 7,000 |
| Alaska | $83,460 | 2,190 |
| North Carolina | $82,050 | 49,270 |
| Georgia | $81,900 | 44,020 |
| Minnesota | $81,600 | 30,530 |
| Nevada | $81,600 | 6,930 |
| Texas | $80,920 | 116,470 |
| Illinois | $80,230 | 54,930 |
| Utah | $79,990 | 15,490 |
| Arizona | $79,970 | 27,410 |
| Wisconsin | $79,400 | 25,100 |
| Oklahoma | $79,370 | 16,720 |
| Ohio | $79,320 | 50,440 |
| Florida | $79,250 | 91,000 |
| Kansas | $79,000 | 13,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,000 | 54,290 |
| Vermont | $78,890 | 2,630 |
| South Dakota | $78,880 | 5,820 |
| Michigan | $78,820 | 41,460 |
| New Mexico | $78,580 | 6,300 |
| Indiana | $77,720 | 25,660 |
| Wyoming | $77,620 | 2,670 |
| Maine | $77,480 | 3,860 |
| Iowa | $77,440 | 13,210 |
| Tennessee | $76,840 | 27,340 |
| Missouri | $76,590 | 28,000 |
| South Carolina | $76,560 | 15,270 |
| Montana | $75,810 | 4,730 |
| North Dakota | $75,730 | 4,430 |
| Kentucky | $75,270 | 11,930 |
| Alabama | $74,880 | 24,300 |
| Idaho | $74,730 | 5,570 |
| Hawaii | $74,500 | 4,670 |
| Louisiana | $73,810 | 14,050 |
| West Virginia | $73,320 | 4,900 |
| Nebraska | $72,080 | 10,340 |
| Mississippi | $68,100 | 7,350 |
| Arkansas | $66,330 | 7,870 |
| Virgin Islands | $59,060 | 340 |
| Guam | $50,410 | 610 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,530 | 12,370 |
Best-paying metro areas for accountants and auditors
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $121,700 | 13,180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $110,730 | 25,170 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $105,650 | 111,930 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $102,140 | 41,470 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $102,020 | 5,000 |
| Midland, TX | $100,890 | 1,240 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $100,420 | 550 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $100,150 | 37,150 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $100,020 | 22,720 |
| Boulder, CO | $99,990 | 2,380 |
| Napa, CA | $99,640 | 520 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $99,550 | 2,890 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $99,370 | 22,100 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $96,340 | 13,450 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $96,110 | 760 |
Metro areas with the most accountants and auditors
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 111,930 | $105,650 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 70,640 | $94,360 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 41,470 | $102,140 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 41,360 | $82,360 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 37,450 | $82,620 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 37,150 | $100,150 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 30,950 | $80,920 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 30,150 | $85,820 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 29,370 | $85,990 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 28,400 | $85,090 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 25,170 | $110,730 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 22,720 | $100,020 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 22,100 | $99,370 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 21,820 | $86,500 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 21,360 | $80,820 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $102,740 | $49.40 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 | $36.87 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | $105,070 | $50.51 |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | $81,100 | $38.99 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 | $39.12 |
| Tax Preparer | $54,920 | $26.40 |
| Financial Examiner | $94,160 | $45.27 |
| Credit Analyst | $83,510 | $40.15 |
| Financial Risk Specialist | $117,330 | $56.41 |
| Property Appraisers and Assessors | $67,960 | $32.67 |
| Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | $62,370 | $29.98 |
| Budget Analyst | $91,640 | $44.06 |
| Credit Counselor | $52,230 | $25.11 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $83,050 | $39.93 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 13-2011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a accountants and auditors make in the U.S.?
The median salary for accountants and auditors in the U.S. is $83,680 a year, or $40.23 an hour. Pay ranges from $56,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $144,090 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid accountants and auditors make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of accountants and auditors in the U.S. earn at least $144,090 a year. The top 25% earn $109,810 or more.
What is the starting pay for accountants and auditors in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $56,020 a year, and a quarter of accountants and auditors earn $67,020 or less.
How many accountants and auditors work in the U.S.?
About 1,449,500 accountants and auditors are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.