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Accountants and Auditors Salary by State
There were an estimated 1,448,290 accountants and auditors working in the United States in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey. The typical (median) accountant earned $81,680 a year, or $39.27 an hour, while the mean annual wage was $93,520. Pay spans a wide range even inside the same occupation: the lowest-paid 10% of accountants and auditors earned $52,780 or less, the bottom quarter earned $64,660 or less, the top quarter earned at least $106,450, and the top 10% earned at least $141,420. Where a accountant works matters almost as much as the job itself, as the state table below shows.
Where accountants and auditors earn the most — and least
The highest median pay for accountants and auditors is in District of Columbia, at $103,030 a year — 26.1% higher than the national median of $81,680. Next are New York at $101,780 and New Jersey at $101,340. At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest published median, $64,170, which is 21.4% lower than the national figure. That is a top-to-bottom spread of about 1.6 times between the highest- and lowest-paying states for the same occupation — a gap driven by local labor markets, licensing, employer mix, and cost of living rather than by differences in the job title itself.
Where the accountant jobs are
Employment is concentrated in a handful of large states. California alone employs 173,370 accountants and auditors, and the three largest states — California, New York, and Texas — together account for 27% of all U.S. jobs in this occupation. Pay in the largest market, California, runs at a median of $96,360, 18.0% higher than the national median, so the biggest job market is also one of the better-paying ones. Smaller states can still be attractive: several low-population states post medians close to the national figure with far less competition for each opening.
Accountant salary by state — full table
Median and mean annual wages for accountants and auditors in every state where BLS publishes an estimate for May 2024, ranked by median pay. The 90th-percentile column shows what the top-earning tenth of accountants and auditors in each state make. Follow a state link for that state's full wage tables, or open a detailed guide where one is available.
| State | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 9,600 | $49.54 | $103,030 | $116,580 | $180,890 |
| New York Detailed guide | 111,860 | $48.94 | $101,780 | $115,490 | $178,500 |
| New Jersey | 43,540 | $48.72 | $101,340 | $113,110 | $166,230 |
| Massachusetts | 45,520 | $46.44 | $96,580 | $102,030 | $152,960 |
| California | 173,370 | $46.33 | $96,360 | $104,710 | $162,150 |
| Washington | 37,400 | $46.24 | $96,180 | $101,380 | $143,210 |
| Rhode Island | 5,980 | $43.29 | $90,040 | $97,210 | $145,290 |
| Colorado | 35,580 | $43.28 | $90,030 | $99,220 | $155,590 |
| Connecticut | 16,590 | $43.09 | $89,630 | $95,930 | $135,090 |
| Maryland | 25,630 | $40.81 | $84,890 | $95,950 | $150,560 |
| Delaware | 6,120 | $40.66 | $84,560 | $95,150 | $133,550 |
| Virginia | 50,220 | $40.48 | $84,190 | $95,650 | $145,750 |
| New Hampshire | 7,820 | $39.82 | $82,830 | $89,850 | $128,400 |
| Alaska | 2,440 | $39.40 | $81,950 | $89,580 | $128,150 |
| Oregon | 15,370 | $39.00 | $81,130 | $89,660 | $128,710 |
| Minnesota | 30,400 | $38.99 | $81,100 | $92,240 | $135,370 |
| North Carolina | 46,420 | $38.70 | $80,490 | $91,240 | $137,260 |
| Georgia | 45,000 | $38.51 | $80,100 | $92,050 | $140,640 |
| Texas Detailed guide | 109,530 | $38.46 | $80,000 | $89,860 | $132,550 |
| Illinois | 54,690 | $38.12 | $79,300 | $88,160 | $132,080 |
| Arizona | 26,030 | $37.80 | $78,620 | $85,700 | $125,990 |
| Florida Detailed guide | 90,880 | $37.73 | $78,470 | $87,360 | $132,070 |
| Nevada | 5,740 | $37.60 | $78,220 | $83,450 | $119,110 |
| Wisconsin | 25,060 | $37.57 | $78,150 | $86,310 | $126,180 |
| Michigan | 43,910 | $37.37 | $77,720 | $85,460 | $130,320 |
| Maine | 4,020 | $37.35 | $77,680 | $84,990 | $124,990 |
| Ohio | 51,840 | $37.33 | $77,640 | $86,040 | $129,640 |
| New Mexico | 6,660 | $37.22 | $77,420 | $82,410 | $119,020 |
| Indiana | 25,280 | $37.21 | $77,410 | $83,380 | $125,160 |
| Wyoming | 2,580 | $37.21 | $77,400 | $81,580 | $123,330 |
| Pennsylvania | 54,440 | $37.18 | $77,330 | $85,200 | $128,300 |
| South Dakota | 5,950 | $37.17 | $77,310 | $81,670 | $110,630 |
| Vermont | 2,770 | $37.01 | $76,990 | $85,300 | $121,360 |
| Oklahoma | 16,520 | $36.93 | $76,820 | $84,650 | $129,660 |
| Kansas | 14,030 | $36.73 | $76,400 | $81,420 | $122,650 |
| Tennessee | 26,890 | $36.30 | $75,500 | $82,310 | $125,280 |
| Utah | 16,540 | $36.11 | $75,100 | $83,110 | $129,890 |
| West Virginia | 5,310 | $35.83 | $74,520 | $78,150 | $113,730 |
| Montana | 4,680 | $35.77 | $74,400 | $80,040 | $121,140 |
| Iowa | 13,970 | $35.72 | $74,290 | $80,540 | $121,940 |
| Missouri | 25,340 | $35.20 | $73,210 | $80,160 | $128,240 |
| South Carolina | 15,250 | $35.18 | $73,180 | $84,260 | $131,550 |
| Kentucky | 12,180 | $34.72 | $72,220 | $77,450 | $114,800 |
| North Dakota | 4,110 | $34.70 | $72,180 | $75,220 | $103,400 |
| Alabama | 25,420 | $34.17 | $71,070 | $80,760 | $123,410 |
| Nebraska | 10,080 | $33.64 | $69,980 | $75,670 | $106,770 |
| Louisiana | 13,560 | $33.43 | $69,540 | $78,330 | $117,190 |
| Hawaii | 4,940 | $32.61 | $67,820 | $76,070 | $108,520 |
| Idaho | 5,590 | $31.17 | $64,840 | $73,200 | $109,270 |
| Arkansas | 7,710 | $30.86 | $64,180 | $75,720 | $118,730 |
| Mississippi | 6,940 | $30.85 | $64,170 | $74,620 | $115,350 |
Accountant wages in U.S. territories
| Area | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | 360 | $27.86 | $57,960 | $63,530 | $100,250 |
| Guam | 500 | $22.64 | $47,080 | $51,130 | $72,810 |
| Puerto Rico | 13,460 | $17.93 | $37,290 | $43,610 | $68,620 |
How to read these numbers
The median is the middle wage: half of accountants and auditors earn more and half earn less. The mean is pulled up by the highest earners, which is why the mean of $93,520 sits above the median of $81,680 for this occupation. OEWS wages are gross pay before taxes and benefits, and BLS converts hourly rates to annual figures on a 2,080-hour, year-round full-time basis; part-time and seasonal workers' actual annual earnings can be lower. Figures marked with a plus sign are at or above the BLS reporting cap of $239,200 a year ($115.00 an hour).
Accountant salary FAQ
What is the average accountant salary?
BLS put the mean annual wage for accountants and auditors at $93,520 in May 2024, with a median of $81,680 ($39.27 an hour) across 1,448,290 U.S. jobs.
Which state pays accountants and auditors the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median pay for accountants and auditors, at $103,030 a year in May 2024 — 26.1% higher than the national median of $81,680.
Which state pays accountants and auditors the least?
Among states where BLS publishes an estimate, Mississippi has the lowest median for accountants and auditors, at $64,170 a year, 21.4% lower than the national median.
How many accountants and auditors are there in the United States?
BLS estimated 1,448,290 accountants and auditors jobs in May 2024. The largest state market is California, with 173,370 jobs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.