Accountants Salary 2025: $84,578 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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$84,578 per year is the national median annual wage for accountants (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $41/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $78,440 to $196,890. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 13-2011.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $84,578
- Median hourly wage
- $41/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $99,257
- Total US employment
- 970,460
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($121,700)
- BLS SOC code
- 13-2011
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for accountants (BLS SOC 13-2011) is $84,578 per year — about $41/hour — across 970,460 workers in 70 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $99,257 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $61,085 while the 90th earns $147,545 — a 2.4× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most accountants land in the $72,668–$118,793 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $121,700, versus $65,810 in Little Rock, AR, AR — a 85% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Charlotte, NC delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($96,081 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
Finance compensation for accountant roles skews heavily toward variable pay — bonuses, commissions, and deferred comp that OEWS does not capture — so the base-wage figures here understate total pay, especially in high-cost financial-center metros.
Accountants Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what accountants earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $61,085 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $72,668 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $90,041 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $118,793 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $147,545 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Accountants salaries range from $65,810 to $121,700 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Accountants Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $78,440 | $95,744 | $121,700 | $159,295 | $196,890 | $62,155 | 13,180 |
| San Francisco, CA | $73,420 | $88,344 | $110,730 | $145,395 | $180,060 | $61,654 | 25,170 |
| New York, NY | $71,850 | $85,370 | $105,650 | $140,200 | $174,750 | $56,437 | 111,930 |
| Washington, DC | $67,530 | $81,374 | $102,140 | $136,560 | $170,980 | $66,846 | 41,470 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $69,290 | $82,382 | $102,020 | $134,815 | $167,610 | $74,196 | 5,000 |
| Boston, MA | $72,450 | $83,530 | $100,150 | $130,800 | $161,450 | $65,845 | 37,150 |
| Denver, CO | $63,550 | $78,138 | $100,020 | $132,515 | $165,010 | $88,670 | 22,720 |
| Seattle, WA | $73,250 | $83,698 | $99,370 | $130,005 | $160,640 | $66,513 | 22,100 |
| San Diego, CA | $62,520 | $76,048 | $96,340 | $127,030 | $157,720 | $60,137 | 13,450 |
| Hartford, CT | $63,830 | $76,674 | $95,940 | $115,455 | $134,970 | $85,204 | 6,780 |
| Providence, RI | $60,620 | $74,380 | $95,020 | $122,280 | $149,540 | $79,581 | 8,250 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $60,310 | $73,930 | $94,360 | $124,495 | $154,630 | $56,843 | 70,640 |
| Charlotte, NC | $59,200 | $72,684 | $92,910 | $130,120 | $167,330 | $96,081 | 16,820 |
| Portland, OR | $64,680 | $75,688 | $92,200 | $114,465 | $136,730 | $70,869 | 10,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $61,350 | $73,654 | $92,110 | $111,975 | $131,840 | $73,865 | 13,170 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $61,940 | $71,764 | $86,500 | $116,105 | $145,710 | $81,450 | 21,820 |
| Spokane, WA | $61,760 | $71,596 | $86,350 | $110,500 | $134,650 | $88,655 | 2,340 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $59,560 | $70,132 | $85,990 | $112,705 | $139,420 | $72,627 | 29,370 |
| Atlanta, GA | $56,490 | $68,222 | $85,820 | $119,415 | $153,010 | $86,512 | 30,150 |
| Baltimore, MD | $59,170 | $69,566 | $85,160 | $115,905 | $146,650 | $74,571 | 13,550 |
| Houston, TX | $58,780 | $69,304 | $85,090 | $114,640 | $144,190 | $88,176 | 28,400 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $55,530 | $67,318 | $85,000 | $114,350 | $143,700 | $81,340 | 2,580 |
| Albany, NY | $59,530 | $69,582 | $84,660 | $109,165 | $133,670 | $84,071 | 4,680 |
| Richmond, VA | $59,290 | $69,262 | $84,220 | $109,255 | $134,290 | $82,488 | 7,920 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $57,260 | $67,924 | $83,920 | $109,530 | $135,140 | $68,562 | 9,240 |
| Austin, TX | $57,660 | $67,844 | $83,120 | $106,625 | $130,130 | $80,699 | 12,480 |
| Dallas, TX | $57,940 | $67,812 | $82,620 | $108,080 | $133,540 | $79,366 | 37,450 |
| Reno, NV | $59,670 | $68,750 | $82,370 | $105,790 | $129,210 | $77,343 | 1,480 |
| Chicago, IL | $59,530 | $68,662 | $82,360 | $108,230 | $134,100 | $76,757 | 41,360 |
| Anchorage, AK | $59,550 | $68,590 | $82,150 | $102,800 | $123,450 | $64,685 | 1,160 |
| Buffalo, NY | $56,550 | $66,778 | $82,120 | $108,745 | $135,370 | $88,778 | 4,870 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $51,470 | $63,722 | $82,100 | $106,915 | $131,730 | $80,966 | 8,660 |
| Raleigh, NC | $57,120 | $67,052 | $81,950 | $108,085 | $134,220 | $82,114 | 9,190 |
| Columbus, OH | $56,610 | $66,646 | $81,700 | $107,015 | $132,330 | $87,755 | 11,410 |
| Tulsa, OK | $50,710 | $62,954 | $81,320 | $107,155 | $132,990 | $93,687 | 5,110 |
| Madison, WI | $60,770 | $68,914 | $81,130 | $102,030 | $122,930 | $78,160 | 4,440 |
| Miami, FL | $50,280 | $62,536 | $80,920 | $106,730 | $132,540 | $65,735 | 30,950 |
| Rochester, NY | $58,030 | $67,174 | $80,890 | $105,790 | $130,690 | $87,072 | 4,370 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $58,000 | $67,128 | $80,820 | $104,995 | $129,170 | $80,258 | 21,360 |
| Detroit, MI | $58,080 | $67,108 | $80,650 | $107,260 | $133,870 | $84,805 | 19,390 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $57,740 | $66,900 | $80,640 | $106,660 | $132,680 | $88,421 | 10,050 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $57,740 | $66,856 | $80,530 | $104,320 | $128,110 | $73,881 | 4,680 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $60,340 | $68,320 | $80,290 | $106,220 | $132,150 | $82,433 | 7,960 |
| Greensboro, NC | $52,710 | $63,694 | $80,170 | $108,240 | $136,310 | $87,809 | 3,300 |
| Kansas City, MO | $54,680 | $64,824 | $80,040 | $105,180 | $130,320 | $83,899 | 11,260 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $51,800 | $63,064 | $79,960 | $105,290 | $130,620 | $84,080 | 6,890 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $55,990 | $65,546 | $79,880 | $103,070 | $126,260 | $84,979 | 3,260 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $55,090 | $64,902 | $79,620 | $106,715 | $133,810 | $79,145 | 1,870 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $52,820 | $63,408 | $79,290 | $104,235 | $129,180 | $88,002 | 11,210 |
| Des Moines, IA | $56,390 | $65,550 | $79,290 | $103,710 | $128,130 | $84,984 | 4,850 |
| Wichita, KS | $52,810 | $63,394 | $79,270 | $106,365 | $133,460 | $94,369 | 3,120 |
| Tampa, FL | $50,300 | $61,776 | $78,990 | $105,710 | $132,430 | $79,307 | 14,770 |
| St. Louis, MO | $51,040 | $62,176 | $78,880 | $104,610 | $130,340 | $87,644 | 13,610 |
| Fresno, CA | $56,700 | $65,496 | $78,690 | $103,645 | $128,600 | $74,588 | 2,810 |
| Birmingham, AL | $52,140 | $62,748 | $78,660 | $103,595 | $128,530 | $87,013 | 7,790 |
| San Antonio, TX | $56,080 | $65,108 | $78,650 | $103,145 | $127,640 | $85,956 | 8,360 |
| Orlando, FL | $50,510 | $61,758 | $78,630 | $104,700 | $130,770 | $76,266 | 10,410 |
| Nashville, TN | $53,650 | $63,422 | $78,080 | $101,910 | $125,740 | $77,846 | 11,290 |
| New Orleans, LA | $52,630 | $62,754 | $77,940 | $99,555 | $121,170 | $81,272 | 3,740 |
| Lexington, KY | $53,900 | $63,452 | $77,780 | $101,830 | $125,880 | $85,192 | 1,830 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $48,330 | $59,910 | $77,280 | $104,220 | $131,160 | $89,341 | 6,700 |
| Omaha, NE | $53,120 | $62,684 | $77,030 | $98,425 | $119,820 | $83,911 | 5,170 |
| Memphis, TN | $49,580 | $60,532 | $76,960 | $99,895 | $122,830 | $91,619 | 4,390 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $51,040 | $61,400 | $76,940 | $100,910 | $124,880 | $83,359 | 10,430 |
| Greenville, SC | $52,090 | $62,002 | $76,870 | $103,645 | $130,420 | $85,316 | 2,890 |
| Boise, ID | $52,460 | $62,156 | $76,700 | $100,260 | $123,820 | $75,122 | 3,140 |
| Louisville, KY | $53,070 | $62,370 | $76,320 | $98,975 | $121,630 | $84,612 | 4,590 |
| Tucson, AZ | $52,580 | $62,076 | $76,320 | $98,960 | $121,600 | $80,000 | 2,570 |
| Knoxville, TN | $50,470 | $60,434 | $75,380 | $100,530 | $125,680 | $83,477 | 3,240 |
| Little Rock, AR | $46,460 | $54,200 | $65,810 | $89,340 | $112,870 | $74,615 | 2,620 |
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Accountant & H-1B Prevailing Wage
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Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Accountant is $84,578 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $99,257. Salaries range from $65,810 to $121,700 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level accountants (10th percentile) earn about $61,085 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $84,578, $118,793 at the 75th percentile, and $147,545 for the top 10% of earners.
The median accountant earns about $41/hour, based on the $84,578 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Accountant at $121,700, well above the national median of $84,578. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 970,460 Accountant positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile accountant earns $147,545 — about 2.4× the $61,085 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.